Required salary
Work it backwards. Tell us the take-home you want and we'll find the gross salary you'd need to earn to get there.
Your target
How it breaks down
Working the tax sums backwards
Job adverts speak gross, budgets run on net, and translating between the two by guesswork goes wrong in one direction only. This calculator reverses the usual question: name the monthly or yearly take-home you need, and it searches for the gross salary that delivers it after income tax, National Insurance, pension and student loan.
The gross salary behind each take-home target
| Take-home you want (per month) | Salary you need (England, 2026/27) |
|---|---|
| £2,000 | £28,445 |
| £2,500 | £36,778 |
| £3,000 | £45,112 |
| £3,500 | £54,211 |
| £4,000 | £64,556 |
Figures assume no pension or student loan and rest-of-UK tax bands. Add either and the required salary climbs: a 5% pension and a Plan 2 loan can push the £3,000 row several thousand pounds higher, which is exactly the sort of thing worth knowing before you name a figure in an interview.
Why the ladder gets steeper
Notice the spacing in that table. The step from £2,000 to £2,500 a month costs about £8,300 of salary; the step from £3,500 to £4,000 costs over £10,300. Deductions rise with income, so each extra pound of take-home needs more gross to produce it: £1.39 in the basic-rate band, £1.72 in the higher band, and a bruising £2.63 between £100,000 and £125,140 where the personal allowance is being withdrawn. Sense-check any offer with the take-home pay calculator, see where the figure sits nationally with the salary rank tool, and if negotiations reach the awkward bands, the marginal rate chart explains why the same rise buys less up there.
Common questions
How do I work out the salary I need for a target take-home?
Because Income Tax and National Insurance rise in steps, you cannot simply gross up by a flat percentage. The calculator works backwards through the 2026/27 bands to find the gross salary that leaves you with the take-home you want.
Why is the gross so much higher than my target?
Above the £12,570 Personal Allowance every extra pound is taxed at least 28% (20% tax plus 8% National Insurance), and more once you pass £50,270, so a higher take-home needs a disproportionately larger gross salary.
Can I include a pension or student loan?
Yes. Adding a pension contribution or a student loan plan raises the gross salary needed for the same take-home, because more is taken before the money reaches you.
These results are estimates for general information only and are not financial advice. Check every figure yourself and seek appropriate advice from a qualified professional before making any decision. Read the full disclaimer.