About this calculator
The UK Take-Home Pay Calculator gives you an accurate estimate of what you actually take home after PAYE deductions. Enter your gross salary — whether you're paid annually, monthly, weekly, daily, or hourly — and instantly see a full breakdown of income tax, National Insurance, pension contributions, and student loan repayments.
How your take-home pay is calculated
Your employer calculates pay under the PAYE system, deducting tax and NI before your salary arrives in your bank account. Income tax is the largest deduction for most workers: in 2025/26 you pay 0% on the first £12,570 (your Personal Allowance), 20% on income between £12,571 and £50,270, 40% on income between £50,271 and £125,140, and 45% on anything above. If you live in Scotland, different rates apply — the calculator handles both automatically.
National Insurance reduces your pay further. Employees pay 8% on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270, and 2% on earnings above that.
Pension contributions are taken either before tax via salary sacrifice — saving you both income tax and NI — or after tax via relief-at-source, where HMRC tops up your contribution. If you have a student loan, repayments are deducted automatically once earnings exceed your plan's threshold: £26,065 for Plan 1, £28,470 for Plan 2, £32,745 for Plan 4, or £25,000 for Plan 5.
What makes this calculator different
Most UK salary calculators cover the basics. This one handles the details that affect your real take-home pay: Scottish income tax, all five student loan plans, salary sacrifice versus relief-at-source pensions, Marriage Allowance (worth up to £252 per year), Blind Person's Allowance, and benefits-in-kind such as company cars or private medical insurance. Results update as you type and can be shown as annual, monthly, weekly, daily, or hourly figures. Every calculation uses HMRC's published rates for the selected tax year.
2025/26 Income Tax Bands
England, Wales & Northern Ireland
Personal Allowance
Up to £12,570
0%
Basic Rate
£12,571 – £50,270
20%
Higher Rate
£50,271 – £125,140
40%
Additional Rate
Over £125,140
45%
Scotland
Personal Allowance
Up to £12,570
0%
Starter Rate
£12,571 – £15,397
19%
Basic Rate
£15,398 – £27,491
20%
Intermediate Rate
£27,492 – £43,662
21%
Higher Rate
£43,663 – £75,000
42%
Advanced Rate
£75,001 – £125,140
45%
National Insurance (Employee) 2025/26
Source: GOV.UK — Income Tax rates and Personal Allowances
Frequently Asked Questions
How is UK take-home pay calculated?
Your employer deducts income tax and National Insurance under the PAYE (Pay As You Earn) system before paying your salary. Additional deductions may include pension contributions, student loan repayments, and benefits-in-kind. The exact amounts depend on your earnings, tax year, region (England or Scotland), and personal circumstances.
What is the UK Personal Allowance for 2025/26?
The Personal Allowance is £12,570 — the amount you can earn before paying any income tax. It reduces by £1 for every £2 earned above £100,000 and disappears entirely at £125,140.
Does the calculator include Scottish income tax?
Yes. Toggle "Scottish taxpayer" in the Settings panel. Scotland has six income tax bands in 2025/26, with rates ranging from 19% (starter rate) up to 48% (top rate), which differ from the rest of the UK. National Insurance rates are the same across the UK.
What is the difference between salary sacrifice and relief-at-source pension?
Salary sacrifice reduces your gross salary before tax and National Insurance are calculated, saving you both income tax and NI on the contributed amount. Relief-at-source takes contributions from your net pay and HMRC adds 20% basic-rate tax relief automatically — but you do not save NI. Salary sacrifice typically saves more for most employees.
Which student loan repayment plans are supported?
The calculator supports Plan 1 (threshold £26,065), Plan 2 (£28,470), Plan 4 for Scottish loans (£32,745), Plan 5 (£25,000), and Postgraduate loans (£21,000). All plans deduct 9% of earnings above the threshold (6% for postgraduate loans).
Estimates only. Tax year 2025-26. Always verify with HMRC or a tax professional.