Salary Calculator 2025/26 – Calculate Your Take Home Pay

Calculate Your Take Home Pay Instantly

Wondering what your actual take home pay will look like in 2025/26? Our Salary Calculator cuts through the guesswork. Simply enter your gross pay and you’ll see a clear breakdown of your net salary after Income Tax and National Insurance.

This calculator is designed for employees paid through PAYE, whether you’re working full-time or part-time. Instantly see your real net pay, making it easier to budget, review job offers, or understand how changes to your salary impact what you bring home each month.

We’ve updated the calculator with the latest UK tax rates and thresholds for the 2025/26 tax year. You’ll get clear, up-to-date information you can rely on, helping you plan ahead and make well-informed financial decisions.

What is a Salary Calculator?

A Salary and Tax Deductions Calculator gives you a clear view of what you’re actually taking home, not just the headline salary figure on your offer letter. It’s a practical tool, just input your gross salary, and you’ll see exactly how much goes to Income Tax, National Insurance, and any workplace pension contributions if you’re enrolled.

It’s not just about looking at what you earn before deductions. Instead, you get a transparent breakdown:

• Tax deductions – how much Income Tax is taken based on your earnings and tax band.
• National Insurance contributions – what you pay towards state benefits.
• Workplace pension contributions – if you pay into a pension scheme through your employer.
• Your net pay (take home pay) – the amount you actually receive.

It’s the smart way to plan budgets, evaluate job offers, and avoid those “wait, where did my money go?” moments.

How does the Take Home Pay Calculator Work?

Our Salary and Tax Deductions Calculator helps you understand how much you’ll take home after tax and other deductions.

User Input Field

To ensure the take home income calculator delivers precise results, you’ll need to enter a few key details. These input allows the tool to accurately determine your net pay.

Annual Salary (Gross Income): This is the total amount of money you earn each year before any deductions like tax or National Insurance. Simply enter your gross salary into the calculator.

Result Output

Once you enter your information, our bring home pay calculator immediately presents a clear and concise salary breakdown. Here’s what you’ll see:

• Annual Take Home Pay: This is the amount you’ll actually receive in a year after all taxes and deductions are applied.
• Monthly Take Home Pay: The calculator will also show your monthly take-home pay, giving you a clear view of your regular income after tax.
• Income Tax: It calculates how much income tax you’ll pay based on your salary and the UK tax bands.
• National Insurance (NI): You’ll see how much National Insurance is deducted from your salary.

Key Deductions Explained

When looking at your payslip, you see your gross salary, but what actually reaches your bank account tells a different story. Below, let's break down the main deductions you’ll see in the 2025/26 tax year and how they affect your take-home pay.

Income Tax Bands 2025/26

The UK Income Tax system works in bands, meaning you pay different rates on different portions of your income. For the 2025/26 tax year:

• Personal Allowance (up to £12,570): No tax. That first chunk of earnings? All yours.
• Basic Rate (20%): For earnings between £12,571 and £50,270, you’re taxed at 20%.
• Higher Rate (40%): Income between £50,271 and £125,140 falls into the 40% rate.
• Additional Rate (45%): Anything above £125,140? That gets taxed at 45%.

The bigger your income, the more you’ll see fall into these higher tax brackets. It’s incremental, meaning each band only applies to the income within that range, not your entire salary.

National Insurance (NI) Contributions

National Insurance functions as a central fund supporting state benefits such as pensions, the NHS, and key social safety nets. Both employees and employers are required to contribute, but the rates and amounts they pay are different.

For employees in 2025/26:

• 8% on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270.
• 2% on anything above £50,270.

Employers also pay NI at 15% on salaries above £5,000 per year. While you don’t directly see this on your payslip, it’s part of the overall employment cost.

Pension Contributions

Employees are generally enrolled in a workplace pension scheme by default. Each month, a portion of your salary is allocated for your retirement saving.

• The standard workplace pension contribution is 5% from the employee and 3% from the employer. If you prefer, you can always contribute more and boost your retirement savings.
• While your immediate take-home pay is slightly reduced, this arrangement provides strong long-term financial benefits, including valuable tax advantages.

Student Loan Repayments

if you completed your studies in the UK, loan repayments will kick in once your income passes a set threshold. There’s no manual fuss, repayments get taken straight from your salary.

