UK Take-Home Pay Calculator
Take-home pay is the cash that lands in your account after PAYE — not the salary number on your offer letter. This calculator subtracts Income Tax and Class 1 National Insurance from your gross salary using 2026/27 thresholds (frozen until April 2031) so you can see what you actually bring home.
Why your take-home is less than your gross salary
Two layers of withholding eat into a UK paycheck. Income Tax is the larger for most earners — applied progressively to taxable income (gross minus the personal allowance) at 20%, 40%, or 45% depending on which bands you cross. National Insurance Class 1 (employee) is 8% on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270, then 2% above that.
The combined effective rate for a typical £35,000 earner is about 18%; for £75,000 it rises to about 28%; and within the £100,000-£125,140 personal-allowance taper zone the marginal rate hits 62% (60% from the taper plus 2% NIC). The calculator applies each layer in HMRC's order.
Take-home pay across UK salaries (2026/27)
Approximate annual take-home for a standard PAYE employee, England/Wales/NI bands, no pension or student loan:
| Gross salary | Income Tax | National Insurance | Take-home (year) | Take-home (month) | Kept |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £25,000 | £2,490 | £990 | £21,520 | £1,790 | 86% |
| £35,000 | £4,490 | £1,790 | £28,720 | £2,390 | 82% |
| £50,000 | £7,490 | £2,990 | £39,520 | £3,290 | 79% |
| £75,000 | £17,430 | £3,510 | £54,060 | £4,500 | 72% |
| £100,000 | £27,430 | £4,010 | £68,560 | £5,710 | 69% |
| £125,000 | £42,430 | £4,510 | £78,060 | £6,500 | 62% |
| £150,000 | £53,700 | £5,010 | £91,290 | £7,610 | 61% |
Figures for 2026/27, rounded to the nearest £10. £125,000 falls inside the £100,000–£125,140 band where the personal allowance is withdrawn. Use the calculator above for your own salary.
Frequently asked
What is take-home pay in the UK?
Take-home pay (net pay) is the amount left in your bank account after PAYE deductions — Income Tax and Class 1 National Insurance — are withheld from your gross salary by your employer. Pension contributions, student loan repayments, and other voluntary deductions further reduce it.
Why is my take-home so much less than my advertised salary?
For a £35,000 salary, expect to take home about £28,720 — 82% of gross. Income Tax accounts for about £4,490 and National Insurance about £1,790 in 2026/27. Higher earners keep proportionally less because more falls into the 40% (over £50,270) and 45% (over £125,140) bands.
How can I increase my take-home pay?
Three legal levers: (1) salary sacrifice into a workplace pension (saves you both Income Tax and 8% NIC on the sacrificed amount, often the highest-yielding lever); (2) cycle-to-work, EV salary sacrifice, or other recognised schemes; (3) Marriage Allowance (transfer £1,260 of personal allowance to a basic-rate spouse if you don't use it). The calculator does not factor these in.
Is the calculator exact?
No. It estimates Income Tax + Class 1 NI for England/Wales/NI residents, before pension, student loan, or other deductions. For an exact figure, check your latest payslip or HMRC personal tax account.
What about the 60% effective rate trap?
When your income is between £100,000 and £125,140, your personal allowance tapers by £1 for every £2 you earn over £100,000 — so each £100 of additional income costs £40 in higher-rate tax plus £20 in lost personal allowance, an effective marginal rate of 60% (62% with NIC). Pension contributions in this band are unusually tax-efficient.
Related calculators
Last updated: October 2026 · Source: gov.uk, rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027.