UK Take-Home Pay Calculator
Estimate your net pay in England, Wales or Northern Ireland after income tax, National Insurance and student loan, using 2026/27 rates.
Estimate only, using 2026/27 rates for England, Wales and Northern Ireland with a standard tax code and one job. Not tax advice. It does not cover Scotland, benefits in kind, salary sacrifice or other income.
| Item | Amount | % of gross |
|---|
| Gross salary | Income tax | National Insurance | Take-home (year) | Take-home (month) | Deducted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £20,000 | £1,486 | £594 | £17,920 | £1,493 | 10.4% |
| £25,000 | £2,486 | £994 | £21,520 | £1,793 | 13.9% |
| £30,000 | £3,486 | £1,394 | £25,120 | £2,093 | 16.3% |
| £40,000 | £5,486 | £2,194 | £32,320 | £2,693 | 19.2% |
| £50,000 | £7,486 | £2,994 | £39,520 | £3,293 | 21.0% |
| £60,000 | £11,432 | £3,211 | £45,357 | £3,780 | 24.4% |
| £80,000 | £19,432 | £3,611 | £56,957 | £4,746 | 28.8% |
| £100,000 | £27,432 | £4,011 | £68,557 | £5,713 | 31.4% |
| £125,140 | £42,516 | £4,513 | £78,111 | £6,509 | 37.6% |
Between £100,000 and £125,140 the personal allowance is withdrawn, so each extra pound you earn is taxed at an effective 60% before National Insurance. That is why take-home pay at £125,140 is only about £9,500 higher than at £100,000, even though gross pay is £25,140 higher.
Frequently asked questions
How is UK take-home pay calculated?
Start with your gross salary. Income tax is charged on what is left after your personal allowance, at 20% on the basic rate band, 40% on the higher rate band and 45% above £125,140. National Insurance is charged separately on your earnings, and student loan repayments and pension contributions come off as well. What is left is your net pay.
What are the 2026/27 income tax rates and bands?
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland the personal allowance is £12,570. Income from £12,571 to £50,270 is taxed at 20%, from £50,271 to £125,140 at 40%, and above £125,140 at 45%. Scotland has different bands and rates, which this calculator does not cover.
How much National Insurance do employees pay?
For most employees (category A), National Insurance is 8% on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270 a year, and 2% on earnings above £50,270. Nothing is charged below £12,570 a year (£242 a week).
What is the £100,000 personal allowance taper?
Your personal allowance goes down by £1 for every £2 of adjusted net income above £100,000, and is zero from £125,140. This creates an effective marginal rate of 60% on income between £100,000 and £125,140. The calculator applies the taper.
How are student loan repayments calculated?
Repayments are 9% of income over your plan's threshold (Plan 1 £26,900, Plan 2 £29,385, Plan 4 £33,795, Plan 5 £25,000) and 6% over £21,000 for a postgraduate loan. You can have both an undergraduate plan and a postgraduate loan. Repayments are not tax deductible.
Is this exact?
No, it is an estimate for an employee with one job and a standard tax code. It leaves out other income, benefits in kind, marriage allowance, salary sacrifice, the Scottish rates and tax code adjustments. The pension option is treated as a contribution deducted before income tax but not before National Insurance. For a precise figure, check your payslip or use HMRC's own tools.
How much does a pension contribution reduce my take-home pay?
Less than the contribution itself, because it is taken before income tax. In this calculator a 5% contribution on £50,000 costs £2,500 but reduces take-home by £2,000, since £500 of income tax is saved at the 20% rate.
How much do student loan repayments cost per month?
At £40,000 a year, Plan 2 repayments are about £80 a month (£955 a year), a postgraduate loan about £95 a month (£1,140 a year), and both together about £175 a month.
Why is my payslip different from this estimate?
Payslips use your tax code and cumulative tax across the year. Bonuses, benefits in kind, a second job, salary sacrifice or a non-standard tax code can all make a month differ from a simple annual estimate.
About this tool
This calculator estimates net pay for an employee in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. It applies the 2026/27 personal allowance (with the taper above £100,000), the basic, higher and additional rate bands, employee National Insurance, optional student loan and postgraduate loan repayments, and an optional pension contribution. Figures are rounded to the nearest pound and are meant for planning, not for filing. Rates checked in October 2026 against gov.uk.
What a pension contribution really costs
Pension contributions come off before income tax in this calculator, so a £2,500 contribution (5% of a £50,000 salary) reduces your take-home by only £2,000, because £500 of income tax is saved at the 20% basic rate. National Insurance is still charged on the full salary. At a 10% contribution the pension gets £5,000 while take-home falls by £4,000.
| Pension | Contribution | Income tax | Take-home (year) | Take-home (month) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0% | £0 | £7,486 | £39,520 | £3,293 |
| 5% | £2,500 | £6,986 | £37,520 | £3,127 |
| 10% | £5,000 | £6,486 | £35,520 | £2,960 |
What student loans take
Student loan repayments are 9% of income above your plan's threshold, and postgraduate loan repayments are 6% of income above £21,000. They are not tax deductible and are taken on top of income tax and National Insurance. At £40,000, Plan 2 takes £955 a year, a postgraduate loan takes £1,140, and having both takes £2,095, which is about £175 a month.
| Loan | Repayment (year) | Take-home (year) | Take-home (month) |
|---|---|---|---|
| No loan | £0 | £32,320 | £2,693 |
| Plan 2 | £955 | £31,364 | £2,614 |
| Postgraduate loan | £1,140 | £31,180 | £2,598 |
| Plan 2 and postgraduate | £2,095 | £30,224 | £2,519 |
Why the monthly figure is an average
The monthly and weekly figures divide the annual result by 12 and 52. Your actual payslip tax is worked out month by month on a cumulative basis with your tax code, so one month can differ if you have a bonus, an unusual tax code, more than one job or benefits in kind. Use this page for planning a budget or comparing offers, and your payslip for exact figures.