Continue your plan
Useful next calculations
Rates & sources
UK company rates (Corporation Tax, VAT, payroll NI) as published by HMRC and Companies House.
Source: HMRC — Running a business — check the linked guidance and any live quote before acting.
When to use this calculator
- Before pricing a job, setting margin targets or reviewing hiring costs.
- When you want to test sensitivity around volume, tax, markup or overheads.
- When you need a practical estimate before committing to a budget or proposal.
- When you are modelling break-even volume as costs or prices change.
A realistic UK planning example
Use these sample inputs as a quick scenario test, then change one variable at a time to compare outcomes.
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Cost (£) | £500 |
| Number of Units | 100 |
After entering these figures, focus on result first and then rerun the tool with a more cautious assumption.
How to read your results
Result
The figure produced by this output for the inputs you entered. Change one variable at a time if you want to see what drives it.
Method & assumptionsAuthoritative sources
This calculator divides your total production costs by the number of units produced to give you the cost per unit. Total costs should include direct materials, direct labour, and an appropriate share of fixed overheads such as rent, insurance, and equipment depreciation. The calculator assumes a single product or batch; if you make multiple products, allocate shared overheads using a consistent method such as machine hours or labour hours before entering figures.
It does not account for spoilage rates, wastage, or rework — add a buffer to your inputs if these are significant in your process. The result is a breakeven floor; your actual selling price must exceed this figure to generate profit. Always recalculate when input costs change.
Common mistakes
- !Using optimistic assumptions without testing a more cautious scenario.
- !Using revenue in place of gross profit when calculating margin.
- !Treating the result as a final quote instead of a planning estimate.
- !Forgetting employer on-costs when modelling the true cost of a hire.
What to do next
- Try at least one more scenario so you can compare a realistic range.
- Use the related calculators below to cross-check the decision from another angle.
- Write down the key outputs from your best scenarios before you decide.
- If the result surprises you, change one input at a time to isolate the driver.
Frequently asked
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