UK Take-Home Pay Calculator
This take home pay calculator for the UK turns gross salary into net pay after Income Tax, National Insurance, student loan and pension, monthly and yearly.
What it does
The UK Take-Home Pay Calculator turns your gross salary into net pay after income tax, National Insurance, student loan repayments and any salary-sacrifice pension contribution.
Data sources & parameters
The figures below drive this calculator. We keep them aligned with the latest official guidance, and each result recalculates automatically whenever a value changes.
| Parameter | Value | Source | Last updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal allowance | 12,570 | gov.uk | Effective 2026-04-06 |
| PA taper start | 100,000 | gov.uk | Effective 2026-04-06 |
| Basic rate limit | 50,270 | gov.uk | Effective 2026-04-06Label corrected. The stored value was right; the label named a different figure and is shown to readers in the data-sources box. |
| Higher rate limit | 125,140 | gov.uk | Effective 2026-04-06Label corrected. The stored value was right; the label named a different figure and is shown to readers in the data-sources box. |
| Basic rate | 0.2 | gov.uk | Effective 2026-04-06 |
| Higher rate | 0.4 | gov.uk | Effective 2026-04-06 |
| Additional rate | 0.45 | gov.uk | Effective 2026-04-06 |
| NI primary threshold | 12,570 | gov.uk | Effective 2026-04-06Unchanged for 2027/28: NI thresholds are frozen until 5 Apr 2031 (Budget 2025), so the row is now open-ended. Source: gov.uk; audit 2026-09-23 |
| NI upper earnings limit | 50,270 | gov.uk | Effective 2026-04-06Unchanged for 2027/28: NI thresholds are frozen until 5 Apr 2031 (Budget 2025), so the row is now open-ended. Source: gov.uk; audit 2026-09-23 |
| NI main rate | 0.08 | gov.uk | Effective 2026-04-06Rate set in statute with no change announced for 2027/28, so the row is now open-ended. Source: gov.uk National Insurance rates; audit 2026-09-23 |
| NI upper rate | 0.02 | gov.uk | Effective 2026-04-06Rate set in statute with no change announced for 2027/28, so the row is now open-ended. Source: gov.uk National Insurance rates; audit 2026-09-23 |
| Student loan Plan 1 threshold | 26,900 | gov.uk | Effective 2026-04-06 |
| Student loan Plan 2 threshold | 29,385 | gov.uk | Effective 2026-04-06 |
| Student loan Plan 4 threshold | 33,795 | gov.uk | Effective 2026-04-06 |
| Student loan postgrad threshold | 21,000 | gov.uk | Effective 2026-04-06£21,000 postgraduate threshold has not been uprated since 2016 and no change is announced; row now open-ended. Source: gov.uk; audit 2026-09-23 |
| Undergraduate repayment rate | 0.09 | gov.uk | Effective 2026-04-06Repayment rate fixed, no change announced for 2027/28; row now open-ended. Source: gov.uk repaying your student loan; audit 2026-09-23 |
| Postgraduate repayment rate | 0.06 | gov.uk | Effective 2026-04-06Repayment rate fixed, no change announced for 2027/28; row now open-ended. Source: gov.uk repaying your student loan; audit 2026-09-23 |
We always strive to use the latest data for every variable so our results and reports are as accurate as possible. Even so, errors are possible — you should not rely on this tool or its report alone, and we accept no liability for any decision made based on it.
The formula
Take-home = gross − income tax − NI − student loan − pension
How it works
Income tax uses the personal allowance of £12,570 (tapered above £100,000) and the 20%/40%/45% bands. National Insurance is 8% between the primary threshold and the upper earnings limit, then 2%. Salary-sacrifice pension reduces the income used for tax, NI and student loan.
Where it is used
- Seeing your real monthly and annual net pay
- Checking how a pay rise or bonus is taxed
- Working out the effect of pension salary sacrifice or a student loan plan
Worked example
On a £45,000 salary with a Plan 2 student loan, take-home pay is about … after … income tax, … NI and … student loan.
