UK Take Home Pay Calculator 2026/27
Estimate your take-home pay from a UK salary after PAYE Income Tax, employee National Insurance, pension contributions and student loan deductions. See annual, monthly, weekly and daily net pay for 2026/27.
UK salary calculator after tax
Enter your gross pay and choose the options that apply to you. Results update automatically.
Does your payslip differ from this estimate?
A different tax code, payroll period, benefits, pension method, student loan plan or irregular bonus can change real PAYE deductions. If the gap looks material, check the tax code first or ask our team to review the payroll assumptions.
How is take-home pay calculated in the UK?
UK take-home pay is your gross salary minus PAYE Income Tax, employee National Insurance, pension contributions, student loan repayments and any other payroll deductions. For 2026/27, the standard Personal Allowance is £12,570. Your exact net pay can still differ because tax codes, pay frequency, bonuses and pension arrangements affect payroll deductions.
UK take-home pay examples for 2026/27
These examples use a standard 1257L tax code for England, Wales or Northern Ireland, employee National Insurance, no pension, no student loan and no other deductions. Use the calculator above for your own tax code, Scotland, pension contributions or student loan plan.
| Gross salary | Income Tax | Employee NI | Estimated take-home / year | Estimated take-home / month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £3,486 | £1,394 | £25,120 | £2,093 | |
| £5,486 | £2,194 | £32,320 | £2,693 | |
| £6,486 | £2,594 | £35,920 | £2,993 | |
| £7,486 | £2,994 | £39,520 | £3,293 | |
| £11,432 | £3,211 | £45,357 | £3,780 | |
| £19,432 | £3,611 | £56,957 | £4,746 | |
| £27,432 | £4,011 | £68,557 | £5,713 |
Figures are annualised estimates and rounded to the nearest pound. Actual PAYE can differ by pay period and payroll rounding.
Take-home pay with a Plan 2 student loan
In 2026/27, Plan 2 repayments are normally 9% of earnings above the £29,385 annual threshold. The examples below use the same assumptions as the salary table above and add Plan 2 only.
| Gross salary | Plan 2 repayment / year | Estimated take-home / year | Estimated take-home / month |
|---|---|---|---|
| £55 | £25,064 | £2,089 | |
| £955 | £31,364 | £2,614 | |
| £1,405 | £34,514 | £2,876 | |
| £1,855 | £37,664 | £3,139 | |
| £2,305 | £40,152 | £3,346 |
Student-loan deductions are made through payroll using pay-period thresholds, so a real payslip can vary from this annualised estimate.
What changed for take-home pay in 2026/27?
Income Tax
The standard Personal Allowance remains £12,570. For England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the main 20%, 40% and 45% Income Tax bands remain in place for 2026/27.
Scottish Income Tax
Scottish starter, basic and intermediate thresholds changed for 2026/27, while the calculator keeps the 42%, 45% and 48% higher Scottish rates.
Student loans
2026/27 annual thresholds are £26,900 for Plan 1, £29,385 for Plan 2, £33,795 for Plan 4, £25,000 for Plan 5 and £21,000 for Postgraduate Loans.
How this take home pay calculator works
This UK take home pay calculator estimates your net salary after PAYE Income Tax, employee National Insurance, pension contributions, student loan repayments and selected after-tax deductions.
Income Tax
Uses the current Personal Allowance and tax bands for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with a Scotland option for Scottish taxpayers.
National Insurance
Uses employee Class 1 National Insurance bands for standard category A employees.
Student loan
Supports Plan 1, Plan 2, Plan 4, Plan 5, Postgraduate Loan and Plan 2 plus Postgraduate Loan together.
2026/27 Income Tax bands for England, Wales and Northern Ireland
| Band | Taxable income | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Personal Allowance | Up to £12,570 | 0% |
| Basic rate | £12,571 to £50,270 | 20% |
| Higher rate | £50,271 to £125,140 | 40% |
| Additional rate | Over £125,140 | 45% |
Student loan thresholds used in this calculator
| Loan plan | 2026/27 yearly threshold | Repayment rate |
|---|---|---|
| Plan 1 | £26,900 | 9% above threshold |
| Plan 2 | £29,385 | 9% above threshold |
| Plan 4 | £33,795 | 9% above threshold |
| Plan 5 | £25,000 | 9% above threshold |
| Postgraduate Loan | £21,000 | 6% above threshold |
Useful next steps
Check your tax code
A wrong tax code can reduce your monthly pay. Read our guide to UK tax codes or ask us to review it.
Review salary sacrifice
Pension salary sacrifice may reduce Income Tax and National Insurance, depending on your setup.
Small business owner?
If you run a limited company, your best structure may involve salary, dividends, pension and expenses.
How we calculate your UK salary after tax
What the estimate includes
- PAYE Income Tax using the selected tax year and UK tax region.
- Employee Class 1 National Insurance using standard Category A thresholds.
- Plan 1, Plan 2, Plan 4, Plan 5 and Postgraduate Loan thresholds.
- Salary sacrifice, net-pay and relief-at-source pension inputs.
- Annual bonus or commission and optional after-tax deductions.
Where a real payslip can differ
- PAYE, National Insurance and student-loan deductions operate by payroll period and use payroll rounding.
- Irregular bonuses, multiple jobs, benefits in kind and mid-year tax-code changes can alter deductions.
- K codes, specialist National Insurance categories and some pension-tax-relief cases need a more detailed calculation.
- This tool estimates employment income; it is not a Self Assessment or self-employed tax calculation.
Mohammad Hamza Pathan
ICAEW Chartered Accountant, practising certificate holder and director of Path Accountants. Statutory figures last checked 8 August 2026.
Take home pay calculator FAQs
How do I calculate take home pay in the UK?
Start with your gross salary. Deduct Income Tax, employee National Insurance, pension contributions, student loan repayments and any other payroll deductions. The result is your estimated take home pay.
Is this calculator updated for 2026/27?
Yes. The calculator is built for the 2026/27 UK tax year and also includes 2025/26 and 2024/25 options for comparison.
How much is £45,000 after tax and a Plan 2 student loan in 2026/27?
Using a standard 1257L code in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, with no pension or other deductions, £45,000 gross salary is approximately £34,514 a year or £2,876 a month after Income Tax, employee National Insurance and a Plan 2 student loan. Payroll-period rounding can change the actual payslip amount.
Does this take home pay calculator work for Scotland?
Yes. Choose Scotland in the tax-region field. The calculator uses the 2026/27 Scottish starter, basic, intermediate, higher, advanced and top Income Tax bands, while National Insurance and student-loan rules are applied separately.
What is the Plan 2 student loan threshold for 2026/27?
The annual Plan 2 repayment threshold for 2026/27 is £29,385. Repayments are normally 9% of earnings above the relevant pay-period threshold. Use the Plan 2 option above to estimate the effect on take-home pay.
Why is my take home pay lower than expected?
Your pay can be lower because of a tax code issue, student loan deductions, pension deductions, unpaid benefits, bonus timing, Scottish tax bands, or higher rate tax.
Does pension reduce take home pay?
Yes, but the effect depends on the pension method. Salary sacrifice often gives a stronger monthly benefit because it can reduce both taxable pay and National Insurance.
Does this calculator work for self-employed income?
This calculator is designed mainly for employed PAYE salary. Self-employed tax works differently because Class 2 and Class 4 National Insurance, business expenses and payments on account may apply.
Can an accountant help me increase take home pay?
Yes. An accountant can review your tax code, pension method, payroll setup, salary sacrifice, allowable expenses, director salary, dividends and Self Assessment position.