UK Take-Home Pay Calculator (2025/26)
Net salary after income tax, National Insurance, student loan and pension for England, Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland — monthly and weekly take-home with a full deductions breakdown.
How it works
Income tax on (salary − pension − personal allowance): 20% to £37,700, 40% to £125,140, 45% above (Scotland: 19/20/21/42/45/48%); NI 8% on £12,570–£50,270, 2% above; student loan 9% (6% postgraduate) above the plan threshold
Your payslip deductions come from three separate systems. Income tax uses the personal allowance and bands (tapered away above £100,000 at £1 per £2, creating a 60% effective rate up to £125,140). Class 1 National Insurance is charged separately at 8% between the primary threshold and upper earnings limit and 2% above it. Student loan repayments are 9% of everything above your plan’s threshold. Pension contributions made by salary sacrifice or net-pay arrangement come off before tax and NI, which is why they cost less than their face value.
Worked example
£42,000 in England with 5% pension and a Plan 2 loan: £2,100 pension, £5,466 income tax, £2,186 NI, £1,218 student loan — take-home £31,030, or £2,586 a month.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my tax code not 1257L?
Benefits in kind, underpaid tax or a second job change the allowance; enter the number from your code × 10 as the personal allowance.
Does this include Class 4 NI for the self-employed?
No — it models employees. Self-employed pay 6% Class 4 between £12,570 and £50,270 and 2% above, with no employer NI.
Related calculators
Uses 2025/26 UK rates and thresholds (England & Northern Ireland income tax unless stated). Thresholds change every April — check GOV.UK for the current figures. Educational estimate, not tax advice.