What a 3% rise means at different salaries
£25,000 salary: This pay rise does not add a new Income Tax band. The amount retained still depends on deductions and any Personal Allowance change.
£50,000 salary: The new-salary calculation includes income in higher rate (40%) bands not used at the current salary.
£100,000 salary: Adjusted net income moves into the 2026/27 Personal Allowance taper above £100,000. The rise reduces the statutory allowance by £1,500. This pay rise does not add a new Income Tax band. The amount retained still depends on deductions and any Personal Allowance change.
£120,000 salary: Adjusted net income moves through the 2026/27 Personal Allowance taper above £100,000. The rise reduces the statutory allowance by £1,800. This pay rise does not add a new Income Tax band. The amount retained still depends on deductions and any Personal Allowance change.
Understand your pay rise
Why gross and net growth differ
Both salaries go through the same tax engine. The difference in take-home is the pay rise’s cash value. Income Tax, employee NI, pension and loan changes are shown separately. A higher band applies to income in that band, not automatically to the whole salary. GOV.UK Income Tax guidance.
Pensions and loans
Percentage contributions scale with each salary; fixed annual gross contributions stay fixed. Salary sacrifice, net pay and relief at source are distinct methods. Pension growth is not cash take-home. Loan repayments may rise or start as earnings increase. Select the method and plan that apply to you. Pension tax relief · Loan repayments.
Optional inflation comparison
Use your own inflation rate for the same period as the salary change. Real gross-pay growth is calculated as (new salary ÷ current salary) ÷ (1 + inflation rate) − 1. It is a simplified purchasing-power comparison, not a household budget, inflation forecast or net-pay real-terms calculation.
Assumptions and limitations
This compares a full year at each salary, excluding bonuses and extra-hours changes; it does not forecast a mid-year rise, cumulative PAYE or the first new payslip. Fixed benefits/deductions are held unchanged. Monthly and weekly figures are annual equivalents. Historical blended-NI years are estimates. Pension allowances, minimum wage, employer NI sharing, loan balances/refunds and other Self Assessment income are not assessed. Extra relief-at-source claims may arrive later. Non-standard codes are PAYE estimates, separate from statutory allowance information. Educational estimates, not personalised financial advice.
Calculation methodology · One-off bonus calculator · Salary sacrifice calculator · Monthly and annual take-home targets
Common pay-rise percentages
Selected salary examples
£25,000 salary
£30,000 salary
£40,000 salary
£50,000 salary
£60,000 salary
£75,000 salary
£95,000 salary
£100,000 salary
£110,000 salary
£120,000 salary
£150,000 salary