The type of repayment plan you’re on actually depends on when and where you studied. Payments will continue until you’ve either fully repaid the balance, or the outstanding debt gets written off.

Other Deductions

Beyond the standard deductions like tax, National Insurance, pension contributions, and student loans, you might notice additional items taken from your payslip. Strangely enough, these extra deductions can actually work in your favor. In some cases, they’ll lead to a lower taxable income, which, frankly, is always a welcome outcome.

• Salary Sacrifice Schemes - You agree to forgo a portion of your salary in return for a specific non-cash benefit such as a company car, additional pension contribution, or cycle-to-work program. The amount you sacrifice is deducted before your income gets taxed, which means your tax bill goes down.
• Charitable Donations - When you donate to a charity through Gift Aid, your contribution gets deducted from your salary before taxes are applied. So, your taxable income goes down, which means you end up paying less tax overall.

Why Use Our Payroll Take Home Calculator

Working out your take home pay goes beyond simply checking what lands in your bank account each month. It equips you with meaningful financial insight, so you can make informed decisions and avoid unwanted surprises. Here’s why using a Salary Calculator UK can make a real difference:

• Plan your budget and expenses with confidence - When it comes to budgeting, precision matters. By knowing exactly what you’ll receive after taxes and deductions, you can allocate funds for essentials, savings, and everyday spending with far greater confidence.
• Understand the real value of job offers - If you’re evaluating job opportunities, don’t get distracted by headline figures. Gross salaries often look appealing, but what really counts is what you actually receive after tax and National Insurance contributions. A paye take home calculator shows the real, net figure, so you can compare offers on a level playing field.
• Compare salaries with different tax codes or pay frequencies - Pay structures and tax codes can change, too. If you move from monthly to weekly pay, or your tax code updates, you can get instant clarity with our calculator - vital for anyone facing a career change or revised tax arrangements.
• Stay up to date with tax and NI rates for 2025/26 - Tax and NI thresholds don’t stand still. Our take home income calculator keeps up with updates for the 2025/26 tax year, ensuring every calculation reflects the latest rules.

Estimate Your Take Home Pay in Seconds

Your gross salary is just the headline figure. The number that actually matters? That’s your net pay, after tax, National Insurance, pension, and all the rest have been deducted. Our 2025/26 payroll take home calculator takes the guesswork out of it and shows your real take-home amount in seconds. Simple, straightforward, and designed to help you plan your finances with certainty.

If you’re looking for advice tailored to your own tax circumstances, you can easily book a free consultation with one of our experienced personal tax accountants. Get professional insights and make sure you’re making the most of every pound you earn.

FAQs on Bring Home Salary Calculator

How accurate is this salary calculator?

The Salary Calculator is very accurate as it uses the latest tax bands and NI rates for 2025/26, but your exact take home pay may vary if you have extra benefits, deductions, or a different tax code.

What’s the difference between gross and net salary?

Gross salary is your total pay before any deductions, while net salary is the amount you actually take home after tax, National Insurance, and pension contributions.

How much tax will I pay through PAYE?

If you earn over the personal allowance cap, you'll pay 20%, 40%, or 45% tax on your earnings, depending on whether you're in the basic, higher, or additional rate tax band. Your annual income determines which tax rate applies to you.

What is the tax code 1257L?

The tax code 1257L is the standard code for the 2025/26 tax year in the UK. It indicates that you have a Personal Allowance of £12,570, which is the amount you can earn tax-free. Income above this threshold is taxed according to the income tax bands.

Does HMRC automatically refund overpaid tax?

Yes, HMRC automatically refunds overpaid tax if you're owed money. You don't have to claim it.

How much do I need to earn to not get taxed?

For the 2025/26 tax year in the UK, you need to earn up to £12,570 to avoid paying income tax. This amount is your Personal Allowance, which is the income you can earn tax-free. Any earnings above this threshold will be subject to income tax at the applicable rates.

What is the threshold for PAYE tax?

The threshold for PAYE tax in the UK is aligned with the Personal Allowance. For the 2025/26 tax year, you will start paying income tax through PAYE on earnings above £12,570. Earnings up to this amount are tax-free, while income above this threshold is taxed according to the applicable income tax rates.

Where can I find my tax code?

You can find your tax code on your payslip, P60, or P45. It will also be included in any correspondence from HMRC. If you're unsure where to find it, or if you can't locate it, contact HMRC for assistance.