Use this reverse tax calculator to work out the gross salary you need to take home a set amount after Income Tax and National Insurance. It works backwards from your target net pay, so it is useful for job offers, budgeting and negotiating a salary.
The gross salary you need
- Gross salary a year
- –
- Gross a month
- –
- Income Tax
- –
- National Insurance
- –
- Take-home check
- –
In the example, to take home £2,500 a month (£30,000 a year) in England with no pension or student loan, you need a gross salary of about £36,779.
How to use the reverse tax calculator
- Enter the take-home pay you want, and choose a week, month or year.
- Add your pension percentage if you pay into a workplace pension.
- Choose your student loan plan and where you live.
- Read the gross salary. The check figure shows the take-home pay at that salary.
Net to gross salary calculator: how it works
Tax is worked out from gross pay, so there is no simple formula to go backwards across every band. The calculator tries different gross salaries until the take-home pay matches your target, using the same tax, NI and student loan rules as our other calculators.
Within the basic rate band, every extra £1 of take-home needs about £1.39 of gross pay, because you lose 28p in tax and NI. In the higher rate band, you need about £1.72.
Gross salary for common take-home pay
| Take-home a month | Gross salary | With Plan 2 loan |
|---|---|---|
| £1,500 | £20,112 | £20,112 |
| £2,000 | £28,445 | £28,445 |
| £2,500 | £36,779 | £37,835 |
| £3,000 | £45,112 | £47,359 |
| £3,500 | £54,212 | £58,772 |
| £4,000 | £64,557 | £71,017 |
| £5,000 | £85,246 | £95,507 |
Reverse tax calculator with a pension or in Scotland
A workplace pension taken from your pay means you need a higher gross salary for the same take-home pay. With a 5% net pay pension, the extra gross needed is a little less than 5%, because the contribution gets tax relief. In Scotland, the 21% intermediate rate starts at £31,093 of taxable income, so the gross salary for the same take-home pay is slightly higher than in the rest of the UK above roughly £30,000.
Student loans have the biggest effect at lower salaries: once you earn over your plan threshold, 9% of each extra pound goes on repayments, so the gap between the two columns in the table grows as take-home pay rises.
Using it for a job offer or contract
If you know what you need each month to cover your bills, the reverse tax calculator gives the minimum salary to ask for. Remember to add your pension contribution: with a 5% pension, you need a higher gross salary for the same take-home pay. Employers quote gross salaries, so always compare offers on the same basis.
Related calculators
To go the other way, from gross to net, use the monthly take home pay calculator. For hourly pay, try the hourly wage calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What salary do I need to take home £2,000 a month?
About £28,445 a year in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, with no pension or student loan.
Is this a net to gross salary calculator?
Yes. Net pay is what you receive after deductions and gross pay is before. The reverse tax calculator turns net into gross.
Does it work for Scottish taxpayers?
Yes. Choose Scotland and it uses the Scottish Income Tax bands. National Insurance is the same across the UK.
Why is the answer rounded up?
So the take-home pay at that salary is at least your target. The check figure shows the exact take-home pay.
About this calculator
This reverse tax calculator uses 2026/27 Income Tax, National Insurance and student loan rates, checked against GOV.UK on 9 November 2026. It assumes a standard 1257L tax code. Results are estimates.