How we calculate
All the calculators share one rates file for the 2026/27 tax year (6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027). The figures below are read from that file, so this page always matches what the tools use. They were last checked against the sources on 25 October 2026.
General assumptions
- Calculations work on a whole tax year at the same pay, unless a tool says otherwise. Payroll works out each pay period separately, so payslips can differ by a few pounds.
- Employees are on National Insurance category A and the standard tax code unless you choose otherwise.
- Band thresholds apply to taxable income, after the personal allowance, as they do in the legislation. Gross figures assume the standard £12,570 allowance.
- Amounts are shown to the nearest pound in headline figures and to the penny in breakdowns. HMRC rounds some figures down to the pound on returns.
- Calculators run in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to us.
Income tax: England, Wales and Northern Ireland
| Band | Taxable income | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Personal allowance | £12,570, reduced by £1 for every £2 of adjusted net income over £100,000 | 0% |
| Basic rate | £0 to £37,700 | 20% |
| Higher rate | £37,701 to £125,140 | 40% |
| Additional rate | Over £125,140 | 45% |
Source: Income Tax rates and Personal Allowances.
Income tax: Scotland (earnings and pensions)
| Band | Gross income with the standard allowance | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Starter rate | £12,571 to £16,537 | 19% |
| Basic rate | £16,538 to £29,526 | 20% |
| Intermediate rate | £29,527 to £43,662 | 21% |
| Higher rate | £43,663 to £75,000 | 42% |
| Advanced rate | £75,001 to £137,710 | 45% |
| Top rate | Over £137,710 | 48% |
Source: Scottish Income Tax rates and bands 2026 to 2027 (Scottish Government, set at the Scottish Budget on 13 January 2026).
National Insurance
| Employee (Class 1, category A) | 8% from £12,570 to £50,270, 2% above |
|---|---|
| Employer (Class 1) | 15% above £5,000; 0% up to £50,270 for under-21s and apprentices under 25 |
| Employment Allowance | £10,500 |
| Self-employed (Class 4) | 6% from £12,570 to £50,270, 2% above |
| Class 2 | Treated as paid on profits of £7,105 or more; voluntary rate £3.65 a week |
Sources: Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027, Self-employed National Insurance rates.
Student loans
| Plan 1 | 6% of income over £26,900 |
|---|---|
| Plan 2 | 6% of income over £29,385 |
| Plan 4 (Scotland) | 6% of income over £33,795 |
| Plan 5 | 6% of income over £25,000 |
| Postgraduate loan | 9% of income over £21,000 |
Source: Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027.
Dividends, Capital Gains Tax and Inheritance Tax
| Dividend allowance | £500 |
|---|---|
| Dividend rates | 10.75% basic, 35.75% higher, 39.35% additional |
| CGT annual exempt amount | £3,000 |
| CGT rates | 18% within the basic rate band, 24% above |
| IHT nil-rate band | £325,000 |
| IHT residence nil-rate band | £175,000, tapered by £1 for every £2 over £2,000,000 |
| IHT rates | 40%, or 36% with at least 10% to charity |
| Gift taper | 0 to 3 years: 40%; 3 to 4 years: 32%; 4 to 5 years: 24%; 5 to 6 years: 16%; 6 to 7 years: 8% |
Sources: Tax on dividends, Capital Gains Tax: what you pay it on, rates and allowances, Inheritance Tax, Inheritance Tax: gifts.
Pay, maternity and pensions
| Statutory Maternity Pay | 90% of average weekly earnings for 6 weeks, then £194.32 a week or 90% if lower, for 33 weeks |
|---|---|
| NHS occupational maternity pay | 8 weeks full pay, 18 weeks half pay plus SMP (capped at full pay), 13 weeks SMP, 13 weeks unpaid |
| Full new State Pension | £241.3 a week |
| State Pension deferral | 1% for every 9 weeks deferred, minimum 9 weeks |
| CIS deductions | 20% registered, 30% not registered, 0% gross payment status |
Sources: Maternity pay and leave: pay, NHS terms and conditions of service handbook (section 15), The new State Pension: what you’ll get, Delay (defer) your State Pension, Construction Industry Scheme (CIS).
Testing
The calculation code is separate from the pages and has automated tests built from worked examples, including the examples on each tool page. A change to any rate has to pass those tests before the site is rebuilt.
When figures change
We update the rates file after the UK Budget, the Scottish Budget and at the start of each tax year on 6 April, and change the "last checked" date only when the figures have actually been rechecked. Changes are listed on the editorial policy and corrections page.