Tax guides
Clear, practical guides to UK tax, pay and personal finance — each one links to the calculators that do the maths for you.
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.
Laura Michelle Davis · 14 May 2026
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.
Laura Michelle Davis · 13 May 2026
Pension Drawdown Explained: Income, Tax and Risks (2026/27)
A plain-English guide to pension drawdown: how flexi-access drawdown works, the 25% tax-free element, how withdrawals are taxed at your marginal rate, the MPAA trap, and how drawdown compares with an annuity.
Laura Michelle Davis · 12 May 2026
No-Deposit and 100% Mortgages: Are They Real in 2026?
No deposit mortgages and 100% mortgages do exist in the UK, but they work very differently from how most people imagine. Here is an honest look at how they work, who they suit and the real risks.
Laura Michelle Davis · 11 May 2026
Mortgage in Principle: What It Is and How to Get One (2026)
A mortgage in principle is a lender's early estimate of how much it might lend you. Learn what an AIP is, how to get one, how long it lasts and whether it affects your credit score.
Laura Michelle Davis · 8 May 2026
How to Start Investing in the UK: A Beginner's Guide (2026)
A plain-English, step-by-step guide to how to start investing in the UK for complete beginners: emergency funds, Stocks and Shares ISAs and pensions, index funds, fees, risk and a worked compounding example.
Laura Michelle Davis · 7 May 2026
How to Invest in Property in the UK: A Beginner's Guide
A plain-English guide to investing in property in the UK. Learn how buy-to-let works, deposits, rental yield, the stamp duty surcharge, Section 24, capital gains tax and company ownership.
Laura Michelle Davis · 6 May 2026
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.
Laura Michelle Davis · 6 May 2026
Credit Cards for Building Credit and Bad Credit (UK)
Credit cards for building credit help people with a poor or thin credit file prove they can borrow responsibly. Here is how a credit builder card works, how to use one to lift your score, and the mistakes to avoid.
Laura Michelle Davis · 5 May 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.
