UK Tax Guides
- UK Income Tax Rates and Bands for 2026/27UK income tax rates and bands for 2026/27: £12,570 allowance, 20%, 40% and 45% rates, the 60% trap from £100,000 and worked examples.
- Scottish Income Tax Rates and Bands 2026/27Scottish income tax bands for 2026/27 (19% to 48%), the 2025/26 bands, and how much more or less you pay than in England at £30k, £50k and £80k.
- National Insurance Explained: 2026/27 Rates, Thresholds and How to Calculate ItHow to calculate National Insurance in 2026/27: 8% and 2% employee rates, 15% employer NI above £5,000, weekly and monthly thresholds with examples.
- How Much Can You Earn Before Paying Tax in the UK?You can earn £12,570 tax-free in 2026/27, about £1,047.50 a month or £241.73 a week. See NI thresholds, other allowances and examples.
- Gross vs Net Pay: What Comes Off Your UK PayslipGross salary vs net pay explained: what comes off your UK payslip (tax, NI, pension, student loan) with a 2026/27 worked example at £35,000.
- Average Salary in the UK: Latest ONS Figures and Take-Home PayThe UK median full-time salary is £39,039 (ONS ASHE 2025). See averages by region and age, average monthly pay and take-home pay after tax.
- UK Minimum Wage 2026: Hourly Rates, Annual Salary and Take-Home PayNational Living Wage is £12.71 an hour from April 2026. See all age rates, 2025 rates, minimum wage annual salary and take-home pay.
- UK Tax Year Dates and Deadlines for 2026/27The UK tax year runs 6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027. Key 2026/27 deadlines: 5 October, 31 October, 31 January, payroll dates and MTD.
- Student Loan Repayments 2026/27: Thresholds, Rates and Your PayslipStudent loan thresholds for 2026/27: Plan 1 £26,900, Plan 2 £29,385, Plan 4 £33,795, Plan 5 £25,000, Postgraduate £21,000. How repayments show on payslips.
- Salary Sacrifice Explained: Pensions, Electric Cars and the 2029 NI CapHow salary sacrifice saves tax and NI on pensions and electric cars, 2026/27 worked examples, and the £2,000 NI cap on pension sacrifice from April 2029.
- HMRC Tax Refunds and P800 Letters: How to Check and ClaimHow to check if HMRC owes you a tax refund, what a P800 is, when refunds arrive, P55, P50Z and P53Z pension forms, and how to spot refund scams.
- Pro Rata Salary Explained: Formula, Examples and Part-Time TaxHow to work out a pro rata salary: the formula, part-time and part-year examples, pro rata holiday, and take-home pay on a part-time salary in 2026/27.
- Adjusted Net Income, the 60% Tax Trap and the Child Benefit ChargeHow to calculate adjusted net income, why it triggers the 60% tax trap and Child Benefit charge, and how pension contributions bring it back down.
- How Bonuses Are Taxed in the UK (2026/27)How UK bonuses are taxed through PAYE: income tax, NI and student loan on a bonus, why it can look overtaxed, and sacrificing a bonus into a pension.
- Self-employed tax explained (2026/27)How self-employed tax works in 2026/27: Income Tax, Class 4 NI at 6%/2%, voluntary Class 2, payments on account, trading allowance and Making Tax Digital.
- Self Assessment: deadlines, penalties and who must fileSelf Assessment deadlines for 2025/26 returns, who must file, late filing and late payment penalties, interest, and the new MTD penalty rules.
- Dividend tax explained (2026/27)Dividend tax rates for 2026/27 are 10.75%, 35.75% and 39.35% with a £500 allowance. See how it is calculated, with worked examples.
- Limited company vs sole trader: which pays less tax in 2026/27?Limited company vs sole trader in 2026/27: tax compared at £30k, £50k and £100k profit, the best salary and dividend split, and the employer NI change.
- Corporation Tax explainedUK Corporation Tax explained: 19% small profits rate, 25% main rate, a marginal relief worked example, associated companies, and payment deadlines.
- IR35 and umbrella companies explainedInside vs outside IR35, how umbrella company pay is calculated (employer NI, levy, margin, holiday pay), and agency liability rules from April 2026.
