Step 01 Tell us about your salary
Start with your gross pay, then tailor the details.
01 Gross salary
per year, before deductions
£
02 Where you live
Resident in Scotland
Scotland uses different income tax bands (19% – 48%)
03 Student loan
Repayment plan ?
04 Pension contribution
Your contribution
%
Salary sacrifice pension
Saves both income tax and National Insurance
05 Tax code
leave as 1257L if unsure
Your HMRC tax code ?
Standard Personal Allowance of £12,570 (most common)
Bonus type
Bonus amount
Added to your annual pay; see paycheck comparison in the results
£
total
My normal pay period
Used to compare a regular paycheck with one that includes the bonus
Hours per month
hrs / mo
Multiplier
Standard working week
Used to calculate your base hourly rate
hrs / wk
08 Other details
I don't pay National Insurance
Tick if over State Pension age
Blind Person's Allowance
Adds £3,130 to your personal allowance
Tax year
Step 02 The verdict
Here's how your salary breaks down.
You take home
£0.00
per year · after tax, NI & deductions
Marginal rate
0%
on each extra £ earned
Effective rate
0%
of gross kept back
Hourly take-home
£0
at 37.5 hrs / week
Gross salary
£0.00
Taxable income
£0.00
Income tax England, Wales & NI
£0.00
National Insurance Class 1
£0.00
Take home
£0.00
Where your income sits
— Advertisement —
300 × 250
Step 03 What if you got a pay rise?
Find out what actually ends up in your pocket.
How much of a £3,000 rise would actually reach your bank account?
Extra income tax
−£0.00
Extra National Insurance
−£0.00
Per year
+£0
Per month
+£0
You keep
0p / £1
A £3,000 pay rise puts £0 in your pocket each month.
From The Brief · 26 April 2026
What changed on 6 April 2026 — and what it means for your pay packet.
Energy bills are down £117. Child Benefit is up 3.8%. Tax thresholds are still frozen. Here's the honest read on whether you're actually better off.
Pillar guide · Tax codes
UK tax codes explained: 1257L, BR, K, 0T and the rest.
A plain-English guide to every letter and number on your payslip — and how to spot if your code is wrong.
Pillar guide · Tax planning
The 60% tax trap: how it works, and four ways out.
If you earn between £100,000 and £125,140, you're handing HMRC about 60p of every additional pound. Here's how to legitimately reduce that.
Resource hub
Browse all guides — more on the way.
Student loans, Marriage Allowance, salary sacrifice, payslip explained — all coming in May and June 2026.
Step 04 Need help finding your details?
Quick links to where the official information lives.
Tax code
Where do I find my tax code?
Check your latest payslip, P60, or P45. You can also see it instantly in the HMRC app or via your Personal Tax Account at gov.uk.
Read the gov.uk guide →
gov.uk/tax-codes
Personal Tax Account
See everything HMRC knows about you
Your tax code, NI record, income history, State Pension forecast — all in one place. Sign in with Government Gateway.
Sign in to gov.uk →
gov.uk/personal-tax-account
HMRC app
Check your tax on your phone
The official HMRC app for iOS and Android. Shows your tax code, take-home estimate, NI number, and lets you update your details.
Download the app →
gov.uk/guidance/download-the-hmrc-app
Student loan
Which repayment plan am I on?
Plans 1, 2, 4, 5 and Postgraduate have different income thresholds. The plan depends on when and where you started studying.
Find out on gov.uk →
gov.uk/repaying-your-student-loan
Marriage Allowance
Save up to £252 a year as a couple
If one partner earns under the Personal Allowance, they can transfer £1,260 of it to the other. Code becomes 1383M (receiver) / 1131N (giver).
Apply on gov.uk →
gov.uk/marriage-allowance
Income tax bands
How UK income tax actually works
The official rates for England, Wales, NI and Scotland. Personal Allowance, basic rate, higher rate, additional rate — all explained.
View the bands →
gov.uk/income-tax-rates
National Insurance
What NI is and what it pays for
Class 1 NI for employees: 8% on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270, then 2% above. Funds your State Pension and certain benefits.
Learn more →
gov.uk/national-insurance
Contact HMRC
Talk to a real person
If your tax code looks wrong or you can't find your details online, the PAYE helpline is 0300 200 3300 (Mon–Fri 8am–6pm).
All contact options →
gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs/contact
FAQ Questions people ask
Common questions about UK take-home pay.
