How to Calculate UK Take-Home Pay With Pension and Student Loan (2026/27)

Two people on the same salary can take home different amounts. Pension choices, student loans and salary sacrifice all change the figure on the payslip.

Quick answer

Enter your salary, pension percentage (with or without salary sacrifice) and any student loan plan. The calculator uses the 2026/27 rates for England, Wales and Northern Ireland and shows net pay per year, month and week.

The deductions in order

1. Pension contribution (if salary sacrifice, taken before tax and NI).
2. Income tax: personal allowance £12,570, reduced above £100,000; then 20, 40 and 45 percent bands.
3. Employee National Insurance.
4. Student loan repayment: a percentage of income above the plan's threshold.

Student loan plans

• Plan 1, 2, 4, 5: each has its own threshold, depending on when and where you studied.
• Postgraduate loan: a separate 6 percent over its own threshold, charged in addition.

Repayments are made through payroll and stop when the loan is paid or written off.

Salary sacrifice vs relief at source

With salary sacrifice, your pay is reduced before tax and NI are calculated, so you save both. In other schemes you may get relief only on income tax, so take-home pay differs.

Steps

1. Enter your gross salary.
2. Add the pension percentage and choose the scheme type.
3. Pick a student loan plan if relevant.
4. Read the breakdown.

Notes

• Scottish tax rates are not included.
• Rates and thresholds change each tax year.
• This is an estimate, not tax advice; check your payslip and HMRC.