What kinds of evidence should I keep?

Keep anything that proves what happened

If you are dealing with an accident, dispute, claim, or complaint, keep anything that helps show the facts. This can include letters, emails, texts, photos, videos, and screenshots. The more clearly something shows what happened, the more useful it may be later.

Try to keep evidence in its original form where possible. For example, save the full email thread rather than just one message, and keep photos with the date they were taken if available. Small details can matter, especially if there is disagreement about timing or what was said.

Keep records of money, dates, and names

Financial evidence is often important in the UK, whether you are dealing with a benefit issue, consumer problem, tenancy dispute, or workplace matter. Keep bank statements, receipts, invoices, payslips, and bills. These can help show what you paid, when you paid it, and to whom.

It also helps to note dates, times, locations, and the names of anyone involved. A short written timeline can make later evidence easier to understand. If you speak to someone on the phone, write down who you spoke to, what was said, and the time of the call.

Keep medical and personal records

If your issue involves injury, illness, or mental health, keep any medical evidence you receive. This may include appointment letters, fit notes, prescriptions, discharge summaries, and test results. These documents may support your position if you need to explain how something affected you.

Personal records can also be useful, especially if you have kept a diary of symptoms, events, or costs. For example, notes about pain, missed work, or travel problems can help show the impact on your daily life. Keep your notes clear, dated, and factual.

Keep employment, housing, and complaint evidence

Workplace evidence may include contracts, rota emails, disciplinary letters, grievance replies, and messages with your manager or HR team. If you are having trouble at work, save copies of any policies that may apply. This can help show what rules the employer said it would follow.

If your issue is about housing, keep your tenancy agreement, repair reports, inspection notes, and correspondence with your landlord or agent. For complaints, retain copies of what you submitted and any replies you received. It is also wise to keep proof of delivery if you sent something important by post.

Store evidence safely and keep it organised

Make backups of important evidence so it is not lost if your phone or computer stops working. You could save files in more than one place, such as a secure cloud account and an external drive. Keep paper documents in a folder and label them by date or topic.

Only share evidence with people who genuinely need it. If your case is sensitive, think about privacy and remove unnecessary personal information where possible. Good organisation now can save a lot of time if you need to use the evidence later.