How to use the Take-Home Pay Calculator
- 1 Enter your gross yearly salary.
- 2 Enter your pension contribution as a percentage of salary, if it is paid by salary sacrifice.
- 3 Choose your student loan plan, if you have one.
- 4 Read your monthly take-home pay and the deductions in the table.
Worked example
£40,000 salary with a 5% salary-sacrifice pension and no student loan. The pension is £2,000, leaving £38,000 of pay. Income tax is £5,086 and National Insurance is £2,034.40, so take-home pay is £30,879.60 a year, about £2,573.30 a month or £593.84 a week.
Features
All the main deductions
Income tax, employee National Insurance, pension and student loan in one place.
2026/27 thresholds
National Insurance at 8% from £12,570 to £50,270 and 2% above; student loan thresholds for Plans 1, 2, 4, 5 and postgraduate.
Year, month and week
Take-home pay shown for every pay period.
When to use it
Budgeting
Plan rent and bills around your real monthly pay.
Job offers
Compare offers on take-home pay, not headline salary.
Pension decisions
See how a higher pension percentage changes your pay packet.
Student loan
See exactly how much your loan takes each month.
Frequently asked questions
What National Insurance do employees pay?
8% on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270 a year and 2% on earnings above that, for Class 1 employees.
What are the student loan thresholds?
For 2026/27: Plan 1 £26,900, Plan 2 £29,385, Plan 4 £33,795, Plan 5 £25,000 (all 9% above the threshold) and Postgraduate £21,000 (6%).
Why is my payslip slightly different?
Payroll works on each pay period, rounds amounts and may use an emergency tax code. Bonuses, benefits in kind and taxable allowances also change the figures.
Does salary sacrifice save National Insurance?
Yes. Salary-sacrifice pension contributions reduce both income tax and National Insurance, which is why this calculator takes them off before both.
Does it work for Scotland?
Income tax rates differ in Scotland, so this calculator is for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
What if I am self-employed?
Self-employed people pay Class 4 National Insurance through Self Assessment at different rates, so this calculator is for employees.
How much is £30,000 after tax?
With no pension or student loan, income tax is £3,486 and National Insurance is £1,394.40, leaving about £25,119.60 a year, or roughly £2,093 a month.
Does employer pension count?
Employer contributions are paid on top of your salary and do not reduce your take-home pay, so only your own contribution is entered here.
Why does a bonus month take more tax?
Payroll taxes each payday as if that pay continued all year, so a large bonus can push part of it into the higher rate band for that month.
Results are estimates based on the official rates linked above. Confirm important figures with the issuing authority or a qualified adviser before you act on them.
Reviewed by ToolsUnlocked Team · Last updated