Tax code checker
Find out what your tax code means, how much tax-free pay it gives you, and the Income Tax under it.
Meanings from GOV.UK; 2026 to 2027 rates from HMRC, checked 13 November 2026.
Result
Under tax code 1257L, Income Tax on £30,000.00 a year is £3,484.20, with £12,579.00 tax-free.
Income Tax a year
- 1257
- The numbers tell your employer or pension provider how much tax-free income you get from them in this tax year: your allowance with its last digit dropped.
- L
- You're entitled to the standard tax-free Personal Allowance.
| Tax-free pay a year | £12,579.00 |
|---|---|
| A month | £1,048.25 |
| A week | £241.90 |
| Income Tax a month | £290.35 |
Show the workings
| Step | Sum | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Tax-free pay from code 1257L | 1257 × 10 + 9 | £12,579.00 |
| Taxable pay | £30,000.00 − £12,579.00 | £17,421.00 |
| Basic rate | £17,421.00 × 20% | £3,484.20 |
| Income Tax for the year | £3,484.20 | £3,484.20 |
What this leaves out or assumes
- Worked out for the whole year, as payroll does when you're paid the same each month. An emergency code works each payday on its own, which can give a different total.
- Income Tax only: National Insurance and student loans also come off your pay.
Where the figures come from
- 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.
How a tax code works
The numbers in your tax code tell your employer how much tax-free pay you get from that job: HMRC takes your allowance and drops the last digit, so £12,570 becomes 1257. Payroll gives you pay up to the top of that range tax-free, so code 1257L lets you earn £12,579 a year before Income Tax. The letters say why: L means the standard Personal Allowance. Some codes have no numbers, such as BR, where all pay is taxed at the basic rate.
If you think your tax code is wrong, GOV.UK explains how to tell HMRC. This gives information, not advice.