Bonus Sacrifice Calculator
Sacrificing a bonus into your pension removes it from taxable pay — you save Income Tax and employee NI, and your employer can pass back their 15% NI saving too. This calculator compares taking the bonus as cash vs sacrificing into your pension, with 2026-27 rates, Scotland bands, the £100K Personal Allowance taper, and the High-Income Child Benefit Charge built in.
Some employers add part of their 15% NI saving to your pension pot.
Used to check the £60k Annual Allowance.
Your cash-bonus adjusted income (£70,000) triggers the High-Income Child Benefit Charge (£60,000–£80,000 for 2026-27). Pension sacrifice reduces adjusted net income, potentially preserving Child Benefit.
From April 2029, pension salary sacrifice above £2,000/year will become subject to National Insurance. This reform does not affect the current tax year but may change the calculus for future bonuses.
| Component | Cash | Sacrifice | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross taxable pay | £70,000 | £60,000 | -£10,000 |
| Income tax | £15,432 | £11,432 | -£4,000 |
| Employee NI | £3,411 | £3,211 | -£200 |
| Employer NI saving | £0 | £1,500 | £1,500 |
| Passed to your pension | £0 | £0 | £0 |
| Take-home + pension | £51,157 | £55,357 | +£4,200 |
Frequently asked questions
What is bonus sacrifice?
Bonus sacrifice redirects some or all of an annual bonus straight into your pension before it is taxed. It removes the bonus from your taxable pay, so you save both Income Tax and employee NI. Many employers add part of their 15% employer NI saving to your pension pot as well.
Why is bonus sacrifice so valuable between £100,000 and £125,140?
In this band every £2 of income removes £1 of your Personal Allowance — a 60% effective marginal rate. Sacrificing restores the allowance and delivers ~60p of free value per £1 sacrificed.
How much can I sacrifice?
Up to 100% of the bonus, provided: total pension input stays under the £60,000 Annual Allowance (or your tapered allowance); remaining pay stays above National Minimum Wage. Carry-forward from the previous 3 tax years can increase the effective limit.
Is bonus sacrifice changing?
From April 2029, pension salary sacrifice above £2,000/year will become subject to National Insurance. Income Tax relief on pension contributions is unaffected.
Does it affect my mortgage application?
Possibly — a lower taxable salary can reduce the income lenders use for affordability. Check with your lender about how they treat pension contributions before committing.
Official sources
- HMRC — Pensions Tax Manual PTM044100 (salary sacrifice)
- HMRC — Income Tax rates and Personal Allowances
- HMRC — Tapered Annual Allowance
- HMRC — High-Income Child Benefit Charge
Reviewed April 2026 · 2026-27 rates (2025-26 / 2024-25 also supported)