UK Salary Calculator 2026/27
Accurate take-home pay using real HMRC bands for 2026/27, 2025/26, and 2024/25. Models Scotland, all 5 Student Loan plans, salary sacrifice pension, and Personal Allowance taper. Zero ads, zero tracking.
| Period | Gross | Net |
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How UK Take-Home Pay Is Calculated
Calculating UK take-home pay is more involved than many people realise because three separate deductions come out of your gross salary, each with its own rules:
- Income Tax — applied progressively across bands. The first £12,570 (Personal Allowance) is tax-free, then 20% on the basic-rate band up to £50,270, 40% on the higher-rate band up to £125,140, and 45% above. Scottish residents have a different six-band scheme.
- National Insurance (Class 1 employee) — applied at 8% between the Primary Threshold (£12,570) and the Upper Earnings Limit (£50,270), then 2% above. NI is separate from Income Tax and is not affected by the Personal Allowance taper.
- Student Loan — if you have one, repaid at 9% (Plans 1/2/4/5) or 6% (PGL) on income above the relevant threshold. You can have multiple plans simultaneously (e.g., Plan 2 + PGL).
An optional pension contribution reduces your taxable pay before any of the above are calculated, with three different schemes producing different take-home math (see "Pension schemes" below).
The Formula
Income Tax= sum over bands of (income in band × band rate), after Personal Allowance taper if applicableNI= 8% × (min(Gross, UEL) − PT) + 2% × max(0, Gross − UEL)Student Loan= sum over selected plans of max(0, Gross − threshold) × plan_rate
2026/27 UK Income Tax Bands (rUK)
Source: HMRC. Personal Allowance, basic rate threshold, and higher-rate threshold are frozen at 2021 levels until at least the 2028/29 tax year.
| Rate | Band | Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| 0% | Personal Allowance | £0 – £12,570 |
| 20% | Basic rate | £12,570 – £50,270 |
| 40% | Higher rate | £50,270 – £125,140 |
| 45% | Additional rate | £125,140+ |
2026/27 Scottish Income Tax Bands
Set by the Scottish Parliament; applies to non-savings, non-dividend income for residents of Scotland. Source: Scottish Government.
| Rate | Band | Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| 0% | Personal Allowance | £0 – £12,570 |
| 19% | Starter rate | £12,570 – £15,397 |
| 20% | Basic rate | £15,397 – £27,491 |
| 21% | Intermediate rate | £27,491 – £43,662 |
| 42% | Higher rate | £43,662 – £75,000 |
| 45% | Advanced rate | £75,000 – £125,140 |
| 48% | Top rate | £125,140+ |
Note: the Personal Allowance itself is set by HMRC at the UK level. Scotland's bands begin above the Personal Allowance.
2026/27 Class 1 National Insurance (Employees)
| Threshold | Annual | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Earnings Limit (LEL) | £6,396 | 0% (counts for State Pension) |
| Primary Threshold (PT) | £12,570 | NI starts here |
| Upper Earnings Limit (UEL) | £50,270 | 8% main rate up to here |
| Above UEL | £50,270+ | 2% upper rate |
Student Loan Plans 2026/27
Each plan has its own threshold and repayment rate. You can have multiple plans simultaneously (commonly Plan 2 + PGL for someone with both undergraduate and postgraduate loans), and they are deducted independently. Plan 5 is for English students who started university from September 2023.
| Plan | Who | Threshold | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan 1 | EN/WAL pre-2012, NI residents | £27,295 | 9% |
| Plan 2 | EN/WAL 2012–Aug 2023 | £29,795 | 9% |
| Plan 4 | Scotland | £34,275 | 9% |
| Plan 5 | EN from Sept 2023 | £25,000 | 9% |
| Postgraduate (PGL) | Master's / PhD loans | £21,000 | 6% |
Pension Schemes — Salary Sacrifice vs Relief at Source vs Net Pay
The same percentage pension contribution can produce three different take-home outcomes depending on the scheme type. This is the most commonly mis-modelled feature in UK salary calculators — we model all three correctly.
Salary Sacrifice (most tax-efficient)
You give up some gross salary in exchange for an employer pension contribution of equal value. The contribution comes out of gross pay before Income Tax and NI. You save both — typically 28% (20% basic + 8% NI) for a basic-rate taxpayer, or 42% (40% higher + 2% NI) for a higher-rate taxpayer. Some employers also pass on their employer NI saving (15% in 2026/27), boosting the benefit further. Downside: reduced gross salary on payslips can affect mortgage applications, sick pay, and life insurance cover.
Relief at Source (RAS — most personal pensions)
Your contribution comes out of net pay after Income Tax. The pension provider claims back 20% basic-rate tax from HMRC and adds it to your pension pot. Higher-rate taxpayers get the additional 20% via Self Assessment. You do not save NI. Most personal pensions (SIPPs, Stakeholder pensions) work this way.
