Net to gross pay calculator
Work out the salary you need before tax to take home the amount you want each month.
2026 to 2027 rates from HMRC, checked 13 November 2026.
Result
To take home £2,500.00 a month, you need to earn £36,775.84 a year before tax.
a year before tax, 2026 to 2027
| A month before tax | £3,064.65 |
|---|---|
| A week before tax | £707.23 |
| Income Tax | £4,839.37 |
| National Insurance | £1,936.47 |
| Take-home a year | £30,000.00 |
Show the workings
| Step | Sum | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Tax-free pay from tax code 1257L | £12,570.00 allowance, which code 1257L covers up to £12,579.00 | £12,579.00 |
| Taxable pay | £36,775.84 − £12,579.00 | £24,196.84 |
| Basic rate | £24,196.84 × 20% | £4,839.37 |
| National Insurance | £24,205.84 above £12,570.00 × 8% | £1,936.47 |
| Take-home pay | £36,775.84 − £4,839.37 tax − £1,936.47 National Insurance | £30,000.00 |
What this leaves out or assumes
- England, Wales and Northern Ireland Income Tax rates, a standard Personal Allowance and National Insurance category A.
- Tax-free pay follows the tax code, as payroll and HMRC's own take-home pay estimator do: code 1257L gives £12,579 a year, not £12,570, which is up to a few pounds less tax.
- Worked out over the whole tax year. Payroll works out each payday on its own, so a monthly or weekly payslip can differ by a few pence, or by more in a month with a bonus.
Where the figures come from
- Personal Allowance, 2026 to 2027: £12,570 a year. Source: HMRC: Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027. Checked 13 November 2026.
- Range of allowances each tax code number covers: £10. Source: HMRC PAYE Manual PAYE11065: suffix codes, calculating the number. Checked 13 November 2026.
- Basic rate of Income Tax (England, Wales and Northern Ireland): 20%. Source: HMRC: Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027. Checked 13 November 2026.
- Basic rate band: taxable income it covers (England, Wales and Northern Ireland): £37,700 a year. Source: HMRC: Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027. Checked 13 November 2026.
- Higher rate of Income Tax (England, Wales and Northern Ireland): 40%. Source: HMRC: Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027. Checked 13 November 2026.
- Taxable income above which the additional rate applies (England, Wales and Northern Ireland): £125,140 a year. Source: HMRC: Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027. Checked 13 November 2026.
- Additional rate of Income Tax (England, Wales and Northern Ireland): 45%. Source: HMRC: Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027. Checked 13 November 2026.
- National Insurance primary threshold: £12,570 a year. Source: HMRC: Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027. Checked 13 November 2026.
- National Insurance upper earnings limit: £50,270 a year. Source: HMRC: Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027. Checked 13 November 2026.
- Employee National Insurance between the primary threshold and upper earnings limit (category A): 8%. Source: HMRC: Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027. Checked 13 November 2026.
- Employee National Insurance above the upper earnings limit (category A): 2%. Source: HMRC: Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027. Checked 13 November 2026.
Salary needed for a monthly take-home
| Take-home a month | Salary needed a year |
|---|---|
| £1,500 | £20,109.16 |
| £2,000 | £28,442.50 |
| £2,500 | £36,775.84 |
| £3,000 | £45,109.16 |
| £3,500 | £54,205.16 |
| £4,000 | £64,550.00 |
| £5,000 | £85,239.65 |
How it works
Tax and National Insurance go up in steps as pay rises, so there is no simple sum to go backwards. The calculator tries salaries until it finds the lowest one that gives at least the take-home you asked for, using the same tax sums as our take-home pay calculator. The workings show the tax on that salary.
It is useful when you are negotiating a salary, comparing a job offer with what you take home now, or working out the gross pay that gives a set amount after tax.