Take-Home Pay Calculator by Tax Code: UK 2026/27

How the take-home figure is worked out

Enter a yearly salary and tax code to see pay after income tax, employee National Insurance, pension and any student loan. The result shows the year, the month and the week.

Your tax code sets the personal allowance. 1257L is £12,570, the standard Personal Allowance for 2026 to 2027 and the amount of income you don't pay tax on. BR, D0 and D1 tax all of the pay at one flat rate. A K code adds income instead of giving an allowance. NT means no tax. The calculator works on a whole year, so an emergency code (1257L W1, 1257L M1 or 1257L X) is treated as the yearly 1257L.

The 2026 to 2027 figures behind it

The tax year runs from 6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027. With the standard Personal Allowance of £12,570, income tax is 0% up to £12,570, 20% from £12,571 to £50,270, 40% from £50,271 to £125,140 and 45% over £125,140. The allowance goes down by £1 for every £2 of adjusted net income above £100,000, so it is zero at £125,140 or above.

Employee National Insurance on the standard category letter A is 8% on earnings between £242 and £967 a week, and 2% above that.

Student loan repayments are 9% of earnings above the plan's threshold, and 6% for a postgraduate loan. For 2026 to 2027 the yearly thresholds are £26,900 for Plan 1, £29,385 for Plan 2, £33,795 for Plan 4, £25,000 for Plan 5 and £21,000 for a postgraduate loan.

How your pension is paid changes the answer

Before tax (net pay): the contribution comes off your pay before income tax, so you get full relief at your own rate straight away. National Insurance is still charged on the full salary.
After tax (relief at source): the contribution comes out of your pay after tax and National Insurance, and your pension provider adds 20% basic-rate relief, so £100 in your pension costs you £80. If you pay higher or additional rate tax you claim the rest through Self Assessment, so it is not in the take-home figure.
Salary sacrifice: you give up part of your salary, so it is not taxed and not charged National Insurance.

When your answer will be different

If you live in Scotland: income tax bands are different in Scotland, and this calculator uses the rates for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Every figure here is an estimate for guidance, not personal tax advice.

Common questions

What does the tax code 1257L mean?

It gives the standard Personal Allowance of £12,570 for 2026 to 2027, the amount of income you don't pay tax on. Enter a different code and the calculator uses the allowance that code gives.

Does my pension reduce my National Insurance?

Only if it's paid by salary sacrifice. On a net pay arrangement the contribution comes off your pay before income tax, but National Insurance is still charged on the full salary. On relief at source it comes out after tax and National Insurance.

Does the calculator work in Scotland?

Not for income tax. Income tax bands are different in Scotland, and this calculator uses the rates for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. If you enter a code starting with S, it warns you that Scottish income tax will differ.

Which student loan plan am I on?

Plan 1 if your course in England or Wales started before 1 September 2012, or if you studied in Northern Ireland, whatever the start date. Plan 2 if your course in England started from 1 September 2012 to 31 July 2023, or in Wales on or after 1 September 2012. Plan 4 if you studied in Scotland. Plan 5 if your course in England started on or after 1 August 2023. Scottish and Northern Irish postgraduates are on Plan 4 and Plan 1, not the postgraduate loan.

Take-home pay calculator by tax code