UK Take-Home Pay Calculator 2026/27
Estimate Income Tax, employee National Insurance, pension and student-loan deductions across the UK.
What this calculator explains
A UK salary calculation must distinguish Income Tax from National Insurance and use the correct tax jurisdiction. Scottish employment income uses Scottish bands, while England, Wales and Northern Ireland use the main UK bands. Pension treatment, benefits and student-loan plans can also change the payroll result.
The page provides a clear annual-to-monthly bridge and explains why a payslip may differ because of tax codes, cumulative payroll, benefits, prior-period adjustments or employer rounding. The applicable tax year appears next to every result.
How the estimate is calculated
- Determine taxable pay after the selected pension and payroll treatment.
- Apply the Personal Allowance and any entered tax-code adjustment.
- Calculate Income Tax using the correct regional bands for the selected tax year.
- Calculate employee National Insurance by pay period.
- Calculate applicable student or postgraduate loan deductions using payroll thresholds.
- Subtract entered after-tax deductions and report annual and pay-period net income.
Formula
Take-home pay = gross pay − Income Tax − employee National Insurance − pension − student-loan deductions − other payroll deductions
Worked example
For a simplified England, Wales or Northern Ireland example with £50,000 salary, a standard £12,570 Personal Allowance, no pension and no student loan, taxable income is £37,430. At the basic 20% band this gives illustrative Income Tax of £7,486. Employee National Insurance at 8% between £12,570 and £50,000 is approximately £2,994.40, producing estimated annual take-home pay of £39,519.60, or £3,293.30 per month. Payroll-period rounding and individual tax codes can change the result.
Current rules and configuration notes
- This version covers the UK tax year from 6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027.
- The standard Personal Allowance is £12,570, subject to reduction for adjusted net income above £100,000.
- For standard employee National Insurance, the main 2026/27 rates are 8% between the Primary Threshold and Upper Earnings Limit and 2% above it.
- Scottish Income Tax bands differ, so the tax jurisdiction must be selected explicitly.
Update requirement: Income Tax, Scottish bands, National Insurance, student-loan thresholds and pension thresholds require tax-year review.
Included in the estimate
- England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scottish tax modes
- Income Tax and employee National Insurance
- Tax code and Personal Allowance adjustments
- Pension treatment scenarios
- Student and postgraduate loan deductions
- Bonus, benefits and pay-frequency views
Not included or not guaranteed
- A Self Assessment return or tax-refund calculation
- Every taxable benefit and payroll correction
- International or split-year residence analysis
- Universal Credit or other means-tested benefit effects
- Tax or payroll advice
Frequently asked questions
What tax year does this calculator use?
This version covers 6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027. The tax-year label appears with the result and the rule set must be replaced when the tax year changes.
Why is Scottish take-home pay different?
Scotland sets different Income Tax bands and rates for non-savings, non-dividend income, while National Insurance remains a UK-wide payroll calculation.
Does salary sacrifice reduce National Insurance?
An eligible salary-sacrifice arrangement can reduce contractual cash pay used for tax and National Insurance, but scheme design and minimum-pay rules matter.
How does a tax code affect pay?
The code tells payroll how much tax-free amount or adjustment to apply. An emergency or nonstandard code can materially change withholding.
Can I include two student-loan deductions?
A postgraduate loan can be deducted alongside an undergraduate plan when both apply. Two undergraduate plans are not normally deducted at the same time.
Why does my payslip differ by a few pounds?
PAYE uses pay-period thresholds, cumulative rules in many cases and statutory rounding. Benefits or prior corrections may also create a difference.
Official sources
- GOV.UK — Income Tax rates and Personal Allowances
- GOV.UK — Estimate your Income Tax for the current year
- GOV.UK — National Insurance rates and allowances
- GOV.UK — 2026 to 2027 Student and Postgraduate Loan deduction tables
- GOV.UK — Workplace pension contributions
Applicable period: 2026-04-06/2027-04-05 · Last reviewed: September 3, 2026
Recommended internal links
Compare salary, pension and loan scenarios
Save a baseline, then change pension percentage, bonus or student-loan plan without re-entering the salary.
CTA destination: /uk/pay-and-tax/take-home-pay-calculator/