UK Salary Calculator
Convert gross salary to net take-home after Income Tax, National Insurance, pension, and student loan. Free, privacy-first — inputs never leave your browser.
Income Details
Take-Home Pay (2026-27)
Monthly Take-Home
£3,405
Annual Take-Home
£40,862
Income Tax
£8,332
National Insurance
£3,056
Student Loan
£0
Pension
£2,750
Effective Rate
20.70%
For estimation only. Not professional financial, tax, or legal advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making decisions. Full disclaimer.
What comes off your gross salary?
- Income Tax at 20/40/45% after £12,570 personal allowance
- National Insurance at 8% or 2% above thresholds
- Pension (salary sacrifice is most efficient — saves both tax and NI)
- Student loan repayments if applicable
- Workplace benefits (childcare vouchers, cycle-to-work, etc.)
Increase your take-home
Salary sacrifice into pension is the most efficient tax play — you avoid both Income Tax AND NI on the sacrificed amount. A £1,000 sacrifice saves ~£320 (basic rate) or ~£420 (higher rate) vs a £1,000 post-tax contribution.
Common questions about Salary
What deductions come off UK salary?+
1) Income Tax at 20/40/45%. 2) National Insurance at 8% or 2%. 3) Pension (often salary sacrifice). 4) Student loan if applicable (9% above threshold for Plan 2). 5) Any other benefits.
What is the Personal Allowance for 2026-27?+
£12,570 — the amount of income you can earn tax-free. Tapered above £100,000: reduces by £1 for every £2 of income over £100k, disappearing entirely at £125,140. Scotland has the same PA but different rate bands above. Marriage Allowance lets a non-taxpayer spouse transfer £1,260 of PA to a basic-rate spouse, saving up to £252/year — widely under-claimed.
How does student loan repayment work?+
Automatic deduction from salary above thresholds (2026-27): Plan 1 £24,990 threshold, 9% above; Plan 2 £27,295 threshold, 9%; Plan 4 (Scotland) £31,395, 9%; Plan 5 (new post-Aug-2023 starters) £25,000 threshold, 9%; Postgrad Loan £21,000 threshold, 6% above. Multiple plans: deductions are cumulative. Loans are written off after 30-40 years depending on plan. For most graduates, the loan behaves like a tax; overpaying rarely helps unless high-earning throughout career.
What pension contributions are tax-efficient?+
Via salary sacrifice: you save Income Tax AND National Insurance (roughly 8-13% better than personal contributions). Via personal contribution: basic rate 20% auto-claimed by pension provider; higher/additional rate (20-25% more) claimed via Self-Assessment. Maximum contribution qualifying for relief: 100% of earnings or £60,000, whichever is lower (tapered for high earners). Use pension contributions to reduce income below £100k to restore Personal Allowance — effectively a 60% tax saving in that band.
What benefits come with a typical UK salary package?+
Core: workplace pension (minimum 3% employer + 5% employee auto-enrolment; many companies offer 5-10% employer match). Private medical insurance (taxable Benefit in Kind, £300-£1,500/year BIK). Life insurance (4x salary typical, non-taxable). Cycle to Work scheme (bike up to £1k tax/NI-free). EV company car (very tax-efficient, low BIK rates 3%-9%). Salary sacrifice schemes (pension, EV, childcare vouchers for older scheme members) amplify tax efficiency significantly.
How do Scottish tax bands differ in 2026-27?+
Scotland has five Income Tax bands for non-savings, non-dividend income: Starter 19% (£12,571-£14,876), Basic 20% (£14,877-£26,561), Intermediate 21% (£26,562-£43,662), Higher 42% (£43,663-£75,000), Advanced 45% (£75,001-£125,140), Top 48% (above £125,140). National Insurance remains UK-wide. A Scottish taxpayer earning £60k pays roughly £1,500 more than an English equivalent. Savings interest and dividends are taxed at UK (not Scottish) rates regardless of residence.