United Kingdom pay and tax, 2026/27
How PAYE, National Insurance and student loans come out of a UK salary, the dates that matter, and where to work out your own take-home pay.
Rules checked against HMRC on 7 October 2026; not independently reviewed.
- Tax year
- 6 April 2026 – 5 April 2027
- Personal Allowance
- £12,570
- Basic rate band
- £37,700
- Employee NI (main rate)
- 8%
A tax year that starts in April
The UK tax year runs from 6 April to 5 April, a quirk dating back to the calendar change of 1752. The 2026/27 year began on 6 April 2026. Thresholds for the coming year are announced in the Budget and take effect on 6 April; employers apply new tax codes from that date, so April’s payslip is where any change first shows. Self Assessment returns for a tax year are due online by 31 January after it ends.
Three deductions on almost every payslip
Income Tax is collected through PAYE. Everyone gets a Personal Allowance of £12,570, withdrawn above £100,000, and the rest is taxed in bands: in England, Wales and Northern Ireland at 20%, 40% and 45%; in Scotland across six bands set by the Scottish Parliament. National Insurance builds your State Pension record and is charged at 8% between £12,570 and £50,270, then 2%. Workplace pension contributions follow automatic enrolment. Graduates add a student loan repayment on earnings above their plan’s threshold.
What our calculator covers
The UK take-home pay calculator handles all three nations’ Income Tax rules, every common NI category letter, tax codes including K, BR and emergency codes, student loan Plans 1, 2, 4 and 5 plus the Postgraduate Loan, the three ways pensions are taken, the High Income Child Benefit Charge, Marriage Allowance and Blind Person’s Allowance. Results are the annual liability spread evenly over monthly, four-weekly, fortnightly or weekly pay.
Key figures for 2026/27
- Higher rate starts on taxable income above £37,700, additional rate above £125,140.
- Employer NI: 15% above the secondary threshold of £5,000.
- Student loan Plan 2 threshold: £29,385; Postgraduate Loan £21,000.
- High Income Child Benefit Charge starts at £60,000 of adjusted net income.
Sources include HMRC’s Class 1 NI thresholds (LEL £129/£559/£6,708; PT £242/£1,048/£12,570; ST £96/£417/£5,000; UEL and UST/AUST/VUST £967/£4,189/£50,270) and employee/employer rates by category letter. See every parameter on the 2026/27 rates page or compare with 2025/26.
Things the estimate can’t know
PAYE is cumulative, so an incorrect tax code, a bonus month or starting a job mid-year can make individual payslips differ from the even-pay figures. Savings interest, dividends, rental income and self-employment are outside the calculator. If your code looks wrong, check it in the HMRC app or your personal tax account. For other countries, see the take-home pay hub.