is it really necessary to self print payslips?

[Jeystone]

to show proof of salary? seems like a redundant exercise, as I am sole employee and director?

[redgiant]

to show proof of salary? seems like a redundant exercise, as I am sole employee and director?

I would keep it electronically for the records instead ... haven't had a printed payslip in years. My accountant creates one for me each month after they have processed my invoices and expenses so there really isn't any effort involved.

[northernladuk]

to show proof of salary? seems like a redundant exercise, as I am sole employee and director?

And what do you do with your dividend vouchers using that argument?

[ASB]

Do you have an employment contract?

If not and you are the director then you are not covered by the employment rights act ('cos you ain't an employee). Thus the provisions in it regarding to payslips don't actually apply.

In any event the ERA gives all employee the right to a payslip containing certain information. It does not actually cause an employer to have an obligation to provide them.

So if you don't want them, don't do them.

[ASB]

And what do you do with your dividend vouchers using that argument?

[pedant]Nothing probably since his argument was about salary

[SteelyDan]

Interesting question, which got me thinking: I pay my accountant to produce these on a 1/4ly basis.

Do I need these payslips/this service, or is the only requirement to show these in my 'books' (spreadsheet)?

I do employ the wife, and have payslips produced by same accountant with a minimal additional cost, but does she actually need them?

To pre-empt a question, yes I do produce my own div vouchers/meeting notes in the same respect.

[ASB]

Interesting question, which got me thinking: I pay my accountant to produce these on a 1/4ly basis.

Do I need these payslips/this service, or is the only requirement to show these in my 'books' (spreadsheet)?

I do employ the wife, and have payslips produced by same accountant with a minimal additional cost, but does she actually need them?

To pre-empt a question, yes I do produce my own div vouchers/meeting notes in the same respect.

There are circumstance in which she might need them. As stated she has the right to have one, so how you will cope with that if she changes her mind is down to you to figure out.

Loan applications spring to mind as a potential use. Not having them might make that process trickier. Obviously you will have P60 etc at end of year though since those are not optional.

However, I cannot actually imagine any accountant offering you a cheaper service for not producing them. (Actually I can imagine them charging more since they would have to go to a special effort not to produce them or to throw them away).

I can understand people doing their own payroll not bothering since they can always produce them later if needed; it's simply a matter of transcribing data if the payroll is done manually (I never produced payslips that I can recall, the payroll was done and the transactions entered in the books).

If any sort of package is used I can't imagine it not producing a payslip. Though I suppose not printing a copy might save 25p a year.

[SteelyDan]

thnx, good points, plus IIRC I'm sure if you are a Ltd Co you do need to have this provision (pay slips) [is it some requirement?]...but unsure why, or if this is truly the case? Maybe some acc'ts could advise on this?

[ASB]

thnx, good points, plus IIRC I'm sure if you are a Ltd Co you do need to have this provision (pay slips) [is it some requirement?]...but unsure why, or if this is truly the case? Maybe some acc'ts could advise on this?

Employment Rights Act (1996) paragraph 8.1 states:

(1) An employee has the right to be given by his employer, at or before the time at which any payment of wages or salary is made to him, a written itemised pay statement.

This says to me that the employee has a right to receive; it does not confer an obligation on the employer to produce. Obviously somebody who is covered by the ERA would need to make their wish not to receive one very clear.

A thread on accounting web: Requirement for payslips | AccountingWEB

fwiw in my last paye investigation HMIT asked for copies of payslips. I gave him the source documents (i.e. deductions working sheets). He was perfectly happy. I doubt this is a path any accountant would actually recommend you follow though.

[John Crowe]

am I legally entitled to print them for myself? I mean buy the special paper, and use my home inkjet..what does a payslip need to contain by law, the bare minimum