What to Shred and What to Keep: A Practical Guide for UK Businesses

17 Jan 2026

If you're unsure what paperwork your business needs to keep — and what you can safely destroy — you're not alone. With GDPR, tax regulations, and industry-specific rules all in play, it’s easy to second-guess every piece of paper.

At SRS Shredding, we regularly advise clients across Milton Keynes, Luton, Aylesbury, and Bedford on managing their documents securely. This guide helps you strike the right balance between keeping what’s required and shredding what’s risky.

Documents You Should Keep (Temporarily)

Depending on your industry, you may be legally required to keep certain records for set periods. These typically include:

Payroll and tax records – Keep for 6 years (HMRC)
Employee contracts – Keep for 6 years after termination
VAT records – Keep for at least 6 years
Insurance documents – Duration of the policy + 6 years
Health and safety records – Often 3 years or more

If you’re ever in doubt, check with your accountant, HR consultant, or industry regulator.

Documents You Can and Should Shred

The moment a document is no longer legally or operationally required, it becomes a data risk if not destroyed securely. Shred anything that contains:

Names and addresses
Email addresses or phone numbers
Financial information
Signatures
Employee performance notes
Health or medical details
Old CVs or job applications
Printed email threads

Even seemingly “harmless” notes can contain personal data and should never go in general waste or recycling.

Benefits of Having a Document Retention Policy

A clear policy makes day-to-day shredding decisions easier for your staff and reduces legal risk. It should include:

Retention timelines per document type
Department responsibilities
Secure shredding procedures
Audit trail requirements

Need help drafting one? The SRS team can support you with templates and best practice advice.

The Role of In-House Shredding Equipment

We supply high-quality office and industrial shredders, ideal for businesses that want to manage document disposal themselves. Paired with a lockable bin and a retention policy, this gives you full control of your paper security process — no third parties required.

Final Tip: When in doubt, shred it. It’s safer to destroy an outdated document than to store it indefinitely and risk a data breach.