Tax Code Calculator UK: Monthly and Yearly Income Tax From Your Code
Type in the code from your payslip and your pay. The calculator turns the code into a tax-free allowance and shows the Income Tax that code takes each month and over the year.
Tax year 2026/27 · Estimates, not personal tax advice
Printed on your payslip or tax code notice, for example 1257L, BR or S1257L.
Taxable pay before tax. Pension taken before tax would reduce it.
Income Tax for the year
£5,486
1257L: Your tax-free allowance is £12,570, taxed using rest-of-UK bands.
| Band | Pay in band | Rate | Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tax-free allowance | £12,570 | 0% | £0 |
| Basic rate | £27,430 | 20% | £5,486 |
| Income Tax for the year | £40,000 | 13.7% | £5,486 |
| Yearly Income Tax | £5,486.00 |
| Monthly Income Tax | £457.17 |
| Weekly Income Tax | £105.50 |
| Pay after Income Tax (yearly) | £34,514.00 |
Income Tax only. National Insurance, pensions and student loans are not included.
Rates and rules used
Tax year 2026/27Default year 2026/27 (6 April to 5 April). 2025/26 and 2024/25 figures are kept for comparison where the calculator offers a year choice.
- Tax codes and emergency codes2026/27GOV.UK: Tax codes (opens in new tab)
- Income Tax bands, rates and Personal Allowance2026/27GOV.UK: Income Tax rates and allowances (opens in new tab)
- Scottish Income Tax bands and rates2026/27GOV.UK: Scottish Income Tax (opens in new tab)
- Welsh rates of Income Tax2026/27GOV.UK: Welsh Income Tax (opens in new tab)
Independent site, not affiliated with HMRC. Always check GOV.UK for the latest figures.
How this calculation works
- 01Read the number in your code and multiply it by ten to get your tax-free allowance.
- 02Take that allowance off your annual pay (K codes add to it instead).
- 03Tax what is left in bands, or at one flat rate for BR, D0 and D1.
- 04Divide the yearly Income Tax by 12 for the monthly figure.
Real payroll can differ because tax and NI are worked out per pay period, and your tax code may include adjustments HMRC hasn't told you about. See our methodology.
How a code becomes a tax figure
The number is your tax-free pay divided by ten, so 1257L gives £12,570. Everything above that is taxed in bands. The letter after the number tells HMRC which allowance applies, such as L for the standard Personal Allowance or M and N for Marriage Allowance.
Codes without a number work differently. BR, D0 and D1 tax all your pay at a single rate, NT means no tax, and 0T gives you no allowance at all.
What this calculator leaves out
It shows Income Tax only. National Insurance, pension contributions and student loan repayments are separate deductions, so use the PAYE calculator when you want take-home pay.
The monthly figure is the yearly tax divided by 12. If your employer has put you on a Month 1 basis, your actual deduction in the first months can be different.
Understanding your tax code calculator result
The yearly figure is the Income Tax your code would collect on the pay you entered, and the monthly figure is that amount divided by 12. The table shows how much of your pay is covered by the allowance in the code and how the rest is split across the tax bands.
Checking a payslip with code 1257L
Scenario: Enter 1257L and an annual salary of £40,000, then pick the tax year shown on the payslip.
How to use the result: The code gives £12,570 of tax-free pay, so £27,430 is taxed at the basic rate. That is £5,486 for the year, or about £457 a month. If your payslip shows a very different Income Tax figure, check the code in your Personal Tax Account.
Details to check before relying on the estimate
- Use the code exactly as printed, including any S or C prefix.
- Salary here means taxable pay before tax; pension contributions taken before tax may lower it.
- National Insurance, student loans and pensions are not included in this figure.
Putting the estimate into perspective
If the result looks unexpected, check what the code represents before changing the salary input. An estimate under a code does not confirm that HMRC has issued the right code for your circumstances.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I find my tax code?
It is printed on your payslip and on any tax code notice from HMRC. You can also see it in your Personal Tax Account or the HMRC app.
Check it on GOV.UK: Tax codes (opens GOV.UK in a new tab)
Why does a K code make my tax higher?
A K code adds an amount to your pay instead of giving you an allowance. HMRC uses it to collect tax on untaxed income, benefits or an earlier underpayment.
Check it on GOV.UK: Tax codes (opens GOV.UK in a new tab) · Income Tax rates and allowances (opens GOV.UK in a new tab)
How is my tax code worked out?
The number is your tax-free pay divided by ten, so 1257L means £12,570 of tax-free pay. HMRC then adjusts it for things like company benefits, untaxed income, Marriage Allowance or an earlier underpayment, which is why two people on the same salary can have different codes.
Check it on GOV.UK: Tax codes (opens GOV.UK in a new tab)
What does the letter in a tax code mean?
L is the standard Personal Allowance. M means you receive Marriage Allowance from a partner, and N means you transfer some of yours to a partner. T is used when HMRC needs to review other items in your allowance.
Check it on GOV.UK: Tax codes (opens GOV.UK in a new tab)
What is the difference between BR, D0 and D1?
BR taxes all your pay at the basic rate, D0 at the higher rate and D1 at the additional rate. None of them include a tax-free allowance, so they are most often used on a second job or pension.
Check it on GOV.UK: Tax codes (opens GOV.UK in a new tab)
What do S and C at the start of a code mean?
S means you are taxed as a Scottish taxpayer and C means a Welsh taxpayer. Both prefixes change which rates are applied to your pay.
Check it on GOV.UK: Scottish Income Tax (opens GOV.UK in a new tab) · Welsh Income Tax (opens GOV.UK in a new tab)
Work it out: Welsh Income Tax calculator
Why is my monthly tax different from yearly tax divided by 12?
Payroll normally works cumulatively, so a bonus, a late code change or a Month 1 basis can make an individual month higher or lower. Over the whole year the figures should line up.
Check it on GOV.UK: Tax codes (opens GOV.UK in a new tab) · Income Tax rates and allowances (opens GOV.UK in a new tab)
Related calculators
- PAYE Calculator — Add National Insurance, pension and student loan to reach take-home pay.
- Income Tax Calculator — Work out tax from salary without a code.
- Salary Calculator — See full take-home pay for a gross salary.
Related guides
- Tax Codes Explained — What your tax code means, from 1257L to K codes, BR, D0, NT and emergency codes, and what to do if yours looks wrong.
- How PAYE Tax Works — A plain-English explanation of PAYE: how employers deduct tax, what cumulative coding means, and why your payslip changes month to month.
- UK Income Tax Bands 2026/27 — The 2026/27 Income Tax bands for England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, with worked examples showing how band-by-band tax is calculated.