Leaving a job well: your notice, final pay, holiday and P45 checklist
6 minute read · 2026-10-08
To leave a job well: give the notice in your contract in writing, work it properly, check that your final pay includes every hour worked and any holiday you have built up and not taken, and make sure you get your P45. Leave on good terms where you can, because your next employer may ask this one for a reference.
1. Hand in your notice properly
Check your contract for your notice period. If it says nothing, the legal minimum once you have worked there a month is one week. Our post on how much notice you have to give sets out the rules, and the guide to notice periods and references covers garden leave and pay in lieu.
Write a short letter or email: the date, that you are resigning, your last working day, and a line of thanks. Keep a copy. You do not have to give a reason.
"Dear Sam, please accept this as notice of my resignation. My notice period is one month, so my last working day will be Friday 6 November. Thank you for the experience I have had here. I will do everything I can to hand over properly."
2. Work your notice like you mean it
The last few weeks are what people remember. Turn up, train your replacement if asked, write down how you do things, return keys and kit. If you want to leave earlier, ask; many employers agree. Walking out without working notice is a breach of contract, and while employers rarely sue, it can cost you the reference.
3. Check your final pay
Your last payslip should include:
- All hours worked up to your last day, including overtime and any shift premium.
- Holiday pay for statutory holiday built up and not taken in the current holiday year. Work out your entitlement from the start of the year to your leaving date and take away what you have used. Your contract may say how extra contractual holiday is handled.
- Notice pay, if your employer asked you not to work your notice.
- Any bonus or commission already earned under the rules of the scheme.
If you have taken more holiday than you had built up, your employer can only take it back from your pay if your contract or a written agreement allows it.
4. Deductions: what is allowed
Under Part II of the Employment Rights Act 1996, an employer can only deduct money from your pay if the law requires it (tax, National Insurance, student loan), your contract allows it, or you agreed in writing before the deduction. Common ones on leaving are training cost clawbacks, unreturned uniform or equipment, and overpaid holiday. Check:
- Is it actually in the contract or a document you signed?
- Is the amount reasonable and explained?
- Does it take your pay for the period below the minimum wage? Many deductions that benefit the employer are not allowed to.
If a deduction looks wrong, ask in writing for the breakdown and the clause it relies on. If it is still wrong, ACAS can help, and a claim for unlawful deductions can be made to an employment tribunal. See our guide to the minimum wage and payslips.
5. Get your P45
Your employer must give you a P45 when you leave. It shows your pay and tax so far this tax year. Give parts 2 and 3 to your next employer so your tax code carries over; keep part 1A for your records. If you do not receive one, ask payroll. You may also need it to claim benefits.
6. Pension and benefits
- Your workplace pension stays yours. Note the provider and keep the latest statement; you can transfer it later or leave it where it is.
- If you have private medical cover, a season ticket loan or a car through work, check what happens on leaving.
- If you are owed expenses, claim them before your last day.
7. Protect your reference
Ask your manager, before you go, whether they would be willing to act as a referee, and what the company policy is. Many firms only confirm dates and job title. If your manager will give a fuller one, get their personal email or mobile with their permission in case they move on. Our post on how references work explains what an employer can and cannot say.
8. The exit interview
If offered one, be honest and constructive. Specific and calm ("the rota was published two days before the week, which made childcare hard") is useful to them and safe for you. A list of grudges is neither.
What to do next
- Send your notice in writing and keep a copy.
- Work out your holiday balance before your last week.
- On final payday, check the payslip line by line and ask for your P45 if it has not arrived.
This is general information, not legal advice. For your own situation, ACAS (0300 123 1100) is free.
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