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Dividend vs Salary Calculator

Compare an illustrative 2026/27 salary-and-dividends extraction from company profit, including employer NI, Corporation Tax and personal taxes.

Last reviewed 5 August 2026Source: GOV.UK — Corporation Tax rates and allowances

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Rates & sources2026/27

2026/27 illustrative director-extraction model. It uses standard employer and employee National Insurance, Corporation Tax rates and dividend rates, but cannot assess company-law or personal-tax facts.

Rates used for 2026/27
Band / figureRate
Employer NI15% above £5,000
Corporation Tax19% small profits · 25% main rate
Dividend Allowance£500
Employment Allowancenot modelled

Source: GOV.UK — Corporation Tax rates and allowances — source checked for 2026/27.

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.

Worked example: £80k profit, £12,570 salary, dividends from rest

Use these sample inputs as a quick scenario test, then change one variable at a time to compare outcomes.

Worked example: £80k profit, £12,570 salary, dividends from rest
InputValue
Profit£80,000
Less salary (£12,570)£67,430
Employer NI above £5,000£1,136
Taxable company profit£66,295
Corp Tax (Marginal Relief)£13,818
Dividend pool£52,476
Personal tax on salary (covered by PA)£0
Salary NI (below threshold)£0
Dividend tax (basic + higher band)£9,157
Director take-home£55,890
Total tax (employer NI + CT + dividend)£24,110

This scenario’s combined company and personal tax is about 30.1% of the £80,000 profit before extraction. It is not a recommendation for a salary level or dividend declaration.

How to read your results

Dividend Pool

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.

Employer NI

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.

Take-Home

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.

Total Tax

Review this figure alongside your gross income so you can understand deductions before the tax year closes. It is a planning estimate, not a filed return.

Method & assumptionsAuthoritative sources

This 2026/27 scenario model starts with company profit before the chosen director salary and employer National Insurance. It deducts standard employer Class 1 National Insurance at 15% above the £5,000 annual Secondary Threshold, estimates Corporation Tax using the small-profits, marginal-relief and main-rate framework, then estimates the director’s Income Tax, employee National Insurance and Dividend Tax. It does not run a separate salary-only scenario.

The result assumes one England, Wales or Northern Ireland director-shareholder, no other income and an annual approximation. It excludes the Employment Allowance, associated-company limits, payroll timing and category letters, pension contributions, benefits, expenses, shareholder rights, retained-profit history and Scottish rates. Treat it as an illustrative comparison only; obtain professional company and tax advice before declaring dividends or changing payroll.

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

There is no universally tax-efficient director salary. The result depends on company profit, other income, National Insurance, Corporation Tax, pension plans, Employment Allowance eligibility and company-law requirements. This calculator does not assess those facts or make a recommendation.

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