2026/27 Tax Year

Contractor Take-Home Pay Calculator

For limited company contractors and day-rate workers. Enter your details below and we'll work out your real take-home pay — salary, dividends, tax, and NI, all accounted for. Based on 2026/27 UK tax rates.

Your details

Fill in as much as you can — we'll use sensible defaults for anything left blank.

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Choose Day rate if you bill a daily amount. Choose Annual contract if you have a fixed yearly sum (e.g. £100,000 for the whole engagement).
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Your invoiced rate per working day, before tax and VAT. Typical UK contractor rates are £300–£800/day depending on sector and seniority.
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How many billable days you work each week. Most full-time contractors bill 5 days; part-time or phased roles often bill 3 or 4.
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Total billable weeks. The UK year has 52 weeks — most contractors take 6 weeks off for holiday and public holidays, so 46 is typical. Reduce further if you expect bench time between contracts.
Typical: 46 (allows 6 weeks off)
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Allowable costs paid through your limited company: software subscriptions, travel, training, accountancy fees, mobile phone, home-office use, equipment. These reduce your Corporation Tax bill.
Travel, software, equipment, professional fees etc.
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Outside IR35: you operate as a genuine business and can pay via salary + dividends. Inside IR35: HMRC treats you as a disguised employee — you pay tax like PAYE. Your end client usually makes this determination. Note: your IR35 status can significantly change your take-home — use Calculator #2 to compare.
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Optimal (£12,570) uses your full personal allowance — tax-efficient default for most contractors. Secondary threshold (£5,000) avoids any Employer NI. Custom lets you set any figure. Note: at £12,570 the company will pay Employer NI on the amount above £5,000.
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Employer pension contributions paid by your company. These are fully tax-deductible — they reduce Corporation Tax and don't count as personal income. Annual allowance is £60,000.
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Plan 1: English/Welsh pre-2012. Plan 2: English/Welsh post-2012 (most common). Plan 4: Scottish students. Repaid at 9% of income above the plan threshold.