Work backwards from your target take-home pay. Enter what you want to see in
your bank account each month — we'll find the gross salary you need after
income tax, NI, student loan and pension, for both England/Wales/NI and Scotland.
The first £12,570 is tax-free. If your target take-home is £1,500/month (£18k/year), most of the gross sits inside the allowance — you need barely more gross than net. At higher targets, more earnings fall into taxed bands.
Progressive bands steepen the curve
Basic rate costs 28% (20% tax + 8% NI), higher rate costs 42% (40% tax + 2% NI), additional rate costs 47%. Each £100 of extra take-home costs progressively more gross as you climb bands.
The £100k trap spike
Between £100,000 and £125,140, your personal allowance is withdrawn at £1 for every £2 earned — creating an effective 62% marginal rate. The gross cost per £100 of take-home jumps dramatically through this zone.
Student loans and pension add layers
Student loan (9% Plan 1/2/4/5 or 6% postgrad over the threshold) and pension contributions (typically 5% via auto-enrolment) each layer on top. The more deductions you have, the more gross you need for the same net.
Frequently asked questions
How does a reverse salary calculator work?
A reverse salary calculator works backwards from your target take-home pay. Instead of entering a gross salary and seeing the net, you enter your desired monthly, annual or weekly take-home amount and the calculator finds the gross salary needed after income tax, National Insurance, student loan repayments and pension contributions. Because UK tax is progressive, the mapping is not a simple percentage — it requires iterative calculation through HMRC's PAYE bands.
What gross salary do I need to take home £3,000 a month?
To take home £3,000 per month (£36,000 net per year) in England, Wales or Northern Ireland in 2026/27, you need a gross salary of roughly £45,113 with no pension or student loan. A 5% pension contribution lifts that to about £47,764, a Plan 2 student loan to about £47,344, and both together to about £50,529. The exact figure also varies with your pension percentage, student loan plan and whether you are on Scottish rates, so use the calculator with your own circumstances for a precise figure.
How much does £100 of take-home pay cost in gross terms?
In the basic-rate band (20% income tax + 8% NI), £100 of additional take-home pay costs about £139 in gross salary. In the higher-rate band (40% + 2% NI), it costs about £172 per £100. If you have a student loan, add 9% (Plan 1/2/4/5) or 6% (postgraduate), pushing the gross cost even higher. At the £100k-£125,140 personal allowance taper zone, the effective marginal rate hits 62% — every £100 of net costs roughly £263 of gross.
Does the reverse salary calculator work for self-employed people?
The reverse salary calculator targets PAYE employees and shows Class 1 employee NI. Self-employed workers pay Class 4 NI at different rates and thresholds (Class 2 is now voluntary), plus income tax through Self Assessment rather than PAYE. For self-employed calculations, use our Self-Employment Tax Calculator which handles Class 4 NI (with voluntary Class 2) and payments on account.
Does the calculator handle the £100,000 tax trap?
Yes. The calculator correctly applies personal allowance tapering between £100,000 and £125,140, giving an effective 62% marginal rate in this band (60% from PA withdrawal + 2% NI). If your target take-home falls in this range, the gross salary needed will reflect the steep marginal cost. Use pension salary sacrifice to reduce adjusted net income below £100,000 and escape the trap entirely.
