Enter your self-employed income and see your income tax, National Insurance, and take-home pay instantly. No login, no download.
Your Income & Circumstances
£
Scottish taxpayer?
Scottish income tax rates apply
Student Loan repayments?
Plan 2 (most graduates post-2012)
Pension contributions
Annual amount into personal/SIPP
£
For guidance only — uses 2025/26 standard UK tax rates. Does not include every personal circumstance. Always consult a qualified accountant for your specific situation.
Your Estimated Take-Home
£0
per year
Gross profit£0
Pension contribution—
Income tax—
Class 4 NI—
Student loan (Plan 2)—
Take-home£0
Effective tax rate0%
💡 Set aside each month
—
to cover your tax bill (25–30% guideline)
How UK Self-Employed Tax Works in 2025/26
As a freelancer or self-employed person in the UK, you pay tax on your profits — your income minus allowable business expenses. Unlike employed people, tax isn't deducted at source. You pay via Self Assessment, usually in two payments on account (July and January) plus a balancing payment (January).
Income Tax Bands (England, Wales & Northern Ireland)
Band
Annual Profit
Rate
Personal Allowance
£0 – £12,570
0%
Basic Rate
£12,571 – £50,270
20%
Higher Rate
£50,271 – £125,140
40%
Additional Rate
Above £125,140
45%
Note: if your income exceeds £100,000, your personal allowance is reduced by £1 for every £2 over — so it's completely withdrawn at £125,140. This creates an effective 60% marginal rate on income between £100,000 and £125,140.
National Insurance (Class 4)
Profit Range
Rate
Below £12,570
0%
£12,570 – £50,270
6%
Above £50,270
2%
Class 2 NI: From 2024/25 onwards, Class 2 NI (previously £3.45/week) is no longer compulsorily charged. Self-employed people with profits above the Small Profits Threshold (£6,725) automatically receive NI credits towards State Pension. You can still make voluntary Class 2 contributions if your profits fall below this threshold.
Allowable Business Expenses
Your gross profit figure for tax purposes is your income minus allowable expenses. Common deductions for freelancers include:
Software and tool subscriptions (Adobe, Figma, Ahrefs, etc.)
Hardware depreciation (laptop, monitor, camera — via Annual Investment Allowance)
Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
Accountant and professional membership fees
Training, courses, and professional development
Home office costs (proportion of rent/mortgage interest, utilities, broadband)
Travel for business purposes (not commuting to a regular workplace)
Marketing and website costs
Make sure you're entering profit (after expenses) into this calculator, not turnover. Overlooking expenses is one of the most common ways freelancers overpay tax.
Setting Aside Tax During the Year
The golden rule: set aside 25–30% of every payment you receive into a dedicated savings account. This protects you from the January Self Assessment bill shock. If your effective rate is below 25%, you'll have a pleasant surplus; if you earn into the higher rate band, 30%+ is safer. For most freelancers earning £40,000–£80,000, 27% is a reasonable default.
How Does This Relate to My Hourly Rate?
Your take-home from this calculator is your net income after tax. Compare it against your desired take-home — the gap between what you'd like to keep and what you currently earn shows exactly how much you need to increase your gross income. Use our Freelance Rate Calculator to work backwards from your desired take-home to the hourly or day rate you need to charge.
IR35 Contractors
If you're a contractor caught inside IR35, your tax position is different — you're taxed as an employee on that income rather than as a self-employed person. Our IR35 and freelance rates guide explains the difference and includes an inside vs outside IR35 take-home comparison calculator.