How UK take-home pay works
UK take-home pay is your gross salary minus two separate deductions. Income tax starts with the personal allowance — the first £12,570 you earn is tax-free in 2026/27. Above that, taxable income is charged at 20% on the first £37,700, then 40% up to £112,570 of taxable income, then 45% above that. The allowance itself shrinks once you earn over £100,000: it falls by £1 for every £2 above that line, reaching zero at £125,140. Employee National Insurance is separate: 8% on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270 a year, and 2% on everything above £50,270. Unlike income tax, National Insurance has no allowance taper — its thresholds stay fixed.
Scotland is different
Scotland sets its own income tax bands, so a Scottish earner on the same salary can take home a different amount. This calculator uses the England, Wales and Northern Ireland bands only, and there is no Scotland mode in this version. If you live in Scotland, use the figures here as a rough guide only.
Why this is an estimate
Real payslips reflect more than tax and National Insurance: pension contributions (often taken before tax), student loan repayments, salary-sacrifice schemes and taxable benefits all change the result. As with every My Knowledge Dock calculator, all maths runs locally in your browser — the figures you type never leave your device. Results are estimates, not financial advice; for an exact figure, check your payslip or HMRC guidance.