- Capital Gains Tax in the UK (2026/27)UK Capital Gains Tax for 2026/27: 18% and 24% rates, the £3,000 allowance, 60-day reporting on property, and the BADR rate rising to 18%.
- Inheritance Tax explainedUK Inheritance Tax explained: £325k nil-rate band, £175k residence band, 7-year gift rule, pensions from April 2027 and the new APR/BPR allowance.
- Stamp Duty explained: England, Scotland and WalesStamp Duty rates since 1 April 2025, first-time buyer relief, the 5% surcharge, and how SDLT compares with LBTT in Scotland and LTT in Wales.
- Company car tax explained (2026/27)Company car tax for 2026/27: BIK percentages, EVs at 4% rising to 9% by 2029/30, hybrid rates, worked examples and the £29,200 fuel benefit.
- Car tax (Vehicle Excise Duty) explainedCar tax rates for 2026/27, EV car tax, the £440 expensive car supplement, and how to cancel car tax, get a refund or tax a car without a V5C.
- Council Tax explainedHow council tax is calculated in England, Scotland and Wales: bands and ratios, single person discount, reductions and how to challenge your band.
- Tax on savings interest and rental income (2026/27)How savings and rental income are taxed in 2026/27: personal savings allowance, starting rate, property allowance and the Section 24 mortgage credit.
- Pension tax relief explained (2026/27)Pension tax relief explained: relief at source vs net pay, claiming higher-rate relief, £60k annual allowance, 25% tax-free cash and emergency tax.
Where to start
The guides are written to be read on their own, but these reading orders work well for common situations.
- Starting your first job: how much you can earn before paying tax, gross vs net pay, then National Insurance explained and student loan repayments.
- Checking a payslip that looks wrong: tax codes explained, then HMRC tax refunds and P800 letters.
- Earning over £60,000: adjusted net income and the 60% trap, then salary sacrifice and pension tax relief.
- Going self-employed or setting up a company: self-employed tax, Self Assessment deadlines, then limited company vs sole trader and dividend tax.
- Buying a home or selling assets: Stamp Duty, Capital Gains Tax and Inheritance Tax.
Key dates in the 2026/27 tax year
Several guides refer to the same deadlines. These are the ones that apply to most people.
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 6 April 2026 | 2026/27 tax year starts; new rates and allowances apply |
| 5 October 2026 | Deadline to register for Self Assessment for the 2025/26 tax year if you have not filed before |
| 31 October 2026 | Paper Self Assessment returns for 2025/26 due |
| 31 January 2027 | Online 2025/26 returns due, with the balance of tax and the first payment on account for 2026/27 |
| 5 April 2027 | 2026/27 tax year ends; last day to use this year's ISA and pension allowances |
How these guides are researched and kept current
Every guide is built from primary sources: HMRC rates and thresholds, GOV.UK guidance, legislation, HM Treasury Budget documents and, for earnings data, the Office for National Statistics. Each guide lists the publications it relies on at the end, with links, so you can check any figure against the original.
The rates in the guides come from the same data as the calculators, so a change to a threshold updates the guides and tools together. Figures are reviewed at the start of each tax year, after each Budget and when HMRC changes guidance. Where a rule has been announced but not yet taken effect, such as the April 2029 salary sacrifice change, the guides say so and give the start date.
The guides explain the rules for typical situations. They are not personal financial or tax advice; HMRC can confirm how the rules apply to you, and a regulated adviser can help with pensions and investments.
Frequently asked questions
Are these guides updated for 2026/27?
Yes. They use HMRC's 2026/27 rates and are reviewed whenever HMRC or the Treasury changes a rate or rule.
Do the guides cover Scotland and Wales?
Yes. Income tax guides cover Scottish rates separately, and the property guides cover LBTT in Scotland and LTT in Wales alongside Stamp Duty in England and Northern Ireland.
Where do the figures come from?
From official publications only: HMRC, GOV.UK, HM Treasury, legislation.gov.uk and the ONS. Each guide lists its sources.
Sources
Figures are taken from official government publications and were last reviewed on 2026-10-03.