# What you keep from a pay rise in 2026/27 | ComputeNow

URL: https://computenow.co.uk/guides/what-you-keep-from-a-pay-rise-2026-27/

> How much of a £1,000 pay rise you keep at every salary from £15,000 to £150,000 in 2026/27, in England and Scotland, with loans and Child Benefit.

This calculator shows a worked example below. To use your own figures, add them to the URL as query parameters (listed in https://computenow.co.uk/llms.txt), for example https://computenow.co.uk/guides/what-you-keep-from-a-pay-rise-2026-27/?<parameter>=<value>.

[Data study](https://computenow.co.uk/guides/#pay)

# What you keep from a pay rise in 2026/27

A pay rise is taxed at your top rate, not your average one. We worked out how much of an extra £1,000 you keep at 28 salaries, in four common situations.
Published 18 October 2026UK
By the ComputeNow team, checked against GOV.UK and HMRC[Sources (5)](#sources)[How we calculate](https://computenow.co.uk/methodology/)

## Key findings

- **Earners between £100,000 and £125,140 keep the least**: £380.00 (38.0%) of an extra £1,000 at £100,000, because of the 60% tax trap.
- **The most you keep is £720.00 (72.0%)**, at salaries such as £15,000, where only basic-rate tax and National Insurance apply.
- **With two children and Child Benefit, a rise between £60,000 and £80,000 leaves you £463.13 (46.3%)**, as the High Income Child Benefit Charge takes back part of the benefit.
- **A Plan 2 student loan and a 5% pension cut your take-home from a rise to £590.00 (59.0%)** at £35,000, against £720.00 (72.0%) without them; £50.00 of the difference goes into your pension.
- **In Scotland you keep less at 25 of the 28 salaries** we looked at.

Work out your own
Put in your salary now and after the rise to see exactly what you keep.[Compare two salaries](https://computenow.co.uk/compare-salaries/)

## Questions and answers

### Can a pay rise leave me worse off?

No. In every situation we looked at, you take home at least £270.00 of each extra £1,000. Tax bands only tax the slice of pay inside them, so a rise never makes your existing pay taxed more.

### Why does the higher rate cost less than I expected?

At £50,270 Income Tax rises from 20% to 40%, but National Insurance falls from 8% to 2% at the same point. So you keep £580.00 (58.0%) of a rise at £60,000, not much less than the £720.00 (72.0%) you keep at £30,000.

### Why does what I keep fall at £100,000?

Above £100,000 you lose £1 of Personal Allowance for every £2 you earn, so each extra pound is taxed at an effective 60%. At £110,000 you keep £380.00 (38.0%). Once the allowance has gone, at £125,140, you keep £530.00 (53.0%) again. Read [the 60% tax trap](https://computenow.co.uk/guides/60-percent-tax-trap/).

### How does Child Benefit change it?

Above £60,000, you pay back 1% of your Child Benefit for every £200 of income. With two children, a £1,000 rise at £70,000 leaves you £463.13 (46.3%), against £580.00 (58.0%) without Child Benefit.

### Is it different in Scotland?

Scotland has six Income Tax rates, so the rate on your next pound changes more often. At £50,000 you keep £543.80 (54.4%) in Scotland and £617.80 (61.8%) in the rest of the UK.

## Every salary ranked, least kept first

- [£100,000](https://computenow.co.uk/take-home-pay/100000/): you keep £380.00 (38.0%) of an extra £1,000
- [£105,000](https://computenow.co.uk/take-home-pay/105000/): you keep £380.00 (38.0%) of an extra £1,000
- [£110,000](https://computenow.co.uk/take-home-pay/110000/): you keep £380.00 (38.0%) of an extra £1,000
- [£115,000](https://computenow.co.uk/take-home-pay/115000/): you keep £380.00 (38.0%) of an extra £1,000
- [£120,000](https://computenow.co.uk/take-home-pay/120000/): you keep £380.00 (38.0%) of an extra £1,000
- [£125,000](https://computenow.co.uk/take-home-pay/125000/): you keep £509.00 (50.9%) of an extra £1,000
- [£130,000](https://computenow.co.uk/take-home-pay/130000/): you keep £530.00 (53.0%) of an extra £1,000
- [£135,000](https://computenow.co.uk/take-home-pay/135000/): you keep £530.00 (53.0%) of an extra £1,000
- [£140,000](https://computenow.co.uk/take-home-pay/140000/): you keep £530.00 (53.0%) of an extra £1,000
- [£145,000](https://computenow.co.uk/take-home-pay/145000/): you keep £530.00 (53.0%) of an extra £1,000
The ten salaries where you keep the least, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The full results are below.

