74 free guides
Plain-English articles on pay, tax, banking, credit and budgeting — written for the UK and linked to our free calculators. Search or pick a category below.
Put guides into practice with our free calculators, or see trusted external UK resources.
Showing 74 of 74 guides
New and recently updated articles — published in the last 90 days.
Repayment mortgages clear the loan by the end of the term; interest-only deals charge less each month but leave the full balance to repay — how they compare, who qualifies and the risks.
9 min read · Updated September 2026
Read guide →
When renting beats buying, when ownership wins, and how to compare monthly costs, upfront fees, flexibility and long-term equity with worked examples.
10 min read · Updated August 2026
Read guide →
Whether spare cash is better used reducing your mortgage or going into savings, a pension or investments — the maths, the risks and a step-by-step decision order.
9 min read · Updated August 2026
Read guide →
Fixed-rate mortgages lock your payments for a set period; variable and tracker deals move with the Bank of England base rate — how to decide which suits your budget and risk tolerance.
9 min read · Updated August 2026
Read guide →
List every direct debit and standing order, total your committed monthly spending and see what is left for food, savings and day-to-day life.
8 min read · Updated August 2026
Read guide →
Split take-home pay into needs, wants and savings — how the 50/30/20 rule works, UK examples and when to adjust the split.
8 min read · Updated August 2026
Read guide →
Fuel, insurance, road tax, MOT, servicing and hidden costs — what UK car ownership really costs per year and per mile.
9 min read · Updated August 2026
Read guide →
Monthly account fees, packaged accounts, overseas charges and ATM costs — how UK bank fees add up and when a free account is better.
8 min read · Updated August 2026
Read guide →
How to convert an hourly rate to weekly, monthly and annual gross pay in the UK — with worked examples, the reverse calculation and minimum wage checks.
8 min read · Updated August 2026
Read guide →
What Capital Gains Tax is, how to work out your gain, the £3,000 annual exempt amount, 18%/24% rates, and what is usually tax-free.
8 min read · Updated July 2026
Read guide →
How much notice you must give or receive in the UK — statutory minimums by length of service, contractual notice, PILON and garden leave.
8 min read · Updated July 2026
Read guide →
What pro-rata salary means in the UK, how to convert a full-time figure to part-time pay, and worked examples for reduced hours and term-time roles.
7 min read · Updated July 2026
Read guide →
How UK statutory holiday entitlement and holiday pay work — 5.6 weeks, part-time pro-rata, bank holidays, and what you get when you leave.
8 min read · Updated July 2026
Read guide →
Estimate savings interest from your balance, AER and deposits — with UK worked examples, tax caveats and a free calculator.
8 min read · Updated July 2026
Read guide →
What Stamp Duty Land Tax is, who pays it, how the band system works, and how to budget for it when buying a home in England or Northern Ireland.
8 min read · Updated July 2026
Read guide →
How UK mortgage repayments are calculated — capital vs interest, what changes your monthly payment, and a worked example at 4.5% over 25 years.
9 min read · Updated July 2026
Read guide →
Work out a realistic personal loan amount using the 35% debt-to-income rule, your spare monthly income, and typical UK lender checks — before you apply.
9 min read · Updated July 2026
Read guide →
A plain-English breakdown of every line on a UK payslip — gross pay, tax code, PAYE, National Insurance, pension, student loan and the net pay that lands in your bank.
9 min read · Updated July 2026
Read guide →
How the HICBC works in 2026/27 — the £60,000–£80,000 taper, who pays it, how pension contributions cut the charge and why many families still claim.
8 min read · Updated July 2026
Read guide →
Ofgem's July–September 2026 price cap — unit rates, standing charges, the £1,862 typical bill figure and what it means if you use more or less than average.
8 min read · Updated July 2026
Read guide →
The full new State Pension rises to £241.30 a week from April 2026 under the triple lock — who gets it, how qualifying years work and how to check your forecast.
8 min read · Updated July 2026
Read guide →
The 2026/27 CGT rates, the £3,000 annual exempt amount, how gains stack on your income, and worked examples for shares, funds and property.
