UK Take Home Pay Calculator 2026/27
Find out exactly what you take home after income tax and National Insurance. Covers pension, student loan, Scotland rates and salary sacrifice for 2026/27.
What Is Take Home Pay?
Take home pay, also called net pay, is the amount that actually reaches your bank account after all statutory deductions have been made from your gross salary. It is the number that matters most for day-to-day budgeting and comparing job offers, because advertised salaries are always quoted as gross figures.
What Reduces Your Take Home Pay?
Several deductions reduce your gross salary to arrive at net pay:
- Income tax is the largest deduction for most people. In England you pay 20% on earnings above £12,570, rising to 40% above £50,270 and 45% above £125,140.
- National Insurance is 8% on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270, and 2% above £50,270. It is calculated separately from income tax and has its own thresholds.
- Pension contributions reduce take home pay but build long-term savings. Whether you use salary sacrifice or relief at source affects how much NI you save.
- Student loan repayments are collected via payroll from the April after you start earning above the threshold for your plan. The threshold varies by plan from £21,000 to £31,395.
- Tax code adjustments can increase or reduce your deductions. A non-standard code (anything other than 1257L) means HMRC is adjusting for something specific in your tax position.
How to Increase Your Take Home Pay
There are legitimate ways to increase net pay without needing a pay rise:
- Switch to salary sacrifice for pension contributions. This saves both income tax and National Insurance on the amount contributed, reducing the effective cost of saving.
- Keep adjusted income below £100,000. If you earn between £100,000 and £125,140 your personal allowance tapers, creating an effective 60% marginal rate. Pension contributions can restore your full allowance.
- Check your tax code with HMRC. An incorrect code could mean you have been paying too much tax, with a refund due.
- Claim allowable expenses through self-assessment if you work from home or have eligible expenses your employer does not reimburse.
Scotland vs the Rest of the UK
If you live in Scotland, your income tax is calculated using Scottish rates set by the Scottish Parliament. The personal allowance and National Insurance thresholds are the same. The key difference is that Scotland has six income tax bands in 2026/27 compared to three in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Higher earners pay more tax in Scotland, while lower earners pay a similar or slightly more because of the 19% starter rate on the first slice of taxable income.
| Salary | Take home (England/Wales/NI) | Take home (Scotland) | Annual difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| £20,000 | |||
| £30,000 | |||
| £50,000 | |||
| £80,000 |
Related calculators
For a complete salary breakdown, pair this calculator with the main salary calculator which lets you switch between annual, monthly and hourly views. Our income tax calculator shows exactly how your tax is split across each band, and our National Insurance calculator covers both employee and employer contributions. Saving into a pension? Use our pension calculator to see how contributions — especially via salary sacrifice — affect your net pay. If you have been offered a job with a quoted net salary, our net to gross calculator tells you the equivalent gross figure. Repaying a student loan? Our student loan repayment calculator factors in all five plan types. Planning to buy a property? Our mortgage affordability calculator uses your take-home pay to show how much you could borrow, and our rent affordability calculator shows the maximum rent that fits your budget.