UK Pay Rise Calculator
See the Real Value
A pay rise looks great on paper but tax takes a bite. See your actual monthly gain after income tax and National Insurance — plus any tax band crossing warnings.
New salary input as
How much of a pay rise do you actually keep?
A pay rise sounds better than it is once tax and National Insurance take their share. This calculator shows you exactly what difference a raise makes to your monthly take home pay, so you can evaluate any offer with clear information.
As a basic rate taxpayer, you keep around 72p in every additional pound earned. As a higher rate taxpayer you keep around 58p. If your raise crosses you from basic to higher rate, part will be taxed at each rate — the calculator handles this correctly and shows you the exact split.
Pay rise and the £100,000 taper
If a pay rise takes your income above £100,000, your personal allowance begins to reduce — by £1 for every £2 above that threshold. This creates an effective 60% marginal rate on income between £100,000 and £125,140. Salary sacrifice pension contributions are the most common way to bring income back below £100,000 and avoid this. See our pension calculator for the numbers.
Related calculators
Once you know your new salary, use the main salary calculator to check the full breakdown of deductions at that figure. Our income tax calculator shows whether your rise pushes you into a higher band and by how much. If you received a net pay offer rather than a gross figure, the net to gross calculator tells you the gross equivalent to negotiate for. Expecting a bonus alongside your rise? Our bonus calculator shows the after-tax value. Thinking of increasing pension contributions with your extra pay? Our pension calculator shows the impact. Wondering whether your new salary keeps up with prices? Our inflation calculator compares your real pay change. A higher salary also affects your borrowing power — our mortgage affordability calculator recalculates instantly, and our savings goal calculator shows how long it now takes to reach a deposit target.
Frequently asked questions
A basic rate taxpayer (earning up to £50,270) keeps around 72% of a pay rise — paying 20% income tax and 8% NI on the extra. A higher rate taxpayer keeps around 58% — paying 40% tax and 2% NI. Enter your numbers above to get the exact figure.
Only the portion above the band threshold is taxed at the higher rate. If your salary goes from £48,000 to £55,000, only the portion above £50,270 is taxed at 40%. The rest remains taxed at 20%. The calculator shows the exact breakdown.
Yes. A 3% pay rise when inflation is running at 5% means your real purchasing power has fallen by around 2%. Use our inflation calculator to see whether your pay has kept pace with the cost of living.
Always negotiate gross salary — that is what employers use, what shows on contracts, and what affects pension contributions and other benefits. Use our net to gross calculator if you know the take home amount you want to achieve and need to work out the gross figure to request.