Payroll number

A payroll number is a unique sequence of letters and/or numbers given to employees by their employer. These numbers usually appear on employees’ payslips, and are used to make the processing of staff wages quicker, easier, and to ensure that the correct amount goes to the correct employee.

It’s important to note that payroll numbers and PAYE references aren’t the same thing: payroll numbers are used mainly internally (within a company or organisation), but PAYE reference numbers (which usually follow a format like “123/A12345”) are assigned by HMRC in the UK, and are unique to each business.