UK Dividend Tax Calculator 2026/27
Calculate the dividend tax you may pay in the UK using the current £500 dividend allowance and 2026/27 dividend rates. Enter your salary, dividend income and other income to see how much of your dividends falls into the basic, higher and additional-rate bands.
Quick answer: A UK dividend tax calculator estimates tax by adding your dividends to your other income, applying any remaining Personal Allowance, using the £500 dividend allowance at a 0% rate, and then taxing the remaining dividends at the rate for the band they fall into. For 2026/27 those rates are 10.75%, 35.75% and 39.35%.
Calculate your dividend tax
Enter annual figures before personal tax. Results update automatically.
Dividend tax rates for 2026/27
From 6 April 2026, the dividend ordinary rate increased to 10.75% and the upper rate increased to 35.75%. The additional dividend rate remains 39.35%. The dividend allowance remains £500.
Basic dividend rate
Applies to taxable dividends falling within the UK basic-rate band.
Higher dividend rate
Applies to taxable dividends falling above the basic-rate limit and below the additional-rate threshold.
Additional dividend rate
Applies to taxable dividends falling within the additional-rate band.
| Tax year | Dividend allowance | Basic rate | Higher rate | Additional rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £500 | 10.75% | 35.75% | 39.35% |
| 2025/26 | £500 | 8.75% | 33.75% | 39.35% |
| 2024/25 | £500 | 8.75% | 33.75% | 39.35% |
Dividend tax increased from 6 April 2026
Compared with 2025/26, the 2026/27 ordinary dividend rate is 2 percentage points higher and the upper rate is also 2 percentage points higher. The additional rate did not change. This means many company directors and investors will pay more tax on the same level of dividends than they did in the previous tax year.
Basic rate: +2 points
8.75% in 2025/26 → 10.75% in 2026/27.
Higher rate: +2 points
33.75% in 2025/26 → 35.75% in 2026/27.
Allowance unchanged
The dividend allowance remains £500 for 2026/27.
How is dividend tax calculated in the UK?
Dividends are treated as the highest part of your income. Your salary and other income are considered first. Any remaining Personal Allowance can then cover dividend income. After that, the £500 dividend allowance applies at a 0% dividend rate, but that £500 still uses space in the tax band in which it falls.
Add your income
Combine salary, other taxable income and dividends for the selected tax year.
Apply Personal Allowance
The standard £12,570 allowance is reduced by £1 for every £2 of adjusted net income above £100,000.
Apply £500 at 0%
The dividend allowance is a nil-rate band. It reduces tax but still occupies basic, higher or additional-rate band space.
Apply dividend rates
The remaining dividends are taxed at 10.75%, 35.75% or 39.35% in 2026/27.
Dividend tax examples for 2026/27
These examples assume a £12,570 salary, no other income, the full standard Personal Allowance and no pension or Gift Aid adjustments.
£10,000 dividends
£500 is taxed at 0% and £9,500 is taxed at the 10.75% ordinary dividend rate.
£37,700 dividends
The £500 allowance occupies part of the basic-rate band, leaving £37,200 taxed at 10.75%.
£50,000 dividends
£37,200 is taxed at 10.75% and £12,300 is taxed at the 35.75% higher dividend rate.
Dividend tax for limited company directors, shareholders and investors
Limited company directors
If you pay yourself using salary and dividends, personal dividend tax is only one part of the picture. The company must have sufficient distributable profits, and salary, employer National Insurance and Corporation Tax can change the overall result.
Investors and shareholders
Dividends from shares held outside tax-sheltered accounts can create a personal tax liability once allowances and your wider income position are considered.
Scottish taxpayers
Dividend tax rates apply across the UK. Scottish Income Tax rates apply to relevant non-savings, non-dividend income, while dividends use the UK dividend rates.
Can a company simply pay any amount as a dividend?
No. Dividends are distributions to shareholders and must be supported by available distributable profits and properly documented. A personal dividend-tax estimate does not confirm that the company is legally able to declare the proposed dividend.
