Ireland vs United Kingdom: Taxes & Take-Home Pay 2026
On a $100,000 salary you keep $66,474 in Ireland and $71,937 in United Kingdom — $5,463 more per year in United Kingdom ($455 a month). Single filer, standard deductions.
Updated 2026-10-03 · International figures converted at the exchange rate noted in sources; salaries entered in US dollars. Excludes retirement, health and cost-of-living differences.
Take-home pay at every salary
| Gross salary | Ireland | United Kingdom | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $34,074 (14.8% tax) | $33,446 (16.4% tax) | $628 |
| $60,000 | $46,482 (22.5% tax) | $47,846 (20.3% tax) | -$1,364 |
| $75,000 | $54,380 (27.5% tax) | $57,437 (23.4% tax) | -$3,057 |
| $100,000 | $66,474 (33.5% tax) | $71,937 (28.1% tax) | -$5,463 |
| $150,000 | $90,299 (39.8% tax) | $97,339 (35.1% tax) | -$7,040 |
| $250,000 | $137,949 (44.8% tax) | $147,230 (41.1% tax) | -$9,281 |
- Ireland total tax rate
- United Kingdom total tax rate
Where the money goes at $100,000
- Ireland
- United Kingdom
About taxes in Ireland
- For 2026 a single person pays income tax at 20% on the first €44,000 and 40% on the balance.
- A single employee is entitled to a €2,000 personal tax credit and a €2,000 employee (PAYE) tax credit, together reducing income tax by up to €4,000.
- USC 2026: 0.5% on the first €12,012, 2% on the next €16,688, 3% on the next €41,344 and 8% on the balance; nobody pays USC if total income is €13,000 or less.
- Class A employee PRSI is 4.2% until 30 September 2026 and 4.35% from 1 October 2026; the calculator uses 4.35%, the rate in force now (the 2026 calendar-year average is about 4.24%).
- Employees earning €352 a week or less pay no PRSI, and a tapered PRSI credit (up to €12 a week) applies to earnings between €352.01 and €424; neither is modelled here.
About taxes in United Kingdom
- For 2026/27 the Personal Allowance is £12,570, the basic rate of 20% applies to the first £37,700 of taxable income, 40% up to £125,140 and 45% above (England).
- The Personal Allowance falls by £1 for every £2 of adjusted net income above £100,000, so it is fully withdrawn at £125,140.
- Employee Class 1 National Insurance for 2026/27 is 8% on earnings between the Primary Threshold (£242 a week, £12,570 a year) and the Upper Earnings Limit (£967 a week, £50,270 a year), and 2% above.
- The calculator applies National Insurance on annual earnings; in practice it is assessed per pay period, so irregular pay can produce slightly different results.
- Student loan repayments, pension contributions, the Marriage Allowance and Scottish rates are not modelled.
Salary needed to keep the same take-home
If you move between Ireland and United Kingdom, this is the gross salary (in US dollars) that leaves the same take-home pay after income tax and employee contributions.
| Salary in Ireland | Take-home | Same take-home in United Kingdom needs | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $41,217 | $50,793 | +$793 (1.6%) |
| $75,000 | $54,380 | $69,729 | −$5,271 (-7.0%) |
| $100,000 | $66,474 | $90,581 | −$9,419 (-9.4%) |
| $150,000 | $90,299 | $131,658 | −$18,342 (-12.2%) |
Tax on your next $1,000
The marginal rate — the share of a raise that goes to tax and contributions — often matters more than the average rate.
| Salary | Ireland | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | 27.3% | 28.0% |
| $75,000 | 47.4% | 42.0% |
| $100,000 | 52.4% | 42.0% |
| $150,000 | 52.3% | 62.0% |
| $250,000 | 52.4% | 47.0% |
What employers pay on top
Employer payroll and social contributions are not deducted from your pay, but they affect what employers can afford to offer.
Ireland
- Employer PRSI (Class A): 11.40% — 11.40% of all pay where weekly pay exceeds €552 (9.15% at or below €552) from 1 October 2026, up from 11.25% / 9.00%; includes the 1% National Training Fund levy and has no upper limit.
- Auto-enrolment (MyFutureFund) employer contribution: 1.50% — 1.5% of salary in years 1 to 3 for auto-enrolled employees, on salary up to €80,000, rising to 6% by year 10.
