What a P60 is
A P60 is the end of year certificate your employer gives you if you were working for them on 5 April. It shows your pay and the tax taken off for the whole tax year. You should get it by 31 May. If you left the job during the year, you get a P45 instead, and you type those figures on the SA102 employment page.
How to upload your P60
- Add your National Insurance number firstIt must be in your personal details. The software checks it against the P60 so it never fills in someone else’s figures.
- Open the employment pageIn your return, open the employment (SA102) page for that job.
- Choose Upload P60 PDFIn Fill from a P60, choose Upload P60 PDF and pick the original PDF file.
- Check the figuresWhen you see P60 ready, compare each figure with your P60.
- Keep or ClearChoose Keep to put the figures on the form, or Clear to discard them. Then save the page.
/assets/guides/upload-p60-tax-return/fill-from-p60.webp/assets/guides/upload-p60-tax-return/p60-ready.webpSoftware can misread a certificate. Reconfirm every imported figure against the P60 before you save.
What the P60 fills in, and what it does not
| From the P60 | Goes to |
|---|---|
| Pay in this employment | Box 1, pay from this employment |
| Tax deducted | Box 2, UK tax taken off pay |
| Employer’s name and PAYE reference | Employer details on the SA102 |
| Student loan deductions | Student loan deducted by this employer |
| Tips, payrolled benefits, P11D benefits | Not on a P60. Add them yourself if they apply |
Upload messages and how to fix them
| Message (shortened) | How to fix it |
|---|---|
| We need the original P60 PDF… | You uploaded a photo. Upload the PDF your employer emailed or you downloaded, or type the figures. |
| This file looks like a scan or a photo saved as a PDF… | The PDF has no text. Get the original PDF, or type the figures from the certificate. |
| That PDF is too large. Use a file under 8 MB. | Use the original P60 file; it is usually far smaller. |
| That file does not look like a P60… | You chose a different document, such as a payslip or P45. |
| Add this taxpayer’s National Insurance number on their record first… | Add the National Insurance number in personal details, then upload again. |
| This P60 is for a different National Insurance number… | The P60 belongs to someone else. Upload the right person’s P60. |
| This P60 is for the year to 5 April…, so it is not for this return | Open the return for the year on the P60, or upload the P60 for this year. |
| We found a P60 but could not read the pay figures. | Type the figures from the certificate. |
| This return is submitted. Unlock it on the filing desk to edit. | The return is locked after filing. See HMRC rejected my return or amend a return. |
Still stuck?
- Download the P60 again from your employer’s payroll portal or HMRC online account, rather than a forwarded copy.
- Paper P60 only? Type box 1, box 2 and the student loan figure yourself.
- Check the tax year printed on the P60 matches the return you opened.
Still not sorted? Contact us and tell us the page, the tax year and any message you see.
Questions answered
Can I upload a photo of my P60?
No. The software needs the original PDF so it can read the text. If you only have a paper P60, type the figures in instead.
Why does it say the P60 is for a different National Insurance number?
The software checks the P60 belongs to the person on the return. Upload that person’s own P60.
What does the P60 upload fill in?
Pay (box 1), tax taken off (box 2), the employer’s name and PAYE reference, and any student loan deducted.
I left my job during the year. Can I upload my P45?
No, the upload reads P60s only. Type the figures from your P45 into the employment page.
Official sources
These guides explain how HMRC's rules apply in Self Assessment Software. Check GOV.UK for your own circumstances.