Updated for 2026/27 tax year

Net to Gross
Salary Calculator UK

Know what you want to take home? Enter your target and we will work out the gross salary you need to ask for — including all deductions.

Binary search algorithm Pension and student loan Confirms target net pay
Tax year 2026/27

Enter your desired annual take home pay in pounds

Target is per

What is a net to gross salary calculator?

A net to gross calculator works in reverse. Instead of starting with a gross salary and calculating what you take home, you start with your desired take home pay and calculate what gross salary you need to earn. This is useful when negotiating a job offer, comparing salaries across different roles, or working out what you need to ask for to meet a financial goal.

This calculator uses a binary search algorithm, running hundreds of calculations to find the exact gross salary that produces your target net pay. The confirmed net figure shows you that the result is accurate to within a few pence.

How to use this in a salary negotiation

If you know you need £2,500 per month to cover your expenses, enter £30,000 in the annual field (or £2,500 in the monthly field). The calculator will tell you that you need a gross salary of around £38,500 to achieve that. You now have a specific number to present in any salary discussion.

Remember to include pension contributions in your calculation if you will be enrolled in a workplace pension. A standard 5% employee contribution on a £38,500 salary would reduce your take home by around £1,200 per year, so factor this in when setting your target.

Frequently asked questions

Very accurate. The calculator uses a binary search with 120 iterations, achieving accuracy to within one penny. The confirmed net figure shown in the results verifies the calculation. Small rounding differences of a few pence may occur due to how PAYE is applied in practice.

Because income tax and National Insurance are deducted before you receive your pay. On a typical salary in the basic rate band, around 28% is deducted (20% income tax plus 8% NI), so you need to earn roughly 38% more than your target take home to account for all deductions.

Yes, if you will be making pension contributions these reduce your take home pay. Use the advanced options to add your pension percentage. The calculator will then find the gross salary needed to achieve your target take home after pension, tax, NI and any student loan.

Yes. Select "Month" from the period toggle and enter your desired monthly take home pay. The calculator will automatically convert this to an annual figure to find the required gross salary, which is then displayed both annually and monthly.