UK Tax Guides
Our calculators give you a number — these guides explain the rules behind it. Each one covers a single topic in plain English: how a rule works, a worked example, and where it catches people out. Written around the 2026/27 UK tax year and linked to the calculator that puts it into practice for your own figures.
How the £100,000 tax trap works
Why crossing £100,000 can cost you more than the headline 40% rate suggests, and what you can do about it.
Read guideScottish vs English Income Tax explained
Scotland sets its own Income Tax bands. Here's exactly how they differ from the rest of the UK, and who ends up paying more.
Read guideWhat does tax code 1257L mean?
1257L is the standard tax code for most UK employees — here's exactly what the numbers and letter mean, and when yours might look different.
Read guideSalary sacrifice explained
Salary sacrifice can cut your tax and National Insurance bill at the same time — here's how it works and when it's worth it.
Read guideNational Insurance explained
What National Insurance actually pays for, how the employee rates work for 2026/27, and how it differs from Income Tax.
Read guideStudent loan repayment plans explained
Plan 1, 2, 4, 5 or Postgraduate — which one applies to you, what the thresholds are, and how repayments are actually worked out.
Read guideMarriage Allowance explained
How married couples and civil partners can transfer part of an unused Personal Allowance to save up to £252 a year.
Read guideUnderstanding your payslip
A line-by-line guide to what's on a UK payslip, from gross pay and tax code to the deductions that make up the difference to your net pay.
Read guideStamp Duty thresholds explained
How Stamp Duty Land Tax is actually calculated in slices, who gets first-time buyer relief, and when the extra-property surcharge applies.
Read guideCapital Gains Tax allowance and rates explained
What counts as a chargeable gain, how much you can make tax-free, and how the basic and higher rates are actually applied.
Read guideInheritance Tax nil-rate bands explained
How the standard and residence nil-rate bands combine to shelter up to £1 million of an estate from Inheritance Tax for some couples.
Read guidePension tax relief explained
How tax relief on pension contributions actually works, why higher-rate taxpayers often need to claim extra relief themselves, and what the Annual Allowance limits.
Read guideDo you pay tax on savings interest?
How the Personal Savings Allowance works, who still owes tax on interest, and how HMRC actually collects it.
Read guideHow Vehicle Tax (VED) actually works
First-year rates, the flat standard rate, the expensive car supplement, and what changes for older and electric cars.
Read guideUnderstanding loan repayments and APR
Why your monthly payment stays the same but its makeup changes, what APR actually includes, and how overpaying really saves you money.
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