listentotaxman Alternative: Free UK Take-Home Pay Calculator 2026/27
OpenTaxCalculator is a free alternative to listentotaxman for working out UK take-home pay in 2026/27. It covers PAYE income tax in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, National Insurance, pension contributions, student loan plans 1, 2, 4, 5 and postgraduate, and tax codes. It cites HMRC and GOV.UK sources and has no ads or paid tier.
Open the UK salary after tax calculator →
How does OpenTaxCalculator compare with listentotaxman?
Features of listentotaxman as shown on its public page on 2026-10-08.
| Feature | listentotaxman | OpenTaxCalculator |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free; optional paid membership (£24/year) for PDF reports and saved calculations | Free; nothing to buy |
| Ads | Display ads | No display ads |
| Tax years | 2026/27 back to 2000/01 | Current and recent years |
| Scottish rates | Yes | Yes |
| Student loans | Plans 1, 2, 4, 5, Postgraduate | Plans 1, 2, 4, 5, Postgraduate |
| Pension | £ or %, relief at source or salary sacrifice | % of salary, net pay, relief at source or salary sacrifice |
| Tax code input | Yes | Yes |
| Sources named on the page | No | Yes, HMRC and GOV.UK |
| Saving calculations | Sign-in by email link | Not needed; nothing is stored |
When is listentotaxman the better choice?
- You need tax years before the last few, back to 2000/01.
- You want to enter partner's income, rental income or a specific NI category letter.
- You want to save calculations or download PDF reports.
When is OpenTaxCalculator the better choice?
- You want a quick 2026/27 answer without ads.
- You want to see the HMRC and GOV.UK publications behind each rate.
- You also want related tools: bonus tax, salary sacrifice, pay rise, NHS pay bands and council tax.
What should a 2026/27 UK salary calculator include?
The tax year runs from 6 April to 5 April. These are the 2026/27 figures that decide take-home pay for most employees:
| Item | 2026/27 figure |
|---|---|
| Personal Allowance | £12,570, reduced by £1 for every £2 of income above £100,000 |
| Income tax (England, Wales, NI) | 20% to £50,270, 40% to £125,140, 45% above |
| Income tax (Scotland) | Six bands from 19% to 48% |
| Employee National Insurance | 8% between £12,570 and £50,270, 2% above |
| Student loan thresholds | Plan 1 £26,900, Plan 2 £29,385, Plan 4 £33,795, Plan 5 £25,000 (all 9%); Postgraduate £21,000 at 6% |
| Auto-enrolment pension minimum | 5% employee and 3% employer on qualifying earnings from £6,240 to £50,270 |
How to check any take-home pay estimate
- Confirm the tax year. Thresholds and Scottish bands change each April. Make sure the calculator is set to 2026/27 for pay from 06/04/2026.
- Pick the right pension method. Salary sacrifice cuts both income tax and National Insurance. A net pay arrangement cuts income tax only. Relief at source is taken from net pay, with basic-rate relief added by the pension provider, so take-home pay drops by less than the gross contribution.
- Use your tax code. The default is 1257L. Benefits in kind, untaxed income or underpaid tax from a previous year can lower it; emergency codes such as 1257L W1 or M1 tax each payment on its own.
- Tick the right student loan plans. You can repay a postgraduate loan at the same time as Plan 1, 2, 4 or 5, and the two deductions are added together.
- Expect a bonus month to look different. PAYE works out tax period by period, so a bonus can push that month into a higher band even if your annual tax ends up the same.
- Compare with your payslip. If the figures differ, check for salary sacrifice schemes, benefits, a non-standard tax code or deductions such as union fees.
For your exact position, HMRC's online account shows your tax code and the pay and tax your employer has reported. Use any of these calculators to plan, then check the result against your next payslip.
Other comparisons
Frequently asked questions
Is listentotaxman free?
The calculator is free to use and supported by ads. listentotaxman also sells an optional membership for PDF reports and saved calculations.
Does this calculator handle Scottish income tax?
Yes. Choose Scotland as where you live and the Scottish starter, basic, intermediate, higher, advanced and top rates are applied; National Insurance is the same across the UK.
Is it spelled listentotaxman or listentothetaxman?
The site is listentotaxman.com. Many people search for "listen to the taxman"; both refer to the same UK salary calculator.
Sources
Figures are taken from official government publications and were last reviewed on 2026-10-08.
- listentotaxman: UK Tax Calculator & Take Home Pay
- GOV.UK: Income Tax rates and Personal Allowances
- GOV.UK: National Insurance rates and categories
Reviewed by Kashif Nazir Khan on 2026-10-08 · software engineer and developer with an interest in accounting and taxation