PAYE Salary Calculator UK
Estimate your UK take-home pay after income tax, National Insurance, pension and student loan repayments. Enter your annual salary to see monthly and annual net pay.
Calculator
What this means
PAYE (Pay As You Earn) is the system HMRC uses to collect income tax and National Insurance from your salary before you receive it. Student loan repayments are also deducted through PAYE if you have a plan. Your take-home pay is what remains after these deductions and any pension contributions.
How to use this calculator
- Enter your gross annual salary — the figure on your contract before any deductions.
- Add your workplace pension contribution percentage if you pay into one.
- Select your student loan plan, if you have one, so repayments are included.
- Read your estimated monthly and annual take-home pay, with a full tax and National Insurance breakdown.
Worked example
You earn £35,000 a year with the standard 1257L tax code, no pension and no student loan.
- The £12,570 personal allowance is tax-free, leaving £22,430 taxable.
- Income tax at 20% on £22,430 is about £4,486.
- National Insurance at 8% on earnings above £12,570 is about £1,794.
Take-home pay is roughly £28,720 a year, or about £2,393 a month.
Who this is for
- Employees checking whether a payslip looks right.
- Job seekers comparing offers on a like-for-like net basis.
- Anyone budgeting around their real monthly take-home pay.
How PAYE take-home pay is worked out
PAYE (Pay As You Earn) is how HMRC collects income tax and National Insurance directly from your wages before you are paid. Your employer uses your tax code to decide how much of your pay is tax-free, then applies the income tax bands to the rest.
For 2026/27 the personal allowance is £12,570, the 20% basic rate applies up to £50,270, the 40% higher rate up to £125,140, and 45% above that. National Insurance is charged at 8% between £12,570 and £50,270 and 2% above. Pension contributions and salary sacrifice reduce the pay these are charged on.
Frequently asked questions
This calculator uses standard 2026/27 UK tax rates and provides a close estimate. Your actual pay may differ due to tax codes, student loans, benefits in kind or other deductions.
For the 2026/27 tax year, the standard personal allowance is £12,570. You pay no income tax on earnings up to this amount.
Yes. Select your student loan plan in the calculator to estimate repayments. Plan 2 repayments are 9% of earnings above £29,385 per year.
Your tax code (for example 1257L) tells your employer how much tax-free pay you get. The wrong code can mean you pay too much or too little tax. Check it on your payslip or in your HMRC personal tax account.
Common reasons include a non-standard tax code, benefits in kind such as a company car, salary sacrifice arrangements, different pay frequencies, or living in Scotland where tax bands differ. Use the calculator's options to get closer to your real figure.
Disclaimer
This calculator provides estimates for guidance only. It is not financial, legal or tax advice. Always check official sources or speak to a qualified professional before making decisions.
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