How much take-home pay will I get on a £30,000 salary in the UK?
On a £30,000 annual salary in 2026/27, your UK take-home pay is approximately £25,119.60 per year, or £2,093.30 per month, after deducting £3,486 income tax and £1,394.40 National Insurance. This assumes the standard 1257L tax code, no pension contributions and no student loan.
How much take-home pay will I get on a £50,000 salary in the UK?
On a £50,000 annual salary in 2026/27, your UK take-home pay is approximately £39,519.60 per year, or £3,293.30 per month, after £7,486 income tax and £2,994.40 National Insurance. You sit just below the higher-rate threshold of £50,270 — any pay rise above this is taxed at 40% plus 2% NI.
What is the UK Personal Allowance for 2026/27?
The standard UK Personal Allowance for 2026/27 is £12,570 — the amount you can earn each year before paying any income tax. This threshold has been frozen until April 2031. Your Personal Allowance reduces by £1 for every £2 you earn above £100,000, reaching zero at £125,140 (the start of the additional rate band).
What is the 60% tax trap?
The 60% tax trap is the effective marginal tax rate paid on income between £100,000 and £125,140. As your Personal Allowance tapers away by £1 for every £2 earned above £100,000, the combination of 40% income tax plus the lost allowance means you keep just 40p of every additional £1 earned. Pension contributions and salary sacrifice can help avoid this zone — try the calculator's pay-rise comparator to see the exact impact on your income.
Are TruePay calculations accurate?
TruePay uses the official HMRC rates for the 2026/27 tax year, including all six Scottish bands, all five student loan plans, and full personal allowance taper logic for incomes above £100,000. Calculations are verified to the penny against industry references like Reed.co.uk. Estimates are for guidance only — your final payslip may differ if you have non-standard tax codes, multiple jobs, or company benefits.
Does the calculator support Scottish income tax bands?
Yes. Toggle the Scotland option in the calculator and your income tax will be calculated using the Scottish Government's six income tax bands for 2026/27 (Starter 19%, Basic 20%, Intermediate 21%, Higher 42%, Advanced 45%, Top 48%). The 2026/27 Scottish Budget raised the Starter and Basic thresholds, so most Scottish taxpayers pay slightly less income tax than in 2025/26 on the same income. National Insurance remains the same UK-wide.
Does the calculator handle student loans?
Yes. TruePay supports all five UK student loan plans: Plan 1 (£26,065 threshold), Plan 2 (£28,470), Plan 4 (Scotland, £32,745), Plan 5 (the new plan for students from August 2023, £25,000), and Postgraduate Loans (£21,000). All deduct 9% of income above the threshold (6% for Postgraduate). Use the dropdown in Step 03 to select your plan.
Reference UK take-home pay at common salaries
What you actually keep at every salary band.
A quick look-up table for common UK salaries in 2026/27. Standard tax code 1257L, no pension, no student loan. Calculate your exact figure with the calculator above.
| Gross salary | Income tax | National Insurance | Take-home (yearly) | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £20,000 | £1,486 | £594.40 | £17,919.60 | £1,493.30 |
| £25,000 | £2,486 | £994.40 | £21,519.60 | £1,793.30 |
| £30,000 | £3,486 | £1,394.40 | £25,119.60 | £2,093.30 |
| £35,000 | £4,486 | £1,794.40 | £28,719.60 | £2,393.30 |
| £40,000 | £5,486 | £2,194.40 | £32,319.60 | £2,693.30 |
| £45,000 | £6,486 | £2,594.40 | £35,919.60 | £2,993.30 |
| £50,000 | £7,486 | £2,994.40 | £39,519.60 | £3,293.30 |
| £60,000 | £11,432 | £3,210.60 | £45,357.40 | £3,779.78 |
| £75,000 | £17,432 | £3,510.60 | £54,057.40 | £4,504.78 |
| £100,000 | £27,432 | £4,010.60 | £68,557.40 | £5,713.12 |
| £150,000 | £54,332 | £5,010.60 | £90,657.90 | £7,554.82 |
Figures are for England, Wales and Northern Ireland with tax code 1257L. Personal Allowance £12,570 (frozen until 2031). Higher rate begins at £50,270 (40% Income Tax + 2% NI = 42% marginal). Above £100,000 the Personal Allowance tapers, creating a 60% effective rate up to £125,140. Read why thresholds matter →