QA-21
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Q. We have a new employee who did not present a P45 and did not complete the Starter Checklist. Which FPS starter declaration and tax code should we use?

A: HMRC’s guidance in the PAYE Manual says that the starter declaration must be C and the tax code to use is 0T on a week 1 / month 1 basis. Starter declaration C, essentially, sets the employee up on HMRC’s systems with a secondary record, simply because HMRC do not know whether this is a primary employment or a second employment. Tax code 0T W1 / M1 means that the employee is not entitled to any personal allowances.

Use HMRC’s ‘Work out your new employee's tax code’ tool for confirmation. Failure to return the starter checklist is an all-too-common event and the employer should do everything they possibly can to get the checklist completed prior to the employee’s first payday.

The information provided in this blog is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. As far as we are aware, the content is accurate at time of publication. Torgersens assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in the content or for any actions taken based on the information provided.

About the Author

Martin Johnson Image

Martin Johnson

Consultant
Martin joined Torgersens from KPMG in 1984 and was a partner from 1988 until his retirement in September 2025.  Martin is now a part-time consultant with the firm, providing support to Torgersens’ colleagues and clients as needed with tax, accountancy, and business advice.

To get in touch please e-mail martin.johnson@torgersens.com.

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