9 min read · Updated July 2026
Read guide →
The 2026/27 National Living Wage and Minimum Wage rates from April 2026, what full-time pay looks like in gross and net, and how to check your hourly rate.
8 min read · Updated July 2026
Read guide →
What a £100,000 salary becomes after tax and NI in 2026/27, how the personal allowance taper creates a 60% effective rate, and why pension contributions matter at this level.
9 min read · Updated July 2026
Read guide →
What a £60,000 salary becomes after tax and NI in 2026/27, how much higher-rate tax you pay, and what the £60,000 Child Benefit charge means for parents.
8 min read · Updated July 2026
Read guide →
How compound interest grows your savings over time — the formula in plain English, monthly vs annual compounding, and real UK examples.
8 min read · Updated July 2026
Read guide →
How much savings interest you can earn tax-free outside an ISA — by tax band, with worked examples and how HMRC collects the tax.
9 min read · Updated July 2026
Read guide →When mortgage overpayments beat saving, how much you can overpay penalty-free, and the trade-offs — with worked examples.
8 min read · Updated July 2026
Read guide →What a £50,000 salary becomes after tax and NI in 2026/27, how close you are to the higher-rate band, and what a pay rise really adds to your pocket.
7 min read · Updated July 2026
Read guide →When a Cash ISA beats a normal savings account, how the Personal Savings Allowance fits in, and what the 2027 ISA limit cut means.
8 min read · Updated July 2026
Read guide →How Universal Credit works in the UK — who qualifies, what the standard allowance covers, the earnings taper and how housing and childcare support fit in.
9 min read · Updated July 2026
Read guide →Income multiples, affordability checks, deposit size and how lenders decide what you can borrow — with worked examples.
8 min read · Updated July 2026
Read guide →Current SDLT rates in England and Northern Ireland, first-time buyer relief, the additional-property surcharge and worked examples.
8 min read · Updated July 2026
Read guide →How to work backwards from the take-home pay you want to the gross salary you need to ask for in 2026/27, allowing for income tax, National Insurance, pension and student loan.
7 min read · Updated June 2026
Read guide →How the Lifetime ISA works in 2026/27 — the £4,000 limit, the 25% government bonus, buying your first home, and the withdrawal charge that catches people out.
8 min read · Updated June 2026
Read guide →
How UK business mileage works — the 45p/25p HMRC approved rates, what counts as a business mile, and how to claim tax relief if your employer pays less.
7 min read · Updated June 2026
Read guide →
How UK Marriage Allowance works, who can claim it, the £252 saving for 2026/27 and how to apply for free — with backdating worth over £1,000.
7 min read · Updated June 2026
Read guide →The 2026/27 dividend tax rates, the £500 allowance and how dividends stack on top of your other income — with worked examples for investors and company directors.
8 min read · Updated June 2026
Read guide →The 2026/27 National Insurance rates, thresholds and what they mean for your pay — with worked examples for £20k to £100k.
8 min read · Updated June 2026
Read guide →
The 2026/27 income tax bands and rates, how the £12,570 Personal Allowance works, and why crossing £50,270 or £100,000 matters.
10 min read · Updated June 2026
Read guide →
What National Insurance is, how much you pay in 2026/27, what your employer pays on top, and why it matters for your State Pension.
9 min read · Updated June 2026
Read guide →
How income tax and Class 4 National Insurance work on self-employed profit, the deadlines you must hit, and how payments on account catch people out.
10 min read · Updated June 2026
Read guide →The cash ISA allowance is being cut for under-65s from April 2027. Here is what is changing and how to use your full allowance while you still can.
8 min read · Updated June 2026
Read guide →Decode your UK tax code — what 1257L, BR, D0, K codes and emergency codes mean for your pay.
9 min read · Updated June 2026
Read guide →How the Personal Savings Allowance works, when HMRC taxes savings interest, and why more savers are being caught as rates and tax bands change.
8 min read · Updated June 2026
Read guide →Income tax thresholds are frozen until 2031. Here is how 'fiscal drag' quietly raises your tax bill even when the rates do not change.
