Tax guides
Clear, practical guides to UK tax, pay and personal finance — each one links to the calculators that do the maths for you.
Tax on Savings Interest 2026/27: The Personal Savings Allowance
With savings rates the highest in years, more people are breaching their Personal Savings Allowance - £1,000 for basic-rate, £500 for higher-rate and £0 for additional-rate taxpayers - and owing tax on interest for the first time. Here is how it works, with examples, and how to stay tax-free.
Laura Michelle Davis · 16 Jun 2026
Why More Pensioners Are Getting Surprise Tax Bills in 2026
A frozen £12,570 personal allowance, a rising state pension and higher savings interest are combining to push more retirees into paying income tax - often for the first time, and sometimes via an unexpected HMRC "Simple Assessment" letter. Here is why, with examples, and what to do.
Laura Michelle Davis · 16 Jun 2026
Capital Gains Tax 2026/27: £3,000 Allowance and 18%/24% Rates
The capital gains tax-free allowance has been slashed to £3,000 for 2026/27, down from £12,300 three years ago. Gains are taxed at 18% (basic rate) or 24% (higher rate). Far more people now owe CGT on shares, second homes and crypto - here is how to work out and reduce your bill.
Laura Michelle Davis · 15 Jun 2026
Tax Minister to owners of dodgy shops: “We are coming for you”
HMRC crackdown targets criminals exploiting the high street.
Laura Michelle Davis · 12 Jun 2026
Frozen Tax Thresholds to 2031: The Stealth Tax Explained
The £12,570 personal allowance and £50,270 higher-rate threshold are frozen until April 2031. As wages rise but thresholds stay still, millions are dragged into paying more tax - and many into the 40% band for the first time. This is the "stealth tax", explained with real examples.
Laura Michelle Davis · 11 Jun 2026
The 60% Tax Trap Explained: How High Earners Lose Their Personal Allowance (and How to Avoid It) - 2026/27
Earning between £100,000 and £125,140? The 60% tax trap quietly taxes every extra pound at around 60%. Here is the maths, who it hits, and how to escape it for 2026/27.
Laura Michelle Davis · 10 Jun 2026
Scottish Income Tax vs England: How Much More (or Less) You Pay in 2026/27
A clear 2026/27 comparison of Scottish income tax rates against England, showing who pays more, at what income, why, and what stays the same across the UK.
Laura Michelle Davis · 9 Jun 2026
HMRC doubles funding for customers who need extra support
£11 million in grant funding available to help customers who need extra support
Laura Michelle Davis · 8 Jun 2026
State Pension Top-Up: Is Buying Back Missing National Insurance Years Worth It? (2026)
A 2026 guide to buying back missing National Insurance years: how the new State Pension works, how to check your NI record and forecast, voluntary Class 3 and Class 2 contributions, the break-even concept, deadlines, and when a top-up is not worth it.
Laura Michelle Davis · 5 Jun 2026All guides
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News
17- £1.6 Billion in Child Trust Fund Unclaimed Savings: How to Find Yours
- Capital Gains Tax 2026/27: £3,000 Allowance and 18%/24% Rates
- Claiming Tax Relief on Work Expenses: HMRC's Updated P87 Rules
- Dividend Tax Rise 2026/27: New 10.75% and 35.75% Rates Explained
- Frozen Tax Thresholds to 2031: The Stealth Tax Explained
- Government Launches Consultation on New First Time Buyer ISA
- High Income Child Benefit Charge 2026: The £60,000–£80,000 Trap
- HMRC Mileage Rate Rises to 55p a Mile, Backdated to 6 April 2026
- HMRC Wage Raid Payroll Checks 2026: Who Gets Visited and Why
- ISA Allowance 2026/27: £20,000 Tax-Free and How to Use It
- Kids Meals Tax Cut 2026: VAT Slashed to 5% on Children's Meals and Days Out
- Marriage Allowance 2026: Claim Up to £252 (and Backdate It)
- MTD Sign-Up Service Down 10 to 13 July: Act Before the 7 August Deadline
- National Insurance 2026/27: Employee and Self-Employed Rates
- Stamp Duty 2026: What You Pay and First-Time Buyer Relief
- Tax on Savings Interest 2026/27: The Personal Savings Allowance
- Why More Pensioners Are Getting Surprise Tax Bills in 2026
Credit Cards
5Taxes
18- Autumn Budget 2026: Predictions, Likely Tax Rises and What to Expect
- Capital Gains Tax rates 2026/27: allowance, rates and how to cut your bill
- Dividend Tax 2026/27: Allowance, Rates and How Much You'll Pay
