New Starter Checklist

Where a starter does not have a form P45 issued by a previous employer to give to their new employer before their first payday, the new starter should be asked to complete HMRC’s Starter Checklist . This will in turn inform the new employer what PAYE tax code they should use for the starter’s first payday. The Starter Checklist replaces form P46 (no longer in use) which a starter was obliged to complete in the absence of a P45 from a previous employer.

The Starter Checklist can be completed online and then the finished form can be downloaded, saved, and printed out. Alternatively, a black and white copy of the Starter Checklist can be printed from the online Checklist. This could then be given to the starter to fill out.

Do not send a printed copy of the starter checklist to HMRC; it’s for the employer’s internal use only. Where a Starter Checklist is completed, employers are advised to keep the form for the current and previous three tax years.

Important note: Employers are supposed to verify the information provided on a P45 or Starter Checklist. A birth certificate, photo driving license, passport, and utility bills, can all be used as part of verifying an employee’s name, date of birth, current gender, address, NI number, etc.