Sometimes it may be necessary to prove your earnings. The most common reasons include applying for a mortgage or loan, or if you've suffered loss of earnings. The exact requirements may vary depending on your situation, but the information below is a guide to get you started.
Employment Income
If your income is paid through Pay As You Earn (PAYE), this should be easy enough to prove. Ask your employer for a P60. This will show how much you earned during the last tax year.
In some instances, your P60 may not yet reflect your full salary if you:
- Recently started employment.
- Started your job mid-year.
- Recently received a payrise.
If any of these are the case, you might need to use your employment contract, or a letter from your employer confirming your salary.
Self-Employed Income
If you are self-employed, then you won’t receive a P60. The accepted proof of income for self-employed individuals is an SA302.
An SA302 is a summary of your earnings for the financial year. If your tax return has been filed on HMRC’s website, then you should be able login and download it here.
When you login, you should see this screen. First, select the Self Assessment option.
From here you should be able to select your SA302. Alternatively, scroll down to find it for earlier years.
If your return has been filed through software by either yourself or your accountant, then you will need to obtain your SA302 through the software.
Property Rental
If you have income from property rental, this is likely to be reported on a self-assessment tax return, and you can request an SA302 as mentioned above.
Company Accounts
If you run your own limited company, you may take income as a combination of salary and dividends.
Your salary can be proven in the same was as if you were in employment (see Employment Income section above). To prove dividend income, you should be able to download an SA302 from the HMRC website (see Self-Employment Income section above).
You may also be asked to share the accounts of the limited company. All filed accounts will be available on Companies House. If the accounts filed are abridged, and you require a full version, you will need to contact the accountant who prepared the accounts.
Accountant’s Letter or Reference
In the event you cannot obtain a particular proof of income, you may be able to get your accountant to provide a letter or reference outlining your income. This might come at a cost, so you may want to look into the methods listed above in the first instance.
