UK Take-Home Pay Calculator 2026/27
Enter your gross annual salary to estimate your take-home pay for the 2026/27 tax year — after UK Income Tax and National Insurance. Your numbers never leave your browser.
Calculate Your Take-Home Pay
⚡ 2026/27 Quick Facts
- Personal allowance: £12,570 tax-free (tapers away above £100,000)
- Income Tax bands: 20% basic · 40% higher · 45% additional
- Basic-rate band: first £37,700 of taxable income at 20%
- National Insurance: 8% between £12,570–£50,270, then 2% above
- Bands shown: England, Wales & Northern Ireland (Scotland differs)
How UK Take-Home Pay Works
Your payslip starts with gross pay — your salary before anything is taken off. Two big deductions then shrink it down to your take-home pay:
1. Income Tax. The first £12,570 of your earnings is tax-free thanks to the personal allowance. Above that, taxable income falls into bands: 20% on the first £37,700 of taxable income (the basic-rate band), 40% on the next chunk up to £125,140 of total income, and 45% on anything above that. Because the system is marginal, a higher band only ever taxes the slice of income inside it — never your whole salary.
2. National Insurance (NI). This funds state benefits and the NHS. You pay 8% on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270, and 2% on everything above £50,270. Unlike Income Tax, NI has no personal allowance as such, but the lower threshold sits at the same £12,570 figure, so in practice the first £12,570 escapes both.
3. What about the personal allowance taper? If you earn over £100,000, your personal allowance shrinks by £1 for every £2 of extra income, disappearing entirely at £125,140. That creates an effective 60% marginal rate in the taper zone — a quirk worth knowing if you're negotiating a raise near six figures. This calculator models the taper automatically.
4. What's left = your take-home pay. Pension contributions, student loan repayments and benefits like cycle-to-work can also come out of your pay, but those depend on your circumstances, so this calculator focuses on Income Tax and NI — the two deductions everyone has.
📝 Example: £50,000 salary, paid monthly
Personal allowance £12,570 → taxable income £37,430, all inside the basic-rate band.
Income Tax: 20% × £37,430 = £7,486.00 · National Insurance: 8% × £37,430 = £2,994.40
Take-home ≈ £3,293.30 per month (£39,519.60 per year). Try it above — push the salary past £100,000 and watch the allowance taper bite.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this calculator for England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland?
It uses the Income Tax bands for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland sets its own starter, basic, intermediate, higher, advanced and top rates, so Scottish taxpayers will see slightly different figures — usually a little higher tax on middle incomes.
What is the personal allowance and do I get it automatically?
The personal allowance (£12,570 for 2026/27) is the amount you can earn before Income Tax kicks in. It's normally applied automatically through your PAYE tax code (usually 1257L). It shrinks if you earn over £100,000 or claim certain benefits.
What's the difference between Income Tax and National Insurance?
Income Tax goes into general government funds and uses annual bands with a tax-free allowance. National Insurance is tied to your entitlement to the State Pension and benefits, charged at 8% then 2% with no allowance — just a lower threshold of £12,570.
Why does earning just over £100,000 feel so heavily taxed?
Because of the personal allowance taper: between £100,000 and £125,140 you lose £1 of allowance per £2 earned, on top of the 40% higher rate. That creates an effective 60% marginal rate in that window — the widest-discussed quirk in the UK tax code.
Does this include student loan repayments or pension contributions?
No. Student loan plans (Plan 2, Plan 5, postgraduate) and pension contributions vary by individual, so they're excluded. Subtract your per-period pension and loan deductions from the result for a fuller picture.
Is this tax advice?
No. This is an educational estimate based on published 2026/27 bands. For decisions with real money on the line, check GOV.UK or speak to an accountant or your payroll department.
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