Guides to UK tax and pay
These 12 guides explain the rules behind every SalarySum calculator: how take-home pay, income tax bands, National Insurance, tax codes, student loans, stamp duty, mortgage overpayments and pension relief work. Each one has a step-by-step method, a worked example with real 2026 figures and the mistakes people most often make.
- Take-home payHow take-home pay is calculated in the UKA step-by-step guide to how income tax, National Insurance, pension and student loan deductions turn your gross salary into take-home pay.Updated · Uthman Choudhury
- Take-home payUK income tax bands and rates explainedEvery income tax band and rate for England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland in 2026/27, with worked examples and the mistakes people make.Updated · Uthman Choudhury
- Take-home payNational Insurance explained for employeesHow employee Class 1 National Insurance works, the 8% and 2% rates, the thresholds and a worked example on a £35,000 salary.Updated · Uthman Choudhury
- Pension reliefThe personal allowance taper and the 60% tax trapWhy earning between £100,000 and £125,140 gives a 60% marginal tax rate, how the taper works and how pension contributions avoid it.Updated · Uthman Choudhury
- Tax codesUK tax codes explainedWhat the numbers and letters in your tax code mean, how to check it is right and how to fix a wrong code with HMRC.Updated · Uthman Choudhury
- Student loansStudent loan repayments explainedThresholds, rates, interest and write-off dates for every UK student loan plan in 2026/27, with a worked example and common mistakes.Updated · Uthman Choudhury
- Stamp dutyStamp duty, LBTT and LTT explainedHow stamp duty works across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, with first-time buyer relief, second home rates and worked examples.Updated · Uthman Choudhury
- Mortgage overpaymentsMortgage overpayments explainedHow overpaying your mortgage cuts interest and years, the 10% overpayment limit, early repayment charges and a worked example.Updated · Uthman Choudhury
- Pension reliefPension tax relief explainedHow relief at source, net pay and salary sacrifice pension schemes give tax relief, what higher rate taxpayers must claim and a worked example.Updated · Uthman Choudhury
- Hourly to salaryHow to convert an hourly rate to a salaryThe formula for turning an hourly rate into yearly, monthly and weekly pay, what counts as full-time hours and a worked example at £15 an hour.Updated · Uthman Choudhury
- Pro rata salaryPro rata salary explainedHow to work out a pro rata salary for part-time hours or term-time contracts, how holiday pay fits in and a worked example.Updated · Uthman Choudhury
- Pay riseWhat a pay rise is worth after taxHow much of a pay rise you keep at each tax band, why some rises cost you more than others and a worked example of a £3,000 rise.Updated · Uthman Choudhury
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Calculators
- Take-Home Pay CalculatorSee exactly what lands in your bank account after tax, NI, pension and student loan.
- Tax Code ExplainerType in your tax code and find out what it means and whether it looks right.
- Student Loan Repayment CalculatorMonthly repayments, years to clear and whether your loan will be written off first.
- Stamp Duty CalculatorStamp duty, LBTT and LTT with first-time buyer and second home rates.
- Pension Contribution CalculatorSee the tax relief on your contributions and the real cost of paying into your pension.
- Pay Rise CalculatorFind out how much of a raise you keep after tax, NI, pension and student loan.