How this dividend tax calculator works
Included in the estimate
- 2026/27, 2025/26 and 2024/25 dividend rates.
- The £500 dividend allowance for all three tax years.
- The standard £12,570 Personal Allowance.
- Automatic Personal Allowance taper above £100,000 total income.
- Salary and other income using tax-band space before dividends.
- Dividend allowance occupying the band in which the dividend falls.
- Basic, higher and additional dividend-rate allocation.
Not included
- Income Tax or National Insurance due on salary or other income.
- Corporation Tax or employer National Insurance.
- Pension contributions or Gift Aid basic-rate-band extensions.
- Marriage Allowance, Blind Person's Allowance or other personal reliefs.
- Foreign dividend rules, trusts or non-UK residence issues.
- Student loans, benefits charges or payments on account.
Reviewed by Mohammad Hamza Pathan ACA
ICAEW Chartered Accountant and practising certificate holder associated with Path Accountants Ltd in Wembley. The calculator should be reviewed whenever HMRC changes dividend rates, allowances or relevant Income Tax thresholds.
Go beyond the personal dividend tax figure
Corporation Tax Calculator
Estimate company-level Corporation Tax before thinking about how much post-tax profit may be available.
Take Home Pay Calculator
Compare PAYE salary deductions if you are considering the balance between salary and other ways of extracting income.
Self Assessment support
Dividend income may need to be reported to HMRC depending on your circumstances and the amount received.
Dividend Tax Calculator FAQs
What are the UK dividend tax rates for 2026/27?
For 2026/27, taxable dividends are charged at 10.75% at the ordinary rate, 35.75% at the upper rate and 39.35% at the additional rate. The £500 dividend allowance is taxed at 0%, although it still uses tax-band space.
What is the dividend allowance in 2026/27?
The dividend allowance is £500 for the 2026/27 tax year. It is a 0% rate on up to £500 of dividend income rather than a deduction from total income, so the dividend still counts when determining which tax band later dividends fall into.
How much tax do I pay on £10,000 of dividends?
It depends on your other income. If you have a £12,570 salary, no other income and the full Personal Allowance in 2026/27, £500 of a £10,000 dividend is taxed at 0% and £9,500 at 10.75%, giving estimated dividend tax of £1,021.25.
How much tax do I pay on £50,000 of dividends with a £12,570 salary?
On the assumptions used in our worked example for 2026/27, the estimated dividend tax is £8,396.25. £500 uses the dividend allowance, £37,200 is taxed at 10.75% and £12,300 is taxed at 35.75%.
Do I pay National Insurance on dividends?
Dividend income itself is not subject to employee or employer National Insurance. A limited company director should still consider National Insurance on salary and the company's wider tax position when comparing salary and dividends.
Are dividend tax rates different in Scotland?
No. Dividend tax rates apply across the UK. Scottish Income Tax rates apply to relevant non-savings, non-dividend income, but dividend income uses the UK dividend rates.
Does the £500 dividend allowance reduce my tax band?
Yes in the sense that the dividend covered by the 0% rate still occupies tax-band space. This is why a calculator should not simply subtract £500 and then start allocating the remaining dividends from the bottom of the basic-rate band.
Do dividends have to come from company profits?
A company can only make lawful distributions from profits available for that purpose and should keep appropriate dividend records. The calculator estimates personal tax only; it does not test whether a proposed company dividend can legally be paid.
Do I need Self Assessment for dividend income?
The reporting route depends on the amount of dividend income and your wider tax position. HMRC's current dividend guidance explains when you may need to contact HMRC or complete Self Assessment.
Is dividend tax paid before or after Corporation Tax?
Corporation Tax is a company-level tax. Dividends are normally paid from profits available for distribution after the company's tax position is considered, and the shareholder may then have a separate personal dividend-tax liability.
Director salary and dividends need more than one calculator
If you run a limited company, Path Accountants can review salary, dividends, Corporation Tax, pension contributions and your Self Assessment position together rather than optimising one figure in isolation.
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