P45 when joining an umbrella

[jor-el]

So...I just registered with Parasol for my first contract.
In one of the emails I got after registration, they say they require a P45 from my previous employer otherwise I'll be on emergency tax code.

No knowing much about tax codes (been a permie all my life and also not in the UK for long) I'm not sure if they need my P45 from my permie job (I still don't have it). Question is, do they need P45 from previous permies?

And how bad is this emergency tax code?

Thanks for your patience....

[Sockpuppet]

Yes, they do.

Well no actually they dont you could fill in a P46 to get the tax code from HMRC. Emergency tax is not that bad. Basically its code 522L week1/month1. You will get the tax back though when your correct tax code filters down to them.