Plain-English explanations of UK tax rules, student loans, pension strategy and self-employment — updated for 2026/27.
Everything you need to know about the 2026/27 tax year in one place. Covers frozen income tax thresholds, NI changes, Plan 5 student loan repayments starting April 2026, and how salary sacrifice can put thousands back in your pocket.
Repayments start April 2026 for the first Plan 5 cohort. We break down the £25,000 threshold, 40-year write-off, and why it may cost more than Plan 2 over a lifetime.
Salary sacrifice saves income tax AND National Insurance. Relief at Source only saves income tax. We model the exact difference for basic, higher and additional rate taxpayers.
Earn between £100,000 and £125,140 and you face a brutal 60% effective marginal rate. Here's exactly how it works and the legal routes to reclaim your Personal Allowance.
First-year freelancers often face a massive January tax bill — their full tax bill plus 50% upfront. We explain how Payments on Account work and how much to save each month.
For most Plan 2 borrowers, voluntary overpayments are a poor financial decision. But for Plan 1 and Plan 4 borrowers close to clearing their balance, it can make sense. Here's how to decide.
PAYE employees pay Class 1 NI. Self-employed pay Class 4 (and sometimes Class 2). The rates differ significantly. We explain the 2026/27 bands clearly with worked examples.
Your bonus isn't taxed at a higher rate — it just looks that way. We explain how HMRC's monthly PAYE calculation creates a temporary over-deduction and when you get it back.
Salary sacrifice is powerful, but it reduces your contractual gross pay. We cover the unintended consequences for mortgage applications, statutory maternity pay, and State Pension entitlement.
The Autumn 2025 Budget froze the Plan 2 repayment threshold at £29,385 from April 2027. We model how much extra this costs an average Plan 2 borrower over 30 years.
The National Living Wage rises to £12.71/hour from April 2026. Full table of all NMW/NLW rates, annual salary equivalents, and net take-home pay after tax and NI for every rate.
What does 1257L mean? What are emergency tax codes W1 and M1? Every HMRC code explained, with a guide to spotting a wrong code and claiming back overpaid tax.
From April 2027, under-65s can only contribute £12,000 per year to a Cash ISA. 2026/27 is your last chance at the full limit. All ISA types, allowances, and strategy explained.
Dividend tax rises from April 2026: basic rate 10.75%, higher rate 35.75%. The £500 allowance is unchanged. Full guide with worked examples and the case for sheltering dividends in an ISA.
All UK income tax rates and thresholds for 2026/27. Personal Allowance frozen at £12,570, basic rate 20%, higher rate 40%, the 60% trap zone, and full salary examples from £20k to £120k.
MTD for Income Tax launched April 2026 for self-employed earning over £50,000. Quarterly digital reporting replaces the old annual return. Full guide to deadlines, software, and your action checklist.