Work & benefits

Take-home pay calculator

See how gross salary becomes take-home pay. Compare pension methods and repayments using the tax rules for where you live.

2026/27UK; Scottish Income Tax depends on tax residenceReviewed 15 October 2026

Your figures

Example values shown

Replace the example with your details, then calculate.

Annual gross salary

Before employee pension contributions and tax.

Income tax residenceChoose your tax residence, not your employer’s office.

Pay frequency

Annual gross pension contribution

Include the provider’s 20% tax relief for relief-at-source pensions. Enter the full sacrificed amount for salary sacrifice. Eligible relief-at-source members can enter up to £3,600 gross where relevant UK earnings are lower; eligibility and age restrictions must already be confirmed.

Pension method

Salary sacrifice is within contractual/minimum-wage limitsOnly used for salary sacrifice. Confirm with your employer.

Employee NI category

Student loan planUse the plan on your repayment notice. Multiple undergraduate plans are outside this estimate.

Postgraduate loan as well?

Does this example fit the supported circumstances?One job, regular pay for a full tax year, standard Personal Allowance, no benefits in kind or other taxable income. Eligible pension contributions only.

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BEHIND THE NUMBERS

How this calculation works

Annual taxable earnings use the pension method selected. The £12,570 Personal Allowance falls by £1 for each £2 of adjusted net income over £100,000. Income Tax is charged progressively. NI uses the selected pay-period thresholds and is rounded each period; loan repayments are rounded down to whole pounds each period. Net cash equals salary less pension cash, tax, NI and loans.

Worked example

Taxable income £27,430 gives £5,486 Income Tax. Monthly NI rounds to £182.83, or £2,193.96 across 12 payments. £40,000 − £5,486 − £2,193.96 = £32,320.04.

Example result: £32,320.04

Choose the place you pay Income Tax

Scottish employment-income bands are based on Scottish taxpayer status. A Scottish employer alone does not make you a Scottish taxpayer. England, Wales and Northern Ireland use the same employment-income rates in this version.

Pension methods change different deductions

Net-pay contributions reduce taxable pay. Salary sacrifice reduces the salary used for both tax and NI. Relief-at-source contributions leave NI unchanged and receive a provider top-up; additional tax relief may arrive separately from your payslip.

Read the annual result before the monthly average

Monthly and weekly thresholds are independently rounded by HMRC. Changing frequency can therefore alter NI and loan totals even with the same annual salary. The displayed period amount averages the annual result and does not reproduce cumulative PAYE payroll.

Assumptions and rounding

The salary is paid equally over 12, 52, 26 or 13 periods.
Relief-at-source contributions are entered gross; the cash contribution is 80% of that amount. Additional relief is assumed claimed.
No tax-code adjustment, benefits in kind, other income or pension allowance charge.
Relief-at-source contributions are limited to the greater of £3,600 gross and the entered relevant UK earnings. All contributions must qualify for tax relief (including the applicable under-75 condition). A negative cash result means the pension payment needs other funds.

Questions about this calculator

Does this include a student loan and a postgraduate loan together?

Yes. Select the undergraduate plan and then the postgraduate option. Each uses its own threshold and repayment rate.

Why does my payslip show a different tax deduction?

Your code may contain other income or allowances, and PAYE uses cumulative earnings and payroll rounding. This tool estimates a regular full-year position.

Is the pension contribution my cash payment?

For relief at source, enter the gross contribution including the provider top-up. For net pay or sacrifice, enter the full amount deducted or exchanged.