Guides

135 plain-English guides to UK tax, each with a named author and links to its official sources.

Page 6 of 7 · newest first

Marriage Allowance 2026: Claim Up to £252 (and Backdate It)

If one of you earns under £12,570 and the other is a basic-rate taxpayer, Marriage Allowance lets you transfer £1,260 of personal allowance - worth up to £252 a year, and backdatable four years for a payout of over £1,000. Millions of eligible couples never claim. Here is how, with examples.

By Maria Moisei · 26 Jun 2026

News

High Income Child Benefit Charge 2026: The £60,000–£80,000 Trap

The High Income Child Benefit Charge applies when someone in the household has adjusted net income over £60,000, clawing back Child Benefit gradually until it is fully removed at £80,000. It is based on the highest individual income, not household income - and pension contributions can reduce or remove it.

By Maria Moisei · 26 Jun 2026

News

Stamp Duty 2026: What You Pay and First-Time Buyer Relief

In England and Northern Ireland, Stamp Duty Land Tax now starts at £125,000, with first-time buyers paying nothing up to £300,000. Scotland (LBTT) and Wales (LTT) have their own separate taxes and thresholds. Here is what you pay, with real examples for each nation.

By Krisztina Aranyi · 26 Jun 2026

Income Tax

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.

By Maria Moisei · 25 Jun 2026

Income Tax

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.

By Maria Moisei · 25 Jun 2026

Pensions

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.

By Laura Michelle Davis · 25 Jun 2026

Income Tax

How to Legally Reduce Your Income Tax in the UK (2026/27)

A comprehensive guide to legally reducing your income tax in the UK for 2026/27 - pensions, salary sacrifice, ISAs, Marriage Allowance, Gift Aid, work expenses and smart timing.

By Maria Moisei · 25 Jun 2026

Income Tax

How Much Tax Will I Pay on a £50,000 Salary? (2026/27)

On a £50,000 salary in England, Wales or NI for 2026/27 you take home about £39,520 a year (£3,293 a month) after tax and National Insurance.

By Damon Smith · 24 Jun 2026

Savings & ISAs

ISA Changes 2026/27: Cash ISA Cut, 22% Charge and Transfer Ban

The Cash ISA allowance is being cut to £12,000, a 22% charge hits cash in investment ISAs, and under-65 transfers are restricted. What to do now.

By Maria Moisei · 24 Jun 2026

Income Tax

Stealth Tax: Frozen Tax Thresholds to 2031 and Fiscal Drag Explained

Frozen tax thresholds to 2031 will drag 5.2m more people into tax. How the "stealth tax" works, what it costs you, and how to fight back.

By Laura Michelle Davis · 24 Jun 2026

Self-Employed

Director's Loans Explained: S455 Tax and the £10,000 Rule

A plain-English guide to the director's loan account for company directors: overdrawn versus in-credit balances, S455 tax, the £10,000 benefit-in-kind rule, bed-and-breakfasting, and how a director's loan compares with salary and dividends.

By David Obeng · 19 Jun 2026

Savings & ISAs

Lifetime ISA Explained: The 25% Bonus, Rules and Is It Worth It?

A plain-English guide to the Lifetime ISA: how the 25% government bonus works, who can open one, using it for a first home or retirement, the withdrawal charge to watch, and whether a LISA is worth it for you.

By Maria Moisei · 19 Jun 2026

Self-Employed

PAYE vs Self-Employed: Which Leaves You Better Off?

Comparing PAYE vs self employed is about more than the headline figure. We break down how income tax, National Insurance, expenses and employee benefits change your real take-home pay in 2026/27.

By Mercy Oyelowo · 19 Jun 2026

Pensions

Pension Salary Sacrifice: How It Works and How Much You Save

Pension salary sacrifice swaps part of your gross pay for an employer pension contribution, cutting both income tax and National Insurance. Here is exactly how it works, a worked example, and the traps to avoid.

By Laura Michelle Davis · 19 Jun 2026

Pensions

Pension Tax-Free Lump Sum: How the 25% Rule Works (2026/27)

You can normally take 25% of your pension as a tax-free lump sum, capped at £268,275. Here is exactly how the rule works in 2026/27, with a worked example, the tax on the rest, and the mistakes that cost people money.

By Laura Michelle Davis · 19 Jun 2026

Benefits

PIP Explained: Eligibility, Rates and How to Claim (2026)

A clear, compassionate guide to Personal Independence Payment (PIP): what it is, who qualifies, how the points-based assessment works, how to claim step by step, and what to do if your claim is refused.

By TaxFly Editorial Team · 19 Jun 2026

Savings & ISAs

Premium Bonds Explained: Odds, Prizes and Is It Worth It?

Premium Bonds swap interest for a monthly tax-free prize draw, backed by HM Treasury. We explain how they work, the real odds, the prize fund rate and who they actually suit.

By Maria Moisei · 19 Jun 2026

Property

Tax on Rental Income: A Landlord's Guide (2026/27)

A plain-English guide to tax on rental income for UK landlords in 2026/27: how rental profit is taxed, the property allowance, allowable expenses, the Section 24 mortgage interest rules, and a full worked example.

By Peter Cunniffe · 19 Jun 2026

Benefits

Benefits for Single Parents in the UK: What You Can Claim (2026)

A clear, compassionate guide to benefits for single parents in the UK - from Universal Credit and Child Benefit to free childcare, Council Tax Reduction, Healthy Start and child maintenance. Who qualifies, how to claim, and the mistakes to avoid.

By TaxFly Editorial Team · 19 Jun 2026

Pensions

How Pensions Work in the UK: A Complete Beginner's Guide

A plain-English guide to how pensions work in the UK: the State Pension, workplace and personal pensions, how tax relief and employer contributions boost your savings, and the common mistakes that cost beginners money.

By Laura Michelle Davis · 19 Jun 2026

Deadlines, rate changes and what to claim

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