How Long UK Businesses Must Keep Each Document Type — With Sources
There is no single 'keep everything for seven years' rule. Each document type has its own statutory minimum. Here is the matrix, with the law next to each line.
Summary
Statutory retention periods for company records, VAT records, payroll, employee files, contracts and personal data — with the specific section of the Companies Act, VATA, ITEPA, and UK GDPR that each rule comes from.