- Dividend Tax Rise 2026: New 10.75% and 35.75% Rates Explained
- Government backs high street with acceleration of cheap import reforms and crackdown on dodgy online sellers
- How to Legally Reduce Your Income Tax in the UK (2026/27)
- Inheritance Tax When the Second Parent Dies: The £1m Rule
- National Insurance Rates 2026/27: How Much You Pay and Why
- Scottish Income Tax vs England: How Much More (or Less) You Pay in 2026/27
- Stealth Tax: Frozen Tax Thresholds to 2031 and Fiscal Drag Explained
- Tax Code 1257L: What It Means and Why You Have It (2026/27)
- Tax Code BR: Why You Have It and What It Costs You
- Tax Gap 2024-25 estimated at 6.4%
- The 60% Tax Trap Explained: How High Earners Lose Their Personal Allowance (and How to Avoid It) - 2026/27
- The Personal Allowance Explained: How the £12,570 Tax-Free Amount Works (2026/27)
- UK Income Tax Rates and Bands 2026/27: A Plain-English Guide
- UK Tax Codes Explained: What Yours Means (2026/27)
- What Is a P45? Every Part Explained and What to Do With It
Benefits
4Savings & ISAs
10- Born 2002-2011? You Could Have £2,000+ in Forgotten Cash
- Cash ISA Limit Cut to £12,000 from April 2027: What It Means for You
- HMRC Is Fining Lifetime ISA Savers: The 25% Withdrawal Trap
- How Many ISAs Can You Have? The 2026/27 Rules Made Simple
- ISA Allowance 2026/27: How to Use Your £20,000 Tax-Free Limit
- ISA Changes 2026/27: Cash ISA Cut, 22% Charge and Transfer Ban
- Lifetime ISA Explained: The 25% Bonus, Rules and Is It Worth It?
- Premium Bonds Explained: Odds, Prizes and Is It Worth It?
- Premium Bonds vs Savings 2026: Which Wins After Tax?
- Tax on Savings Interest: The Personal Savings Allowance Explained (2026/27)
Insurance
1Personal Finance
4Property
4Loans
3Business Finance
9- Director's Loans Explained: S455 Tax and the £10,000 Rule
- Employment Allowance 2026/27: Cut £10,500 Off Employer NI
- How to Pay Corporation Tax: Deadline, Reference and Methods
- Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: The Complete 2026 Guide
- PAYE vs Self-Employed: Which Leaves You Better Off?
- Payrolling Benefits in Kind: What Changes from April 2027
- Salary vs Dividends: How Should a Director Pay Themselves in 2026/27?
- Self Assessment Tax Returns 2026: Deadlines, Penalties and How to File
- Self-Employed Tax: A Beginner's Guide (2026/27)
Tax Guides
3Pensions
8- How Pensions Work in the UK: A Complete Beginner's Guide
- Is the Pension Tax-Free Lump Sum Being Scrapped? The Facts
- Pension Drawdown Explained: Income, Tax and Risks (2026/27)
- Pension Salary Sacrifice: How It Works and How Much You Save
- Pension Tax Relief Explained: How to Get Up to 45% Back (2026/27)
- Pension Tax-Free Lump Sum: How the 25% Rule Works (2026/27)
- State Pension Top-Up: Is Buying Back Missing National Insurance Years Worth It? (2026)
- Why Pensioners Are Getting Surprise HMRC Tax Bills in 2026
Investing
3Mortgages
4Tax, explained without the jargon
UK tax has a reputation for being complicated, and the official guidance isn't always easy to follow. Our guides aim to fix that. Each one takes a single topic — how income tax bands work, what you can claim as a self-employed person, how stamp duty is calculated — and explains it in plain English, with worked examples and links to the calculators that do the maths for you.
The guides are written and reviewed by the TaxFly editorial team and updated when the rules change, so you're reading about the system as it works now, not several years ago. Wherever a guide mentions a figure you can apply to your own situation, you'll find a matching tool: pair our take-home pay guidance with the Take-Home Pay Calculator, or read up on dividends and then try the Dividend Tax Calculator.
Where to start
If you're employed, begin with the basics of income tax and National Insurance. If you work for yourself, the self-employment and Self Assessment guides will save you the most time. Buying or selling property? Start with stamp duty and capital gains. And if you just want the numbers, head straight to our full library of free UK calculators. Everything here is free to read, with no account required.
TaxFly guides are general information, not personal financial or tax advice. For decisions about your own circumstances, speak to a qualified accountant or adviser.