Net Pay arrangement
Contributions come out of gross pay before Income Tax — so you get income-tax relief automatically at your marginal rate — but they are not deducted before NI. You do not save NI. Many older occupational schemes use this method.
Personal Allowance Taper — The 60% Tax Trap
Once your adjusted net income passes £100,000, your £12,570 Personal Allowance is reduced by £1 for every £2 above the threshold, fully eliminated at £125,140. In the £100k–£125k band, every additional £1 of income is taxed at 40% AND triggers £0.50 of lost allowance also taxed at 40% — an effective 60% marginal rate (62% with NI). This is the single biggest planning trap in UK personal taxation.
Fix it: salary-sacrifice pension contributions reduce adjusted net income and can restore the Personal Allowance, often making 100% of the contribution effectively "free" net of tax.
Worked Example — Alex, London, £60,000 with Plan 2 Loan and 8% Salary Sacrifice
- 0% on first £12,570 = £0
- 20% on next £37,700 (£12,570 → £50,270) = £7,540
- 40% on next £4,930 (£50,270 → £55,200) = £1,972
- Total income tax: £9,512
- 8% on (£50,270 − £12,570) = 8% × £37,700 = £3,016
- 2% on (£55,200 − £50,270) = 2% × £4,930 = £99
- Total NI: £3,115
That's £3,357/month from a £60k headline salary, with £4,800 going into Alex's pension and effective combined tax/NI/SL deductions of 25.4% on the post-pension figure.
Understanding Tax Code 1257L
Your tax code tells your employer how much tax-free pay you are entitled to in the year. The standard 2026/27 code is 1257L: 1257 means £12,570 (the Personal Allowance × 10), and L is the suffix for the basic Personal Allowance.
Other suffixes have specific meanings:
- BR — all income taxed at basic (20%) rate, no allowance. Used for second jobs.
- D0 — all income taxed at higher (40%) rate.
- D1 — all income taxed at additional (45%) rate.
- K — negative allowance. Means you owe tax on benefits in kind (company car, private medical) that exceed your allowance.
- NT — no tax. Used for non-residents and specific exempt cases.
- S prefix — Scottish taxpayer (e.g., S1257L).
- C prefix — Welsh taxpayer (currently same rates as rUK).
Always check your tax code on your payslip. If it looks wrong, contact HMRC — incorrect codes are surprisingly common, especially after job changes, bonuses, or company benefits start/stop.
How to Use This Calculator
- Pick a tax year — 2026/27 is the default (current).
- Pick a region — England/Wales/NI or Scotland (Welsh income tax currently matches rUK).
- Enter your salary — annual, monthly, weekly, daily, or hourly.
- Tick any Student Loan plans you currently repay. You can tick multiple (e.g., Plan 2 + PGL).
- Set pension contribution as a percentage and pick the scheme type. Most workplace pensions are Salary Sacrifice or Net Pay; most personal pensions (SIPPs) are Relief at Source.
- Read the result — Take-Home Pay is in the top-right panel. Below it: Gross / Income Tax / NI / Student Loan / Pension / Net.
- Share — the URL preserves all your inputs.
Methodology & Assumptions
- Income Tax computed by walking annual gross income through the band schedule for the selected tax year and region (rUK or Scotland), with Personal Allowance taper applied for incomes over £100,000.
- Class 1 employee NI computed annually as: 8% on (PT → UEL) + 2% above UEL. Strictly NI is per pay period; this annualisation introduces sub-£10 differences for most regular salaries.
- Student Loan calculated independently for each ticked plan as 9% (Plans 1/2/4/5) or 6% (PGL) on income above the plan-specific threshold for the selected tax year.
- Salary Sacrifice reduces Income Tax, NI, and Student Loan base (because it lowers gross). Relief at Source reduces neither (relief comes back to the pension pot separately). Net Pay reduces Income Tax base only, not NI or Student Loan.
- HMRC rates dataset is published at
/calculators/data/hmrc-rates.jsonfor download and citation. - All math runs in your browser. No data leaves your device.
Glossary
- PAYE (Pay As You Earn)
- The UK system whereby employers deduct Income Tax and National Insurance from employees' pay and remit it to HMRC each pay period.
- Personal Allowance (PA)
- The amount of income each individual can earn tax-free each tax year. Standard PA is £12,570 for 2026/27, frozen until 2028. Tapered to zero for adjusted net income over £125,140.
- Tax Code
- A code (e.g., 1257L) HMRC issues to your employer telling them how much tax-free pay you get for the year. The number is your allowance ÷ 10; the letter denotes special circumstances.
- NIC (National Insurance Contributions)
- Payroll contributions funding State Pension, NHS, and contributory benefits. Class 1 is for employees, Class 2/4 for the self-employed.
- LEL / PT / UEL
- Lower Earnings Limit (£6,396), Primary Threshold (£12,570), Upper Earnings Limit (£50,270) — the three thresholds that bound NI calculations.
