Rates & sources
UK PAYE tax + NI thresholds (2025/26 HMRC). Employers deduct both at source from gross pay.
Source: HMRC — PAYE — figures refreshed at the start of each tax year.
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When to use this calculator
- Before accepting a pay change, bonus, pension contribution, or salary-sacrifice option.
- When you want to compare employed, self-employed, or dividend-based income scenarios.
- When you need a simple take-home estimate before running payroll or filing returns.
- When you are approaching the £100,000 income level and want to understand the personal allowance taper effect.
- When you are planning a salary sacrifice arrangement and need to see the net pay impact before agreeing terms.
A realistic UK planning example
Use these sample inputs as a quick scenario test, then change one variable at a time to compare outcomes.
Average Weekly Earnings (£)
25 years
Paternity Leave Duration
1 week
Shared Parental Leave Weeks (additional)
£1,400
After entering these figures, review weekly paternity pay, total spp and shared parental pay together rather than in isolation — each metric tells a different part of the story. Then rerun the tool with one input adjusted to see which variable has the biggest effect on all three outputs before you settle on a plan.
How to read your results
Weekly Paternity Pay
Use this metric to compare scenarios side by side and understand how changes in the key inputs drive the final outcome. If the figure surprises you, isolate one variable at a time and rerun the calculation to identify which assumption is responsible.
Total SPP
This is the headline outcome of the calculation, but it is most useful when read alongside the supporting metrics below it rather than in isolation. Try changing one input at a time and watching how this total moves to understand which driver has the biggest impact.
Shared Parental Pay
Use this metric to compare scenarios side by side and understand how changes in the key inputs drive the final outcome. If the figure surprises you, isolate one variable at a time and rerun the calculation to identify which assumption is responsible.
Total Paid Leave
This is the headline outcome of the calculation, but it is most useful when read alongside the supporting metrics below it rather than in isolation. Try changing one input at a time and watching how this total moves to understand which driver has the biggest impact.
Method & assumptionsAuthoritative sources
This calculator estimates Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) using the 2024/25 rate of £184.03 per week, capped at 90% of your average weekly earnings (AWE) if that is lower. Standard paternity leave is limited to one or two consecutive weeks taken within 56 days of the birth. The optional Shared Parental Leave (SPL) field lets you model additional paid weeks if you and your partner elect to split the maternity or adoption leave entitlement — SPL weeks are paid at the same rate as SPP. All figures shown are gross, before tax and National Insurance deductions, which your employer will apply through PAYE.
To qualify for SPP you must have worked for your employer for at least 26 continuous weeks by the qualifying week (the 15th week before the expected due date) and earn at least £123 per week on average — the lower earnings limit for 2024/25. If you earn above £184.03 per week and your employer offers no enhanced pay, the statutory weekly cap means you will receive less than your normal wage during leave. The unpaid difference per week is shown in the formula output and can help you plan your budget ahead of the birth.
Common mistakes
- !Entering gross income when you really want take-home pay, or vice versa.
- !Ignoring pension contributions, deductions, or local tax rules that change the result.
- !Comparing monthly and annual figures without standardising them first.
- !Overlooking the National Insurance threshold changes that apply mid-year when rates or bands are adjusted in a Budget.
- !Assuming a salary sacrifice benefit reduces take-home pay by the full gross amount, rather than only the after-tax cost.
What to do next
- Check the same scenario with related pay or deduction calculators to see the full picture.
- Keep a copy of the assumptions you used so you can compare next tax year or pay period accurately.
- Read the related guides below if you are choosing between multiple income or deduction options.
- If you are self-employed, run the self-employment tax calculator alongside this result to compare the net position against employed income.
- Check whether increasing your pension contribution by even one or two percent changes the take-home significantly — use the pension calculator next.
Frequently asked
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