How long should you retain wage slips?

DCFC79

Beardybaldy said:

Sorry to hijack the thread, and I do t wish to derail it, but I've always wondered, why do you even need them?

In circa 25 years of working, I can't recall ever needing to show mine to anybody. Even when I applied for my mortgage, they just wanted to look at my banking history, and see a reference confirming I was still employed. There must be a reason to keep them, but I've not encountered it yet. 

A mortgage broker wanted to see mine albeit only 3 maybe 6 months worth.

birdofafeather

Beardybaldy said:

Sorry to hijack the thread, and I do t wish to derail it, but I've always wondered, why do you even need them?

In circa 25 years of working, I can't recall ever needing to show mine to anybody. Even when I applied for my mortgage, they just wanted to look at my banking history, and see a reference confirming I was still employed. There must be a reason to keep them, but I've not encountered it yet. 

That's odd - I'm looking to rent/get a mortgage in the next 12 months and everybody has told me to keep payslips as landlords/banks will want them and possibly bank statements. That said I'm returning from long term unemployment so might need more paperwork than someone whose never been unemployed. 

Marcon

Beardybaldy said:

Sorry to hijack the thread, and I do t wish to derail it, but I've always wondered, why do you even need them?

1. It's a legal requirement for your employer to supply them.
2. It gives you an opportunity to check that you have paid the correct amount and that the correct deductions have been made. Judging by the number of people who come on here admitting they've never read their payslip and/or don't understand it, that is probably something of a vain hope!

sammyjammy

The chances are slim but I wouldn't want to be one of those people who have to prove pension contributions when I retire, I've known it happen to a career civil servant that moved departments a few times, they had nothing, not even P60s, as has been said I'd rather be safe than sorry.

JGB1955

I've kept every P60 since 1978, (it tells you to keep them because they can't be replaced), but otherwise...I only keep the stuff I need for the next online submission.

silversnail

Having worked for several local authorities as a teacher, I found that Teachers Pensions (a private company) had got my employment history wrong.  They asked for payslips as evidence, some from over 20 years ago.  I didn't have them.  It took a lot of chasing payroll in at least 4 local authorities to set it all right, and I am not convinced they had good records either....

bargainbetty

[Deleted User] said:

Sorry to hijack the thread, and I do t wish to derail it, but I've always wondered, why do you even need them?

In circa 25 years of working, I can't recall ever needing to show mine to anybody. Even when I applied for my mortgage, they just wanted to look at my banking history, and see a reference confirming I was still employed. There must be a reason to keep them, but I've not encountered it yet. 

I checked my online account and saw that a year was marked as having insufficient NI contributions - I sent them my payslips to prove it had been deducted from my salary on a monthly basis and they amended the year and chased the old employer for the money. Had I not had proof, if might have been different. 

I scan everything and save digital copies. That takes up very little space! 

Thrugelmir

Retaining annual P60's should suffice in the longer term. 

Own_Worst_Enermy

[Deleted User] said:

Sorry to hijack the thread, and I do t wish to derail it, but I've always wondered, why do you even need them?

Quite recently, when an Employer's back ground screening company couldn't get a reference - they allowed instead additionally given the HRMC record was not accurate, that I provided pay slips from the start, middle and end of employment. So I would say it's important to get pay slips and keep them for sure.