Guides
Plain-English guides to UK payslips, tax codes, salary sacrifice, and take-home pay.
Original Analysis
Compare Common Tax Situations
Scotland vs England: Take-Home Pay Compared
Compare Income Tax and take-home at £30,000, £50,000 and £60,000 in Scotland and England for 2026/27, using the same NI and pension assumptions.
Read guide →
BR vs D0 Tax Code: 20% vs 40% Explained
Compare BR at 20% with D0 at 40% on the same pay. See a worked monthly example, separate NI treatment and when HMRC may use each code.
Read guide →
1257L vs BR: Compare Tax on the Same Salary
Compare 1257L and BR on the same £30,000 salary. See the tax and take-home difference, allowance assumptions and checks before expecting a refund.
Read guide →
Salary Sacrifice vs Post-Tax Deductions
Salary sacrifice changes gross pay before tax. A post-tax deduction comes off after PAYE has already been worked out.
Read guide →
Emergency vs Normal Tax: A Payslip Comparison
Compare the information used by emergency and cumulative tax codes. Identify the marker on your payslip and choose the right next check.
Read guide →
One Job vs Two Jobs: Tax and Take-Home Pay
Compare one £30,000 job with two £15,000 jobs. See why annual Income Tax can match while NI and payroll student-loan deductions differ.
Read guide →
Pension Salary Sacrifice vs Relief at Source
Compare salary sacrifice, net pay and relief at source with £30k and £60k worked examples for 2026/27, including NI savings and higher-rate relief timing.
Read guide →
EV Salary Sacrifice vs Private Lease (2026/27)
Compare EV salary sacrifice with a private lease using a 2026/27 basic-rate example. Include P11D-based company-car tax, initial rental and matching costs.
Read guide →
PAYE vs NI: Thresholds Explained (2026/27)
Compare 2026/27 PAYE and employee NI starting points by pay period, then see why tax codes, earnings timing and NI categories change deductions.
Read guide →
Why Did My Tax Code Change to M1 or W1?
What M1 and W1 mean on your payslip, how they change the tax calculation, and what to check. Includes a worked example comparing both bases side by side.
Read guide →
Commission and Bonus
Tax Code Changed After Commission?
A commission payment can increase PAYE without changing your tax code. Check your code, pay basis and HMRC income estimate, with a £40k + £15k example.
Read guide →
Emergency Tax on Commission Explained
Check W1, M1, X or NONCUM on a commission payslip, understand why BR alone is different, and find the right payroll or HMRC route for a possible refund.
Read guide →
Payslip Problems
Why Your Payslip Might Be Wrong
Work through tax codes, emergency tax, pensions, loans, statutory pay and payroll timing. Reconcile the cash paid and know who can correct each issue.
Read guide →
Payroll Mistake Checklist: What to Check First
What to record before you contact payroll about a wrong payslip, tax code, NI, student loan, or pension deduction.
Read guide →
Payslip Deductions Explained
Understand PAYE, National Insurance, pensions and student loans on your UK payslip, with a worked 2026/27 example and checks for unexpected deductions.
Read guide →
Overpaid Tax: Payroll Refunds and HMRC Claims
Check whether PAYE was overpaid and choose the right payroll, P800 or HMRC claim route. Understand the records, conditions and deadlines involved.
Read guide →
Emergency Tax: Check Your Code and Refund Route
Identify W1, M1 and X emergency codes, compare deductions at steady pay, and find the right correction and refund route without assuming an overpayment.
Read guide →
Tax Codes
Wrong Tax Code? Checks and Correction Steps
Check your tax code against HMRC records, find missing income or benefits, and see when to contact payroll or HMRC about a correction or refund.
Read guide →
UK Tax Codes Explained: Letters and Numbers
Understand UK tax codes including 1257L, 0T, BR, D0 and K. Check emergency markers, Scottish prefixes and what to do if your code looks wrong.
Read guide →
1257L Tax Code Explained
Understand the £12,570 allowance, what L means, emergency M1/W1 markers and code adjustments. Check examples before comparing your payslip.
Read guide →
BR Tax Code: Meaning, Checks and Refunds
BR taxes affected pay at 20% with no allowance. Check legitimate uses, main-job errors and the conditions for a payroll or HMRC refund.
Read guide →
D0 Tax Code: Meaning and How to Check It
D0 deducts 40% Income Tax with no allowance on that pay. Check second-job uses, Scottish equivalents, a £30,000 example and correction routes.
Read guide →
K Tax Code: Negative Allowance and the 50% Limit
What a K tax code means, how the number is added to your income (not deducted), the 50% PAYE limit, and how to challenge it.
Read guide →
0T Tax Code: No Allowance and How to Check It
Understand 0T tax code, compare it with BR and 0T M1, and check when no allowance is correct. Includes a £45,000 example and correction steps.
Read guide →
Scottish Tax Codes: S Prefix and Residency
Understand S1257L and Scottish flat-rate codes, 2026/27 bands and the residence rules when moving to or from Scotland. NI remains UK-wide.
Read guide →
Pensions
Workplace Pensions: Contributions and Take-Home
How UK auto-enrolment pensions work — eligibility, the 8% minimum contribution split, and how the delivery method changes your take-home pay.
Read guide →
Relief at Source: Pension Top-Ups and Claims
Understand the £80-to-£100 pension top-up, extra UK and Scottish tax relief, HMRC claim routes and the deadlines for earlier contributions.
Read guide →
Salary Sacrifice
Salary Sacrifice: Schemes, Savings and Limits
Compare pension, EV, Cycle to Work and holiday schemes. Check tax and NI savings, taxable benefits, minimum wage and employer contribution policies.
Read guide →
EV Salary Sacrifice: Take-Home Pay and BIK
See how gross sacrifice and electric-car BIK combine in your take-home pay. Includes a £35,000 EV example, P11D guidance and contract checks.
Read guide →
Holiday Buy and Sell: Costs and UK Leave Rules
Calculate the take-home cost of buying leave, check part-time day rates and understand statutory sell-back limits, payroll timing and scheme terms.
Read guide →
Cycle to Work: Savings and Ownership Costs
Compare Cycle to Work savings, extended hire and ownership options. See £1,200 bike examples, provider fees, HMRC valuation rules and e-bike eligibility.
Read guide →