Practical articles on the tax questions people actually ask, with worked examples, official sources and a calculator to check your own figures.
Tax year 2026/27 · Estimates, not personal tax advice
A changed tax code or a pension contribution can make a familiar salary produce an unfamiliar result. These articles focus on the reason behind the change, with examples you can compare against your own assumptions.
Check the tax year and the circumstances stated beside an example, not just the publication date. A calculation that explains one person's scenario may leave out deductions or income sources that apply to you. Our editorial policy explains how we handle sources and corrections.
· 7 min read
A second payslip usually arrives with a different tax code and a tax deduction that looks far too big. Here's what's actually happening, with worked examples for 2026/27.
Read the article· 7 min read
Enter the same salary into two calculators and you can get two different take-home figures. Sometimes one of them is wrong; often they're just making different assumptions. Here's how to tell which is which.
Read the article· 6 min read
If your payslip shows a K code, HMRC is collecting tax through your salary on income it thinks you haven't paid tax on elsewhere. Here is how the maths works and when to question it.
Read the article· 6 min read
Register by 5 October, send a paper return by 31 October or file online by 31 January, and pay by 31 January. Here is the full Self Assessment calendar and exactly what missing it costs.
Read the article· 7 min read
If your payslip shows BR, tax is taken from the very first pound with nothing set aside tax-free. Here is why that happens, what it costs on a second job, and how to fix it if it is wrong.
Read the article· 6 min read
Married or in a civil partnership and one of you earns less than £12,570? You could cut your tax bill by up to £252 a year, and claim up to four previous years as well.
Read the article· 7 min read
1257L is the most common tax code in the UK. Here is what the number and letter mean, how much tax it works out to on real salaries, and how to fix it if it looks wrong.
Read the article· 8 min read
Starting a new job and your payslip shows BR, 0T or 1257L M1? Here is what each code does to your pay, why it was used and how to get it fixed.
Read the article· 7 min read
A new tax code on your payslip usually has a simple reason. Here is how to find yours, work out what it should be and get it changed.
Read the article· 6 min read
Earn between £100,000 and £125,140 and part of your pay can be taxed at an effective 60%. Here is how the trap works and what people commonly do about it.
Read the article· 7 min read
Selling online, freelancing in the evenings or doing odd jobs? Here is when side income becomes taxable, the deadlines that matter and how much to set aside.
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