Bonus Calculator UK — Your Bonus After Tax
How much of my bonus will I keep?
A bonus has no special Income Tax rate. Compare annual tax with and without it, then account for NI and loan deductions in the payment period. A £5,000 bonus on £45,000 salary gives an estimated £3,873.66 using annual tax and monthly NI, before pension or loans. Your actual bonus-month PAYE may differ.
Estimate your bonus after deductions
The whole bonus is paid in one period.
Assumes regular salary paid evenly throughout the year.
Use the plan confirmed by your loan provider.
2026/27 estimate: annual Income Tax difference plus the extra employee NI and loan deductions for your selected model. It does not calculate your bonus-month PAYE withholding. Assumes standard allowance with taper, NI category A, one job, no pension deductions, benefits or other income. Directors and other NI categories need a different calculation.
Estimated net bonus
£3,873.66
22.5% estimated deductions under these assumptions.
- Gross bonus
- £5,000.00
- Additional annual Income Tax
- £1,000.00
- Extra employee National Insurance
- £126.34
- Extra student / postgraduate loan
- £0.00
Income Tax on the next pound: 20% including any allowance taper. A bonus can span several bands; this is not the rate on the whole bonus.
Your actual payslip can differ because PAYE uses your tax code and year-to-date pay and tax. NI and loan deductions are normally period-based; they do not simply reconcile to this annual tax estimate.
Compare different bonus amounts
Same salary, location, loan plans and payment model as above.
£1,000.00 gross
£753.66
estimated net
£2,500.00 gross
£1,923.66
estimated net
£5,000.00 gross
£3,873.66
estimated net
£10,000.00 gross
£6,827.66
estimated net
📊 Plan how to use your bonus
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Explore EmmaBonus Tax — Worked Examples (2026/27)
Annual Income Tax difference + bonus-month NI. Excludes student loan and pension. England/Wales/Northern Ireland, standard tapered allowance, NI category A and evenly paid monthly salary. Not bonus-month PAYE.
| Band | Salary | Bonus | Tax | NI | Take-home | Eff. rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic rate | £35,000 | £1,000 | −£200 | −£80 | £720 | 28% |
| Basic rate | £35,000 | £5,000 | −£1,000 | −£176 | £3,824 | 24% |
| Crosses tax band | £48,000 | £5,000 | −£1,546 | −£111 | £3,343 | 33% |
| Higher rate | £60,000 | £10,000 | −£4,000 | −£200 | £5,800 | 42% |
| 60% trap | £105,000 | £10,000 | −£6,000 | −£200 | £3,800 | 62% |
| Additional rate | £150,000 | £10,000 | −£4,500 | −£200 | £5,300 | 47% |
The 60% trap (salary £100k–£125,140) is created by the Personal Allowance tapering at £1 lost for every £2 of income above £100,000.
How the bonus after-tax estimate works
First, calculate annual Income Tax on salary with and without the bonus, including any Personal Allowance taper. Subtract the two amounts. Then calculate the extra NI and loan deductions using the selected payment model. Deduct those amounts from the gross bonus. The tool uses 2026/27 rates and assumes no pension contribution, other income, taxable benefits or non-standard tax code.
The monthly option assumes salary divided by 12 and the whole bonus in one month; weekly assumes salary divided by 52 and the whole bonus in one week. Actual irregular pay needs actual period earnings. Annualised mode compares annual deductions and is useful only as a scenario.
Why your bonus payslip can look different
Annual Income Tax liability and PAYE withholding in the bonus month are different questions. PAYE depends on the issued tax code, cumulative or non-cumulative basis, tax month, pay-to-date and tax already paid. The calculator does not have that information. It does not assume every bonus is taxed as if it repeats each month, or promise that deductions will be refunded.
Employee NI and payroll loan deductions usually depend on earnings in that period. A whole bonus may cross the monthly NI upper earnings limit even if your annual salary remains below the annual limit. Correct period-based deductions do not simply become refundable because an annual calculation is lower. Loan refunds have specific eligibility conditions.
Pension contributions and bonus sacrifice
Compare a cash bonus with an eligible employer pension contribution only after checking how the arrangement works. Salary sacrifice must be effective before entitlement; paying cash into a personal pension later has different tax and NI consequences. Allowances, employer terms, benefits and restricted access to pension money matter. This tool does not model pension tax relief.
Explore a separate salary-sacrifice estimate, check your pension annual allowance, or compare a bonus versus a pay rise. These tools also have their own scope and assumptions.
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