- Student Loan Plan 1 / 2 / 4 / 5 / PGL
- Five UK student loan repayment plans, each with its own threshold and rate. Borrowers can have multiple plans active simultaneously.
- Salary Sacrifice
- An arrangement where an employee gives up some gross pay in exchange for an employer benefit (most commonly a pension contribution). Saves both Income Tax and NI.
- Relief at Source (RAS)
- A pension scheme where contributions come from net pay; the provider claims back basic-rate income tax. Higher-rate taxpayers must claim additional relief via Self Assessment.
- Net Pay arrangement
- A pension scheme where contributions come out of gross pay before Income Tax (saving income tax automatically at marginal rate) but not before NI.
- P60
- An end-of-tax-year summary issued by your employer showing total pay and deductions for the tax year (issued by 31 May after tax year end).
- P45
- The form issued when you leave a job, showing pay and tax to date for the current tax year. Given to your next employer to continue your tax code.
- PA Taper
- The reduction of Personal Allowance for incomes above £100,000, creating an effective 60% marginal rate in the £100k–£125,140 band.
Frequently Asked Questions
For tax year 2026/27 in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland with no pension and no student loan, a £50,000 salary yields approximately £39,520 net per year, or about £3,293 per month. Breakdown: £7,486 income tax (20% on £37,430 above the £12,570 Personal Allowance) and £2,994 National Insurance (8% on £37,430). Scotland produces a slightly different result due to separate Scottish income tax bands.
The standard Personal Allowance is £12,570, frozen at this level since 2021/22 until at least 2028. Income above £100,000 triggers a taper that removes £1 of allowance for every £2 over the threshold, fully eliminating it at £125,140 — creating a 60% effective marginal rate in that band.
For rUK: 0% on first £12,570 (PA); 20% basic to £50,270; 40% higher to £125,140; 45% additional above £125,140. Scotland has six bands: 19% Starter, 20% Basic, 21% Intermediate, 42% Higher, 45% Advanced, 48% Top — see the Scottish bands table on this page.
Class 1 employee NI is 8% on earnings between £12,570 (Primary Threshold) and £50,270 (Upper Earnings Limit), then 2% above. NI funds the State Pension, NHS, and contributory benefits. NI is not charged on savings interest, dividends, or rental property income.
Plan 1 = English/Welsh pre-2012 + NI students (threshold £27,295). Plan 2 = English/Welsh from 2012 to August 2023 (£29,795). Plan 4 = Scottish students (£34,275). Plan 5 = English students from September 2023 (£25,000). PGL = postgraduate (£21,000). Plans 1/2/4/5 repay at 9% above threshold; PGL at 6%. You can have multiple plans active simultaneously — the calculator above supports multi-select.
Salary sacrifice is an arrangement where you give up gross pay in exchange for an employer pension contribution of equal value. Because the contribution comes out before Income Tax AND NI, you save both — typically 28% (basic) or 42% (higher rate). Most employers also pass on their NI saving. Almost always the most tax-efficient pension option, but reduces gross salary on payslips, which can affect mortgage applications, sick pay, and life insurance.
Below ~£28,000 Scotland's 19% Starter rate makes Scottish residents pay slightly less. Between £28k and £50k Scottish residents pay more due to the 21% Intermediate band and the early 42% Higher rate threshold. Above £43,662 Scotland is consistently more expensive than rUK because Higher-rate kicks in earlier. Above £75k the 45% Advanced rate applies; above £125,140 the 48% Top rate.
The Personal Allowance starts tapering at £100,000 of adjusted net income, losing £1 per £2 over the threshold and fully eliminated at £125,140. This produces an effective 60% marginal rate (62% with NI) in the £100k–£125k band. Salary sacrifice contributions reduce adjusted net income and can restore some or all of the PA — often making the contribution effectively free of net cost.
Primary Threshold £12,570; Upper Earnings Limit £50,270; both currently frozen until 2028. Main rate 8%, upper rate 2%.
A one-off bonus is added to your gross pay for the period it's paid in. PAYE calculates Income Tax and NI as if you earned that pay rate for the entire year — which can briefly push you into a higher bracket and produce a larger-than-expected deduction. The over-deduction is corrected automatically over the rest of the tax year. There is no separate "bonus tax" rate in the UK.
Relief at Source (RAS): contributions come from net pay; provider claims back 20% basic-rate tax. Higher-rate taxpayers claim additional 20% via Self Assessment. Net Pay: contributions come from gross pay before Income Tax — automatic relief at marginal rate, no NI saving. Salary Sacrifice: contributions come from gross pay before BOTH Income Tax and NI — the most tax-efficient.
1257L is the standard PAYE code for someone receiving the full £12,570 Personal Allowance with no adjustments. The number = allowance ÷ 10; L = basic Personal Allowance. Other suffixes: BR (all basic rate), D0 (all higher rate), D1 (all additional rate), K (negative allowance for benefits-in-kind), NT (no tax), S prefix (Scottish), C prefix (Welsh).