What is a Tax Reference Number?

A tax reference number is a unique number given to every employer in the UK, so the chances that you have one as a business owner, but don`t know where to find tax reference numbers are high.

But don`t worry, in this blog post, we will explain everything you need to know about;

• tax office reference numbers,
• where to find it,
• how is it different from a PAYE reference,
• its difference from NIC or UTR
• and what happens if you have multiple employments.

What is a Tax Office Reference Number?

A tax office reference number, aka an "employer PAYE reference" or just simply "PAYE reference", is a unique number that is used by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to identify employers, yes you! In other words, you need your Tax Office Reference Number when dealing with HMRC on the phone, by letter or via email. Therefore, it is essential that you keep your tax office reference number safe.

Tax office reference number is used to ensure that employers are paying the correct amount of tax and National Insurance contributions (NICs) for their employees, check out the latest changes on National Insurance Contributions deadline here

Where to Find My Tax Office Reference Number?

There are several that you can find your tax office reference number;

1) If you are an employee, there are 3 places where you locate your tax office reference number:

• on your payslip, just make sure, the tax office reference number is not the same as the tax code! As they are both on your payslip, it`s easy to be confused.
• on your P45
• or on your annual P60.

2) If you are self-employed, you can find your tax office reference number on any correspondence from HMRC, like self-assessment tax calculation, to find out more about the meaning of correspondences from HMRC as a self-employed check our comprehensive hub about HMRC Letters Look for a letter or form that begins with "PAYE reference" or "Employer PAYE Reference".

Is the Tax Office Reference Number the Same as the National Insurance Number?

The National Insurance Number is an entirely different reference number. A tax office reference number is not the same as your national insurance number (NINO). Your NINO is used for identifying your national insurance contributions and accessing state benefits, while the tax office reference number identifies you as an employer.

However, sometimes there may be confusion between these two numbers due to their similar usage. So make sure to double-check which one is being requested when providing personal information.

Is the Tax Office Reference Number the Same as My UTR?

UTR, unique tax reference number, is often confused with tax office reference number as both of their nature are akin to "uniqueness". However, UTR is given to individual taxpayers, while the tax office reference number is given to the employer. Therefore, they are two separate numbers and should not be mistaken for one another.

UTR is a 10-digit number that`s given to you by HMRC, like 1234567891 whereas a tax office reference number is a combination of letters and numbers, like XYZ/AB12345. HMRC sends you your UTR usually by letter, while the tax office reference number can be found on the above-mentioned documents.

Second Job and Multiple Tax Office Reference Numbers

Before we get into that, if you have multiple employment, you may want to take a look at our ever-so-popular second job tax blog post. With the rising cost of living many Brits resort to having a second job to increase money savings, therefore we think it`s important to give "second job tax" a more mainstream echo.

If you have more than one job, each of your employers will have a different tax office reference number. This is because each job should be taxed separately to ensure you are paying the correct amount of tax and NICs. Therefore, make sure to keep track of all your tax office reference numbers for your multiple sources of income.

Key Takeaways

A tax office reference number is an essential identification number for employers in the UK. It is used by HMRC to ensure that employers are paying the correct amount of tax and NICs for their employees.

Your tax office reference number can be found on various documents, depending on whether you are an employee or self-employed.

Tax office reference number is NOT the same as your National Insurance Number or UTR and it is crucial to keep track of all your tax office reference numbers

if you have multiple sources of income, you`ll have different tax office reference numbers as the nature of this number of being "unique" to each employer.

We hope this blog encourages you to keep track of your tax office reference number and gives you an insight into what is a tax office reference number and how can you use it.