Salary to take-home pay
Inputs are normalised to annual gross pay, then deductions are estimated annually before monthly and weekly values are derived. Results are planning estimates, not payroll, tax, legal or financial advice.
Tax year assumptions
The calculator currently estimates using 2026/27 UK tax-year settings. Tax rules can change each year, so results should be read alongside the selected tax year shown in the calculator.
Income tax
Income tax is estimated using personal allowance rules, taxable pay after supported pension treatment, and the selected tax region. Marriage Allowance, Blind Person's Allowance, underpayments, tax-code adjustments and self-assessment changes are not modelled.
National Insurance
Employee National Insurance is estimated using UK employee thresholds and rates for a standard employee category. Employer National Insurance, director calculations, multiple employments and special category letters are not included.
Pension assumptions
Salary sacrifice reduces taxable and NI-able pay in the estimate. Net pay reduces taxable pay for income tax but usually not employee NI. Relief at source is treated as an after-tax payroll deduction with basic-rate provider relief. Employer pension contributions and non-pension salary sacrifice benefits are not modelled.
Student loans
Student loan repayments are estimated from the selected plan threshold and repayment rate. The calculator handles one selected plan at a time, so borrowers repaying more than one plan, or whose pay changes because of bonuses or irregular income, should treat the result as a simplified estimate.
Tax region
England, Wales and Northern Ireland use the main UK income tax bands for employment income. Scotland uses Scottish income tax bands when selected. National Insurance and student loan calculations use UK-wide rules.
Salary comparison
Comparison uses full-time gross annual employee pay benchmarks. It does not compare take-home pay, household income, wealth, region, age, occupation, sector, hours pattern or cost of living.
Benchmark limitations
Salary comparison figures are based on benchmark pay data and interpolation between thresholds. Percentile values should be treated as broad context rather than an exact ranking of every UK worker.
What is not included
The calculator does not model benefits in kind, childcare schemes, bonus timing, tax-code changes, underpayments, Marriage Allowance, self-assessment adjustments, employer pension contributions, salary sacrifice benefits other than pension, complex payroll arrangements or professional tax planning.
Keeping estimates current
Tax thresholds, student loan thresholds and salary benchmark sources are reviewed against official HMRC, GOV.UK, SLC and ONS source pages when tax-year settings or comparison data are updated.
Sources and update schedule
The calculator is designed to be transparent about the official source areas used to review tax, repayment and salary comparison assumptions. The results are estimates and should not be treated as a substitute for official guidance.
- GOV.UK Income Tax rates and Personal Allowances
Used to review personal allowance, tax bands and allowance tapering.
- GOV.UK National Insurance rates and categories
Used to review employee Class 1 rates, thresholds and category-letter assumptions.
- GOV.UK Student loan repayment thresholds
Used to review plan thresholds, repayment rates and periodic threshold rules.
- Scottish Government Scottish Income Tax rates
Used to review Scottish income tax bands for Scottish taxpayer estimates.
- ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings
Used as a reference point for gross annual salary comparison benchmarks.
Always check payslips, tax codes, pension scheme details and official guidance where a precise decision depends on your personal circumstances.
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