TheFreeTool

UK Take-Home Pay Calculator

Enter your salary or hourly rate and see your take-home pay for the 2026/27 tax year, with Scotland, student loan plans and pension contributions included.

£

Not included

Tax code adjustments, benefits in kind, Marriage Allowance, the High Income Child Benefit Charge, other income such as savings and dividends, and employer-specific pension rules. Pension contributions are treated as a net pay arrangement unless you tick salary sacrifice.

Where the numbers come from

Tax year: 2026/27 · Rates last checked:

Good to know

This is an estimate for general information. It is not tax, legal or financial advice. Your payslip can differ because of tax codes, credits, local taxes, benefits and your employer's rules. Check official guidance or ask a qualified adviser.

What it does

  • Uses the 2026/27 tax year rates, with Scottish income tax bands as an option
  • Handles Plan 1, 2, 4 and 5 student loans and the Postgraduate Loan
  • Pension contributions with a salary sacrifice option
  • Shows your pay per year, month, two weeks, week, day or hour
  • Shows exactly where each pound goes

How to use it

  1. Pick salary or hourly and type your pay.
  2. Choose where you live: England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or Scotland.
  3. Add your pension percentage, and tick salary sacrifice if your employer uses it.
  4. Choose your student loan plan if you have one, then read your take-home pay.

How is UK take-home pay worked out?

Your first £12,570 is the personal allowance, so no income tax is due on it. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland you pay 20% on income up to £50,270, 40% up to £125,140 and 45% above that. Scotland has six bands, from 19% up to 48%. The personal allowance shrinks once your income passes £100,000, which creates an effective 60% rate between £100,000 and £125,140.

National Insurance is charged separately: 8% on pay between £12,570 and £50,270, then 2% above that. A student loan comes out as a percentage of pay over your plan's threshold. A pension taken through salary sacrifice reduces your pay before tax and National Insurance, so it cuts both. A normal workplace pension lowers your taxable pay but not your National Insurance.

Example

Someone in England on £40,000 with no pension or student loan pays about £5,486 income tax on the £27,430 above the allowance, and about £2,194 National Insurance. That leaves roughly £32,320 a year, or about £2,693 a month.

Questions people ask

Does it cover Scotland?
Yes. Choose Scotland to use the Scottish income tax bands. National Insurance is the same across the UK.
How are student loans taken?
As a percentage of your pay above a yearly threshold: 9% for Plans 1, 2, 4 and 5, and 6% for a Postgraduate Loan. You can repay both at the same time.
What does salary sacrifice change?
The pension amount comes off your salary before tax and National Insurance. You save on both, so your take-home pay falls by less than the pension contribution.
Will it match my payslip?
It should be close if you are on a standard tax code. Your payslip can differ because of tax codes, benefits in kind, other income and timing, so treat this as a guide.
Which tax year is it based on?
2026/27, which runs from 6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027. We check the rates against GOV.UK every April.

Disclaimer

This tool is for general information only. It is not financial, tax, investment or legal advice, and results are estimates that may differ from your bank, lender or tax authority. Rates, limits and tax rules change. Bank and brand names are used only to describe what the tool does; they belong to their owners and we are not affiliated with them. Check the figures with a qualified professional or your provider before you decide. You use this tool at your own risk, and TheFreeTool is not liable for any loss that follows. Read the full disclaimer

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