Payslips, tax and take-home pay
Read a payslip line by line, understand your tax code and National Insurance, see how pensions and student loans are taken, and work out what a salary actually pays you each month.
6 lessons · about 43 minutes · 5-question assessment
How to read a payslipEvery line on a UK payslip, what it means, what to check each month — and why you should keep every one.8 minIncome tax and your tax codeThe 2026/27 tax bands, what your tax code means, and why emergency tax happens.8 minNational Insurance explainedWhat National Insurance pays for, the 2026/27 rates, and why it works differently from income tax.6 minPension deductions and salary sacrificeThe three ways a pension can be taken from your pay, why they give different take-home pay, and the catch with salary sacrifice.7 minStudent loans explainedHow repayments are worked out, why the balance can grow even while you pay, and when the loan is written off.8 minFrom salary to bank accountA full worked example turning a headline salary into a monthly figure you can budget with.6 min