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 South Africa planning example
Use these sample inputs as a quick scenario test, then change one variable at a time to compare outcomes.
Hourly Rate (R)
5%
Hours Per Week
40 hours
Weeks Per Year
25 years
After entering these figures, review annual, monthly and weekly 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
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.
Monthly
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
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
This calculator converts an hourly or daily pay rate into an estimated annual gross salary and approximate take-home pay. It assumes a standard full-time working pattern of 52 weeks per year unless you specify otherwise, and applies 2024/25 PAYE Income Tax and Class 1 National Insurance rates.
The calculation treats all earnings as regular employment income under a standard tax code. It does not account for overtime supplements, unsocial hours payments, contractual bonuses, or employer National Insurance obligations. If you are a contractor working through a limited company, IR35 status will significantly affect how your income is taxed, and this tool cannot account for that complexity. Treat the results as a planning estimate rather than a definitive payroll figure.
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
Where to go after this calculator
Move to a focused hub instead of restarting your research from scratch.
Best Tools for Small Business
Pick software, validate unit economics, and execute workflows with one connected path.
Open hub →
Startup Resource Center
A startup stack for software decisions, runway math, and practical launch workflows.
Open hub →
Creator Toolkit
Choose creator platforms, calculate revenue targets, and ship assets faster.
Open hub →
Money Management Tools
A practical path for financial product choices, scenario math, and planning utilities.
Open hub →