A P60 is your year-end tax summary. It shows your total pay and the tax deducted over the full tax year. As an umbrella contractor, your P60 comes from your umbrella company, not from your agency or end client. This article explains what it shows, when you get it, and how to use it.
What is a P60?
A P60 is an official summary document your employer issues at the end of each tax year. It shows your total gross pay for the year, total income tax deducted, and total National Insurance contributions. HMRC uses the data from your umbrella payroll to check your tax record. You keep your copy for your own records.
Every employed worker gets a P60 from their employer after 5 April each year. The tax year runs from 6 April to 5 April. A P60 for the 2025-26 tax year covers 6 April 2025 to 5 April 2026.
Your P60 records your employment for the full year with that employer. If you changed umbrella companies during the year, you get a separate P60 from each one for the period they employed you.
Who issues your P60?
Your umbrella company issues your P60. Not your agency. Not your end client. You are employed by the umbrella, so its payroll creates the year-end summary. If you worked with more than one umbrella in a tax year, each one gives you a separate P60.
That point matters for umbrella contractors. Many people assume the agency is the employer. It is not. Your contract of employment is with the umbrella. That is where PAYE runs, and that is where your P60 comes from.
A UK umbrella company that runs payroll properly gives you a complete P60 with all deductions shown clearly. If your umbrella is slow, unresponsive, or gets payroll wrong, your P60 can be wrong too. Errors on the P60 affect your tax record.
When do you receive your P60?
Your umbrella must issue your P60 by 31 May after the tax year ends. For the 2025-26 tax year ending 5 April 2026, you should receive your P60 by 31 May 2026.
That deadline is a legal requirement. Employers who miss it can face HMRC penalties.
Most umbrellas now issue P60s through a payroll portal. Check your portal around mid May. Some umbrellas also post a paper copy, so check which method yours uses.
If you do not receive a P60 by 31 May, contact your umbrella in writing and ask for it. Keep a record of the request.
What does a P60 show?
A P60 shows your total gross pay for the year, your total income tax deducted, your total employee National Insurance contributions, your employer PAYE reference, your National Insurance number, and your tax code at year end.
For umbrella contractors, the gross pay figure on the P60 is your PAYE earnings. That is the gross wage after employer NIC and the umbrella margin have been taken from the assignment rate. It is not the rate you quoted to the agency.
Read how to read your umbrella payslip to see how each deduction line connects to the P60 totals at year end.
See umbrella contractor pay and tax for how income tax and NIC are calculated across a full year.
What is a P60 used for?
The main uses are mortgage applications, student loan repayment checks, self-assessment tax returns, tax refund claims, and proving your employment history for a new employer or contract.
Mortgage applications are the most common example. Lenders want to verify your income. A P60 from the last two or three tax years is the standard evidence for employed workers. As a contractor working through an umbrella, your P60 follows the same format as any other employee’s. It shows a stable PAYE record.
For full detail on how lenders treat umbrella income, see the umbrella company and mortgages guide.
If you file a tax return, your P60 gives you the figures for PAYE income, tax paid, and NIC contributions. HMRC cross checks your return against employer data. A correct P60 makes that process easier.
If you overpaid tax during the year, your P60 shows the total tax deducted. HMRC uses it to work out any refund through a P800 or your self-assessment return. The umbrella take-home calculator helps you check whether your annual figures look right for your rate. A big gap between expected and actual numbers points to a tax code issue worth checking.
What if your P60 has errors?
Contact your umbrella right away if anything on the P60 looks wrong. Common errors include gross pay totals that do not add up across a split year, a wrong National Insurance number, or an incorrect tax code at year end.
Errors on your P60 flow into your HMRC record. A wrong gross pay figure can cause problems with self-assessment, tax refund checks, or future employment checks. Do not leave it unresolved.
If your umbrella disputes the error, you can contact HMRC directly with your payslips as evidence. HMRC can update its records.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a P60 and who issues it to umbrella contractors?
A P60 is a year-end tax summary showing total gross pay, income tax deducted, and NIC contributions for the tax year. Your umbrella company issues it, not your agency or end client. If you worked with more than one umbrella in the year, each one issues a separate P60.
When should umbrella contractors receive their P60?
Your umbrella must issue your P60 by 31 May after the tax year ends on 5 April. For the 2025-26 tax year, your P60 should arrive by 31 May 2026. Check your payroll portal or contact your umbrella if it does not arrive.
What does a P60 show for an umbrella contractor?
A P60 shows total gross pay after employer NIC and umbrella margin, total income tax, total employee NIC, your tax code at year end, your NI number, and your umbrella’s PAYE reference.
Can umbrella contractors use a P60 for a mortgage application?
Yes. A P60 is standard proof of employed income for mortgage applications. Lenders accept P60s from umbrella contractors on the same basis as any employed worker. Two or three years of P60s is the usual request.
What should I do if my P60 has errors?
Contact your umbrella in writing straight away. Errors in your P60 affect your HMRC tax record. If the umbrella does not fix it, contact HMRC with your payslips as evidence. HMRC can update its records.