United Kingdom
- Employer Class 1 National Insurance: 15.00% — 15% on earnings above the Secondary Threshold of £96 a week (about £5,000 a year) for 2026/27, with no upper limit.
- Workplace pension (auto-enrolment minimum): 3.00% — At least 3% of qualifying earnings (£6,240 to £50,270) for auto-enrolled staff.
Typical pay and minimum wage
| Ireland | United Kingdom | |
|---|---|---|
| Median earnings | 730.89 EUR ($820) — median weekly earnings, all employments (CSO Earnings Analysis using Administrative Data Sources), 2024 | 39,039 GBP ($51,535) — median gross annual earnings, full-time employees (ONS ASHE), April 2025 |
| Minimum wage | 14.15 EUR/hour ($15.88), from 1 January 2026 (national minimum wage, age 20+) | 12.71 GBP/hour ($16.78), from 1 April 2026 (National Living Wage, age 21+) |
How the two tax systems differ
| Ireland | United Kingdom | |
|---|---|---|
| Tax year | 1 January – 31 December 2026 | 6 April 2026 – 5 April 2027 |
| Filing a tax return | Employees are taxed in real time under PAYE and usually only submit a PAYE Income Tax Return to claim credits or declare small amounts of extra income; the self-employed file Form 11. | Most employees pay through PAYE and never file a return; Self Assessment is needed mainly for self-employment over £1,000, untaxed income such as rent or investments, or Capital Gains Tax owed. |
| Consumption tax | VAT 23% (reduced: 13.5% and 9% reduced rates; 4.8% livestock rate; 0% on some goods) | VAT 20% (reduced: 5% (e.g. home energy, children’s car seats); 0% on most food and children’s clothes) |
| Retirement | Since 1 January 2026 employees aged 23 to 60 earning €20,000 or more without a workplace pension are auto-enrolled into MyFutureFund: 1.5% employee, 1.5% employer and 0.5% State top-up in years 1 to 3, rising to 6% / 6% / 2% from year 10. | Employers must auto-enrol eligible workers into a workplace pension; the legal minimum is 8% of qualifying earnings, of which the employee pays 5% (including tax relief) and the employer at least 3%. Workers can opt out. |
| Healthcare | The public health service (HSE) is funded mainly from general taxation; everyone ordinarily resident is entitled to public health services free or at reduced cost, but only medical card holders get full eligibility, so many adults pay for GP visits or buy private health insurance. | The NHS is funded mainly from general taxation and National Insurance and is free at the point of use for residents; there is no separate health premium or levy on pay. |
| Capital gains | Gains above the €1,270 annual personal exemption are taxed at 33%. | Gains above the £3,000 annual exempt amount are taxed at 18% within the basic-rate band and 24% above it. |
Frequently asked questions
Is Ireland or United Kingdom better for taxes?
At $100,000, United Kingdom leaves you $5,463 more per year after income and payroll taxes. The gap widens at higher incomes ($9,281 at $250,000).
How much is $60,000 after tax in Ireland and United Kingdom?
$46,482 in Ireland and $47,846 in United Kingdom.
Sources
Figures are taken from official government publications and were last reviewed on 2026-10-03.
- Revenue – Tax rates, bands and reliefs
- Revenue – USC rates and thresholds
- Revenue – Universal Social Charge
- Department of Social Protection – PRSI 2026 Contribution Rates and User Guide (SW 14)
- Citizens Information – Paying social insurance (PRSI)
- European Central Bank – euro foreign exchange reference rates
- GOV.UK – Income Tax rates and allowances for current and past years
- GOV.UK – Rates and thresholds for employers: National Insurance 2026 to 2027
- Revenue – Current VAT rates
- Citizens Information – Auto-enrolment
- Citizens Information – Entitlement to health services
- Revenue – How to calculate CGT
- Revenue – PAYE end of year process
- Citizens Information – Minimum wage
- CSO – Earnings Analysis using Administrative Data Sources 2024
- GOV.UK – VAT rates
- GOV.UK – Workplace pensions: what you, your employer and the government pay
- GOV.UK – Capital Gains Tax rates
- GOV.UK – Check if you need to send a Self Assessment tax return
- GOV.UK – National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates
- ONS – Employee earnings in the UK: 2025 (ASHE)
- Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (2026 inflation adjustments incl. OBBBA)
- IRS: Tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2026, including OBBBA amendments
- IRS: 401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026, IRA limit increases to $7,500