A P11D is the annual HMRC form your employer sends to report benefits in kind (BIKs) you received during the tax year. You usually get a copy by 6 July after the tax year ends. HMRC uses it to adjust your tax code so the correct income tax is collected over the next 12 months. If your employer "payrolls" benefits, you don't get a P11D — the tax is collected each pay period instead.
What's on a P11D
The P11D lists every reportable benefit in kind with its "cash equivalent" — HMRC's value for tax purposes. Common entries:
- Company car — list price × CO₂ rate band
- Company fuel for private use
- Private medical insurance — premium paid
- Interest-free or low-interest loans above £10,000
- Living accommodation
- Vouchers and credit-card payments
- Mileage allowance over HMRC approved rates
- Relocation expenses over £8,000
Some benefits are exempt and won't appear on a P11D — one mobile phone, Cycle to Work bicycles, workplace nurseries, employer pension contributions, trivial benefits under £50.
P11D timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 5 April | Tax year ends — employer collates BIKs for the year |
| 6 July | Deadline for employer to send P11D to you and HMRC |
| 22 July | Deadline for employer to pay Class 1A NI on BIKs |
| August onwards | HMRC adjusts your tax code to recover the income tax on BIKs |
| Following April-March | Tax collected month-by-month through PAYE on adjusted code |
So there's a lag: BIKs received in 2025/26 (April 2025 — April 2026) appear on a P11D by July 2026, and the tax is recovered through your code in 2026/27.
P11D vs payrolling benefits
Since April 2016, employers can choose to payroll benefits instead of issuing P11Ds. The differences:
| P11D (post-year) | Payrolled (in-year) | |
|---|---|---|
| Form to employee | P11D in July | Pay statement each period |
| Tax timing | Following tax year via code | Each pay period via PAYE |
| Class 1A NI | One annual employer payment | Real-time monthly |
| Cash flow effect | Tax always 12 months behind | Tax always current |
From 6 April 2026, payrolling becomes mandatory for most BIKs (announced in 2023, implementation date confirmed). The exceptions are interest-free loans and accommodation, which continue on P11D for now. So this is the last year P11Ds will be widely issued for most benefit types.
What to check on your P11D
- Is everything correct? Check the cash equivalent figures against your contract / scheme paperwork. Common errors: wrong company car list price, wrong CO₂ band, private fuel benefit included when you only have business fuel.
- Is everything listed? If a benefit is missing (e.g. private medical you know your employer pays), you still owe tax on it. Better to flag it now than have HMRC come back later.
- Keep the P11D safe. Mortgage applications, tax investigations and Self Assessment all reference it.
- Check the corresponding tax code change via the Personal Tax Account or P2 coding notice that follows.
Calculate your company car BIK
The company car BIK calculator computes the exact cash equivalent for petrol, diesel, hybrid or electric cars under 2026/27 rules.
Open the company car BIK calculator →Sources and methodology
P11D rules and reporting deadlines from gov.uk/employer-reporting-expenses-benefits. Mandatory payrolling announcement from gov.uk Agent Update 114. Class 1A NI from gov.uk/national-insurance-rates-letters.
UK Tax Drag is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority and does not provide regulated financial advice — see the content disclaimer for the full position. The methodology page documents how every calculator is built and reviewed.
Related
- What is a benefit in kind? — the underlying tax concept
- P60 vs P45 vs P11D — all three payroll documents distinguished
- Company car BIK calculator — precise BIK value for any car
- P60 mistakes that cost you money — related checks on other payroll forms
- Full UK money glossary
- FAQ library
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