7 min read · Updated June 2026
Read guide →What different salaries really mean after tax, how they compare to UK averages and what take-home pay you actually keep.
7 min read · Updated June 2026
Read guide →
Payment history, utilisation, searches, CCJs and other factors that raise or lower your score.
10 min read · Updated June 2026
Read guide →How UK student loan repayments work — the plan types, repayment thresholds, the 9% rule and when the debt is written off.
8 min read · Updated June 2026
Read guide →
Practical steps to build credit history, cut utilisation and avoid common mistakes.
11 min read · Updated June 2026
Read guide →Pension tax relief means £1 in your pension costs a basic-rate taxpayer just 80p — and a higher-rate taxpayer as little as 60p. Here is how it works and how to claim what you are owed.
8 min read · Updated June 2026
Read guide →From April 2029, National Insurance relief on salary-sacrifice pension contributions is capped at £2,000 a year. Here is what it means for you.
6 min read · Updated June 2026
Read guide →
Free ways to view your credit report from Experian, Equifax and TransUnion — without paying monthly fees.
9 min read · Updated June 2026
Read guide →What drives the size of your pension pot, how compound growth works over decades and how to project your retirement income.
7 min read · Updated June 2026
Read guide →The two most popular debt payoff methods compared — which saves the most interest, which keeps you motivated, and how to choose.
7 min read · Updated June 2026
Read guide →
How UK credit scores work, who creates them, and why they matter when you borrow.
8 min read · Updated June 2026
Read guide →How council tax bands are set, how to check yours, and how to challenge a band you think is wrong.
6 min read · Updated June 2026
Read guide →Practical, no-cost and low-cost ways to lower your gas and electricity bills, plus how the price cap and tariffs really work.
7 min read · Updated June 2026
Read guide →Who qualifies for SSP, how much you get, how long it lasts and what to do if you need more support.
6 min read · Updated June 2026
Read guide →
How much Child Benefit pays in 2026/27, who can claim, the £60,000 tax charge and why many parents still register even when they pay it back.
10 min read · Updated June 2026
Read guide →
Nursery fees, Tax-Free Childcare, Universal Credit support and how to budget when childcare eats into your salary.
11 min read · Updated May 2026
Read guide →
Statutory maternity pay, leave length, eligibility and how to budget when your income drops — a practical guide for working mothers.
12 min read · Updated May 2026
Read guide →
The 3–6 month rule, what counts as essential expenses and how to build a buffer in the UK.
9 min read · Updated May 2026
Read guide →
Work out how much rent you can realistically afford on your salary — the 30% rule, salary vs rent, and what landlords expect.
12 min read · Updated May 2026
Read guide →
How the £20,000 ISA limit works, Cash vs Stocks & Shares, and Lifetime ISAs.
5 min read · Updated May 2026
Read guide →
How the Financial Services Compensation Scheme protects UK bank and building society deposits.
4 min read · Updated May 2026
Read guide →
Avalanche vs snowball, balance transfers, budgeting and free debt help.
11 min read · Updated May 2026
Read guide →
Arranged vs unarranged overdrafts, daily fees, EAR interest and how to cut costs.
9 min read · Updated May 2026
Read guide →
APR explained in plain English — loans, credit cards, overdrafts and representative vs personal rates.
10 min read · Updated May 2026
Read guide →
Why your balance barely moves on minimum payments — daily interest, APR and how to pay less.
10 min read · Updated May 2026
Read guide →
Statutory redundancy pay explained — age multipliers, weekly pay cap and who qualifies.
9 min read · Updated May 2026
Read guide →
Got a pay rise but little extra in the bank? Here is where your salary goes — tax, NI, pension and student loans.
10 min read · Updated May 2026
Read guide →
A plain-English guide to Pay As You Earn — tax codes, NI, student loans and what lands in your bank account.
11 min read · Updated May 2026
Read guide →
How UK overtime pay works — hourly rates, time-and-a-half, double time and what your contract says.
8 min read · Updated May 2026
Read guide →