Every figure our calculators use is listed on this page with its official source. Rules last checked 5 October 2026.
Rules for 2026/27
Tax year 2026/27 runs from 6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027. We also keep 2025/26 so you can compare.
Income tax: England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Personal allowance £12,570, reduced by £1 for every £2 of income over £100,000. Bands apply to taxable income (pay above your allowance):
| Taxable income | Rate |
|---|---|
| £0 to £37,700 | 20% |
| £37,700 to £125,140 | 40% |
| £125,140 to and above | 45% |
Income tax: Scotland
| Taxable income | 2026/27 rate |
|---|---|
| £0 to £3,967 | 19% |
| £3,967 to £16,956 | 20% |
| £16,956 to £31,092 | 21% |
| £31,092 to £62,430 | 42% |
| £62,430 to £125,140 | 45% |
| £125,140 to and above | 48% |
National Insurance (employee, category A)
8% on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270 a year, and 2% above. None once you reach State Pension age.
Student loans
| Plan | 2026/27 threshold | 2025/26 threshold | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan 1 | £26,900 | £26,065 | 9% |
| Plan 2 | £29,385 | £28,470 | 9% |
| Plan 4 (Scotland) | £33,795 | £32,745 | 9% |
| Plan 5 | £25,000 | – | 9% |
| Postgraduate | £21,000 | £21,000 | 6% |
If you have more than one undergraduate plan, 9% is taken once, above the lowest threshold. The postgraduate 6% is added on top.
Workplace pensions
Auto-enrolment uses "qualifying earnings" between £6,240 and £50,270. The minimum is 5% from you and 3% from your employer. With relief at source you pay 80% and your provider claims the other 20%; net pay comes off before tax; salary sacrifice reduces pay for tax, NI and student loan.
Holiday
5.6 weeks a year, capped at 28 days. Irregular-hours and part-year workers (leave years from 1 April 2024) accrue 12.07% of hours worked. Starters and leavers are pro-rated and rounded exactly as gov.uk's own calculator does: starters by months left in the leave year, rounded up to the nearest half day; leavers by days worked out of 365 (366 in a leap year).
Minimum wage from 1 April 2026
£12.71 an hour at 21 and over, £10.85 for 18 to 20, £8 under 18 and £8 for apprentices.
How we test
The calculators share one set of tested functions. Our automated suite checks results against figures worked by hand from the official rates and against gov.uk's published holiday examples, including:
- take-home at £12,000 to £130,000, and the band edges at £12,570 and £50,270
- the £100,000 to £125,140 personal allowance taper (and its 62% marginal rate with NI)
- Scottish bands for both tax years
- every student loan plan, two plans together and the postgraduate loan
- relief at source, net pay and salary sacrifice pensions
- holiday for 1 to 6 days a week, starters, leavers and irregular hours
Every change to a rate re-runs the full suite before it goes live.
What our calculators don't cover
- Tax codes other than the standard 1257L (S1257L, C1257L), such as K codes, BR or emergency codes
- Benefits in kind, bonuses, overtime and month-by-month payroll timing
- Self-employed income, dividends, savings and rental income
- Marriage Allowance and Blind Person's Allowance
Results are estimates for a full tax year and are not financial or legal advice. Spotted something wrong? Email hello@sumwisely.com and we'll check it against the official source.
Changelog
- 5 October 2026: launched with 2026/27 and 2025/26 rules: income tax (rUK and Scotland), National Insurance, student loans (Plans 1, 2, 4, 5, postgraduate), pensions, holiday entitlement and National Minimum Wage.
Sources: HMRC rates and thresholds 2026 to 2027 · 2025 to 2026 · gov.scot Scottish income tax · gov.uk student loans · The Pensions Regulator earnings thresholds · gov.uk holiday entitlement · gov.uk holiday calculator source · gov.uk minimum wage rates