UK Take-Home Pay Calculator (2026/27)
UK take-home pay is your salary minus income tax, National Insurance, pension and any student loan. In 2026/27 the first £12,570 is tax-free, then 20% up to £50,270, 40% to £125,140 and 45% above (Scotland has six rates from 19% to 48%). Employee NI is 8% from £12,570 to £50,270 and 2% above.
| Yearly | Monthly |
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· Calculated with AiStaffo
Tax and deduction rules (2026/27)
| Personal allowance | £12,570 tax-free. It falls by £1 for every £2 of adjusted net income over £100,000, so it is zero from £125,140. |
|---|---|
| Income tax: England, Wales, N. Ireland | 20% on the first £37,700 of taxable income, 40% up to £125,140, 45% above. |
| Income tax: Scotland | 19% starter (£12,571–£16,537), 20% basic (to £29,526), 21% intermediate (to £43,662), 42% higher (to £75,000), 45% advanced (to £125,140), 48% top. |
| Employee National Insurance | 8% on earnings from £12,570 to £50,270 a year (£1,048–£4,189 a month), 2% above. |
| Employer National Insurance | 15% on earnings above £5,000 a year. Paid by the employer, not taken from your pay. |
| Student loan Plan 1 / 2 / 4 / 5 | 9% of income over £26,900 / £29,385 / £33,795 / £25,000 a year. |
| Postgraduate loan | 6% of income over £21,000 a year, on top of any other plan. |
| Pension tax relief | Net pay and salary sacrifice: taken before tax (sacrifice also saves NI). Relief at source: you pay 80%, your provider adds 20%. |
Worked example
Salary £35,000 a year in England, 5% pension taken before tax, no student loan.
Pension: 5% of £35,000 = £1,750. Pay for tax = £33,250. Taxable income after the £12,570 allowance = £20,680. Income tax = 20% × £20,680 = £4,136.
National Insurance = 8% × (£35,000 − £12,570) = £1,794.40.
Take-home pay = £35,000 − £4,136 − £1,794.40 − £1,750 = £27,319.60 a year, about £2,276.63 a month.
What changes in 2026/27
The personal allowance and the 40% threshold stay frozen at £12,570 and £50,270, as they have been since 2021. Employee NI stays at 8% and 2%. Student loan thresholds rose for Plan 1 (£26,900), Plan 2 (£29,385) and Plan 4 (£33,795); Plan 5 and the postgraduate loan stay at £25,000 and £21,000. Scotland raised the top of its starter and basic bands to £16,537 and £29,526, while the 42% higher rate still starts at £43,663.
The £100,000 trap
Between £100,000 and £125,140 you lose £1 of tax-free allowance for every £2 you earn, so the real tax rate on that slice is 60% (plus 2% NI). Paying more into your pension, especially by salary sacrifice, lowers adjusted net income and can win the allowance back.
For employers
Running payroll by hand (tax tables, contributions, payslips, filings) is routine work that AI workers now handle with almost no staff time. See what an employee really costs you, or book a free automation audit for your payroll.
Please note: figures follow the published 2026/27 rates as checked on 21 October 2026 for a resident employee in the standard case. It assumes tax code 1257L, employment income only and steady pay. It does not cover benefits in kind, the High Income Child Benefit Charge, marriage allowance, Blind Person's Allowance, other income, or extra higher-rate pension relief claimed through Self Assessment. This is a guide, not tax advice; your payslip can differ because of tax codes, benefits and timing.
Sources
Questions people ask
How much tax do I pay on £30,000 in the UK?
What is the tax-free personal allowance for 2026/27?
Is Scottish income tax different?
Does salary sacrifice save National Insurance?
When do I start repaying my student loan?
Why does my payslip differ slightly?
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