## Full results: what you keep from an extra £1,000

| Salary | England, Wales, NI | Scotland | Plan 2 loan, 5% pension | Two children, Child Benefit |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| £15,000 | £720.00 | £730.00 | £680.00 | £720.00 |
| £20,000 | £720.00 | £720.00 | £680.00 | £720.00 |
| £25,000 | £720.00 | £720.00 | £680.00 | £720.00 |
| £30,000 | £720.00 | £710.00 | £590.00 | £720.00 |
| £35,000 | £720.00 | £710.00 | £590.00 | £720.00 |
| £40,000 | £720.00 | £710.00 | £590.00 | £720.00 |
| £45,000 | £720.00 | £500.00 | £590.00 | £720.00 |
| £50,000 | £617.80 | £543.80 | £633.80 | £617.80 |
| £55,000 | £580.00 | £560.00 | £460.00 | £580.00 |
| £60,000 | £580.00 | £560.00 | £460.00 | £463.13 |
| £65,000 | £580.00 | £560.00 | £460.00 | £463.13 |
| £70,000 | £580.00 | £560.00 | £460.00 | £463.13 |
| £75,000 | £580.00 | £530.00 | £460.00 | £463.13 |
| £80,000 | £580.00 | £530.00 | £460.00 | £580.00 |
| £85,000 | £580.00 | £530.00 | £460.00 | £580.00 |
| £90,000 | £580.00 | £530.00 | £460.00 | £580.00 |
| £95,000 | £580.00 | £530.00 | £460.00 | £580.00 |
| £100,000 | £380.00 | £305.00 | £460.00 | £380.00 |
| £105,000 | £380.00 | £305.00 | £320.00 | £380.00 |
| £110,000 | £380.00 | £305.00 | £270.00 | £380.00 |
| £115,000 | £380.00 | £305.00 | £270.00 | £380.00 |
| £120,000 | £380.00 | £305.00 | £270.00 | £380.00 |
| £125,000 | £509.00 | £472.70 | £270.00 | £509.00 |
| £130,000 | £530.00 | £500.00 | £270.00 | £530.00 |
| £135,000 | £530.00 | £500.00 | £412.50 | £530.00 |
| £140,000 | £530.00 | £500.00 | £412.50 | £530.00 |
| £145,000 | £530.00 | £500.00 | £412.50 | £530.00 |
| £150,000 | £530.00 | £500.00 | £412.50 | £530.00 |

## Methodology

For each salary from £15,000 to £150,000 in steps of £5,000, we worked out yearly take-home pay before and after a £1,000 rise, using the same calculation as our [take-home pay calculator](https://computenow.co.uk/take-home-pay/) and 2026/27 rates. The difference is what you keep.
Everyone has the standard tax code and pays employee National Insurance (category A). The "Plan 2 loan, 5% pension" column adds a Plan 2 student loan and a 5% pension through a net pay arrangement. The Child Benefit column assumes you are the higher earner in a household with two children claiming Child Benefit; take-home there is after the High Income Child Benefit Charge. Rises are worked out over a full tax year; a rise part-way through the year is taxed the same way on the months it applies to.

## Bottom line

A pay rise always leaves you better off, but how much depends on where it lands. Between £100,000 and £125,140, and when you claim Child Benefit above £60,000, paying part of the rise into a pension can keep far more of it.

## Tips

- Look at your next pound, not your average tax rate, when you weigh up a pay rise, overtime or a bonus.
- If a rise pushes you over £100,000 or the Child Benefit charge threshold, ask your employer whether you can sacrifice part of it into your pension.
- Check your tax code after a rise: a code that does not reflect it can mean a bill later.
This guide explains the rules; it is not personal financial advice.

## Related

[Compare two salaries See the difference after tax](https://computenow.co.uk/compare-salaries/)[Bonus tax calculator What you keep from a bonus](https://computenow.co.uk/bonus-tax-calculator/)[Take-home pay calculator Your pay after Income Tax and NI](https://computenow.co.uk/take-home-pay/)

## Guides and help

### Our guides

[The 60% tax trap Why income over £100,000 is taxed at 60%, and what to do](https://computenow.co.uk/guides/60-percent-tax-trap/)[The Child Benefit charge What you pay back on income over £60,000](https://computenow.co.uk/guides/child-benefit-charge/)[How Income Tax bands work in 2026/27 Personal Allowance, basic, higher and additional rate](https://computenow.co.uk/guides/income-tax-bands-2026-27/)

### Official services and free advice

[Check your Income Tax for this year GOV.UK: your tax code and pay so far](https://www.gov.uk/check-income-tax-current-year)[Salary sacrifice GOV.UK: how it changes tax and NI](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/salary-sacrifice-and-the-effects-on-paye)

## Article sources

Each source was last checked on 18 October 2026.

- [GOV.UK: Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/rates-and-thresholds-for-employers-2026-to-2027)
- [GOV.UK: National Insurance rates and categories](https://www.gov.uk/national-insurance-rates-letters)
- [GOV.UK: Scottish Income Tax](https://www.gov.uk/scottish-income-tax)
- [GOV.UK: Repaying your student loan](https://www.gov.uk/repaying-your-student-loan/what-you-pay)
- [GOV.UK: High Income Child Benefit Charge](https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit-tax-charge)
These results are an estimate, not financial advice. They use the 2026/27 rates in force on 24 October 2026 and the inputs shown, so your actual tax, pay or costs may differ. Before making a decision about your money, check the figures with HMRC or your provider, or speak to a regulated financial adviser. Free, impartial guidance is available from MoneyHelper.
This page explains the rules using the 2026/27 rates in force on 24 October 2026. It is general information, not financial advice. For decisions about your own money, speak to a regulated financial adviser, or get free, impartial guidance from MoneyHelper.