What the UK take-home pay calculator does
The calculator turns your gross salary into net pay after Income Tax, National Insurance, student loan repayments and any salary sacrifice pension contribution, so you can see what a headline salary leaves in your account each month and year.
From gross to net: what comes out
The salary on a job advert is a gross figure. Between it and your take-home pay are:
- Income Tax, charged in bands above your personal allowance
- National Insurance, charged on earnings above a threshold
- Student loan repayments, if you have a loan
- Pension contributions, especially where you sacrifice salary
How the calculator works
- It applies the personal allowance and Income Tax bands.
- It adds National Insurance on earnings above the threshold.
- It deducts any student loan repayment.
- It takes a salary sacrifice pension off the pay used for tax, NI and student loan.
The advanced options also take a bonus, a fixed pension amount and other salary sacrifice.
A worked example
On a £45,000 salary with no pension or student loan, Income Tax is £6,486 and National Insurance £2,594.40, leaving £35,919.60 a year, about £2,993 a month. With a 5% salary sacrifice pension (£2,250) and a Plan 2 student loan, tax falls to £6,036 and NI to £2,414.40, the loan repayment is £1,202.85, and take-home pay is £33,096.75 a year, about £2,758 a month.
The personal allowance and tax bands
UK Income Tax is progressive. You can earn the personal allowance before any tax applies, and income above it is taxed in bands at rising rates. Only the income within each band is taxed at that band’s rate, so your effective rate is lower than your top band.
Above £100,000 the personal allowance is withdrawn at £1 for every £2 of income, so between £100,000 and £125,140 you lose allowance while paying tax on the income itself, an effective rate of 60%. A pay rise into that range can look disappointing in take-home terms, which is often why higher earners use pension contributions to manage their taxable income.
How pension salary sacrifice helps
Salary sacrifice reduces the salary used to calculate both Income Tax and National Insurance. Because your taxable pay falls, the cost to your take-home pay is less than the amount going into the pension, which makes it more efficient than contributing from after-tax income.
The money goes into your pension rather than your pocket, and pensions cannot normally be accessed until a set age, so sacrifice defers income rather than avoiding tax altogether. The calculator shows how much a given contribution costs you in take-home pay.
Student loan repayments
If you are repaying a student loan, a deduction applies to income above your plan’s threshold. Plans have different thresholds, so choose the right one. This is one reason two people on the same salary can take home different amounts.
When to use this calculator
- Working out your monthly and yearly net pay
- Comparing job offers like for like
- Seeing how a pay rise or bonus is taxed
- Checking the effect of a pension contribution or student loan plan
The result separates Income Tax, National Insurance, student loan and pension, so you can see which deduction drives the gap between gross and net. It is also worth running before a change during the year, such as a new job, a bonus, a different pension contribution or starting to repay a student loan.
Things to keep in mind
- Your tax code, which can carry adjustments from previous years or other income
- Benefits in kind and workplace benefits
- Other deductions or allowances
- Scottish Income Tax bands, which are not applied here
The student loan options cover Plans 1, 2 and 4 and postgraduate loans; Plan 5 is not yet included. Bands and thresholds are reviewed periodically and kept current here. For your exact pay, check your payslip or ask payroll.
This is general information to help you plan, not financial advice. Confirm figures with your payroll or a licensed professional before relying on them.
About This Tool: Take Home Pay Calculator UK
Take home pay calculator UK: use this tool to get an instant, accurate estimate. The figures follow official HMRC guidance and every rate and threshold is kept up to date for 2026. Adjust the inputs above to match your situation, or browse all our calculators to plan your next step.
Tax year 2026
Frequently asked questions
What does the UK take-home pay calculator show?
How does this take home pay calculator for the UK work?
How does the personal allowance work?
How does salary sacrifice pension affect my pay?
Do student loan repayments reduce take-home pay?
Are the results exact?
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