Rates & sources
UK tax rates and thresholds, as published by HMRC. Scotland and Wales have devolved rates for income tax and property transactions.
Source: HMRC — Tax rates — figures refreshed at the start of each tax year.
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 New Zealand planning example
Use these sample inputs as a quick scenario test, then change one variable at a time to compare outcomes.
Current Loan Balance (NZ$)
NZ$600,000
Annual Income (NZ$)
NZ$70,000
Expected Annual Income Growth (%)
NZ$70,000
Based Overseas?
No — NZ based (interest-free)
After entering these figures, review annual repayment, weekly repayment and years to pay off 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
Annual Repayment
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.
Weekly Repayment
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.
Years to Pay Off
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 Repaid
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.
Interest Rate
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.
Method & assumptionsAuthoritative sources
New Zealand student loans are administered by Inland Revenue (IRD) and are unique internationally because they carry zero interest for borrowers who remain in New Zealand. Compulsory repayments are triggered once your before-tax income exceeds the annual threshold — set at $22,828 for the 2024/25 year — at which point 12 cents per dollar above that threshold is deducted through PAYE or included in your income tax assessment. This calculator uses those exact IRD parameters to estimate your annual and weekly deduction at your current income, then projects year-by-year repayments forward, factoring in your expected income growth, to show the total years until your balance reaches zero and the total amount repaid over that period.
If you are an overseas-based borrower, IRD charges interest at 3.5% per annum on your outstanding balance and sets a fixed repayment obligation rather than an income-based one. This calculator models that scenario by applying the 3.5% interest charge to each year’s opening balance before subtracting repayments, so you can compare the cost of living abroad versus returning to New Zealand where the interest-free benefit resumes immediately. For official figures, repayment schedules, and to set up or adjust your repayment deduction code, visit ird.govt.nz/student-loans.
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
Use arrow keys to navigate items, Enter or Space to expand/collapse.
End-of-article next steps
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