Take Home Pay Calculator UK
Estimate what lands in your bank account. Enter your salary and any pension or student loan deductions to see your take-home pay.
Your salary breakdown
The statutory deductions from your gross pay, and what is left.
What comes out of your pay
Four deductions explain almost every difference between gross and take-home pay.
Income Tax (PAYE)
Charged in bands after your Personal Allowance: 20% up to £50,270, 40% up to £125,140, then 45%. Scotland has six bands. Your tax code decides how much allowance your employer applies.
National Insurance
8% on pay between £12,570 and £50,270, then 2% above. It builds your State Pension record and is not reduced by net-pay pension contributions.
Workplace pension
Paid from gross pay under net pay or salary sacrifice, or from taxed pay under relief at source. Salary sacrifice also cuts National Insurance, so it usually costs you least.
Student and postgraduate loans
9% of pay over your plan threshold (£26,900 Plan 1, £29,385 Plan 2, £33,795 Plan 4, £25,000 Plan 5) and 6% over £21,000 for a postgraduate loan.
Same £35,000 salary, different take-home
How common deductions change what you keep on £35,000 in 2026/27. Change the calculator above to test your own situation.
| Scenario | Take-home a year | Take-home a month | Change vs. no deductions |
|---|---|---|---|
| No extra deductions | £28,720 | £2,393 | – |
| 5% pension (net pay) | £27,320 | £2,277 | -£117 a month |
| 5% pension (salary sacrifice) | £27,460 | £2,288 | -£105 a month |
| Plan 1 student loan | £27,991 | £2,333 | -£61 a month |
| Plan 2 student loan | £28,214 | £2,351 | -£42 a month |
| Postgraduate loan | £27,880 | £2,323 | -£70 a month |
| Plan 2 loan and 5% pension (net pay) | £26,814 | £2,235 | -£159 a month |
| Scottish taxpayer | £28,705 | £2,392 | -£1 a month |
What would a pay change do to your take-home?
Compare your salary above with a raise, promotion or job offer. Higher-rate tax, National Insurance and student loan all change how much you keep.
Moving from £35,000 to £45,000 changes your take-home by +£7,200 a year (+£600 a month). You keep 72% of the extra gross pay; the rest goes in Income Tax and National Insurance. Your next pound at the new salary is taxed at a combined 28%.
Your tax and National Insurance, band by band
How your pay is split across Income Tax bands and National Insurance. This updates with the calculator above.
| Band | Rate | Income in band | Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal Allowance | 0% | £12,570 | £0 |
| Basic rate | 20% | £22,430 | £4,486 |
| Total Income Tax | £4,486 | ||
| Band | Rate | Pay in band | NI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below Primary Threshold | 0% | £12,570 | £0 |
| Main rate | 8% | £22,430 | £1,794 |
| Above Upper Earnings Limit | 2% | £0 | £0 |
| Total National Insurance | £1,794 | ||
Frequently asked questions
What is take-home pay?
Take-home pay (net pay) is what you receive after your employer deducts Income Tax, National Insurance, pension contributions and any student loan repayments from your gross pay.
Why is my payslip different from the calculator?
Payslips reflect your actual tax code, how many pay periods have passed, benefits in kind, one-off bonuses and the exact timing of student loan and pension deductions. The calculator assumes a steady annual salary and the standard 1257L code, so expect small differences.
How much does a pension reduce my take-home pay?
On £35,000, a 5% pension paid through net pay reduces annual take-home by £1,400 (not the full £1,750), because you save 20% tax. Through salary sacrifice it falls by only £1,260, because you also save National Insurance.
Do student loan repayments count as tax?
No. Student loan repayments are collected through payroll alongside tax, but they are repayments of a debt. They are calculated on pay over your plan threshold, not on your tax bands.
Is take-home pay the same as net pay?
Yes. Gross pay is your salary before deductions; net pay or take-home pay is what remains.
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Disclaimer: This calculator gives estimates for general planning. Your real deductions depend on your tax code, pay period, employer pension scheme, benefits in kind (P11D) and student loan timing. See our methodology.