2025/26 · Work backwards from your desired take-home pay
Your Target
£
%
Summary
Required Gross£53,531.99
Monthly Gross£4,461.00
Monthly Net£3,333.33
Effective Rate25.3%
💡 Use this when negotiating a salary or planning a job move — enter your desired take-home and find the gross salary to ask for.
Required Gross Salary
£53,531.99
per year
£4,461.00 per month
Your Target Take-Home
£40,000.00
per year
£3,333.33 per month
Monthly Gross
£4,461.00
Monthly Net
£3,333.33
Weekly Net
£769.23
Effective Rate
25.3%
Item
% of Total
Annually (£)
Monthly (£)
Weekly (£)
Daily (£)
Required Gross Salary
100%
53,531.99
4,461.00
1,029.46
205.89
Pension
5%
2,676.60
223.05
51.47
10.29
Income Tax
15%
7,774.16
647.85
149.50
29.90
National Insurance
6%
3,081.24
256.77
59.25
11.85
Your Target Net
75%
40,000.00
3,333.33
769.23
153.85
Required Salary Calculator UK — What Gross Salary Do You Need?
Most salary calculators tell you what you take home from a given gross salary. This required salary calculator works in reverse: you enter the net take-home pay you want, and the calculator tells you the gross salary you need to ask for. This is an essential tool for salary negotiation, job offer evaluation, and financial planning. Whether you are moving to a new role, negotiating a pay rise, or trying to work out if you can afford a new lifestyle, this reverse tax calculator gives you the gross figure you need to quote — accounting for Income Tax, National Insurance, pension contributions, and student loan repayments.
Net to Gross Salary Calculator — How the Reverse Calculation Works
Converting a net salary to gross is more complex than the reverse, because the tax and NI deductions are themselves a function of the gross salary — creating a circular dependency. The calculator uses an iterative approach to solve this: it starts with an estimate of the required gross, calculates the resulting net, then adjusts the gross up or down until the net matches your target. The table below shows the required gross salary for common take-home pay targets in England/Wales (2025/26, no student loan, 5% pension).
Target Net (Annual)
Target Net (Monthly)
Required Gross
Effective Rate
£18,000
£1,500
£22,400
19.6%
£24,000
£2,000
£30,800
22.1%
£30,000
£2,500
£39,600
24.2%
£36,000
£3,000
£48,600
25.9%
£40,000
£3,333
£55,200
27.5%
£50,000
£4,167
£72,000
30.6%
£60,000
£5,000
£90,500
33.7%
Salary Negotiation Calculator UK — Using Gross Figures Confidently
When negotiating a salary in the UK, employers always quote gross figures. Knowing the gross salary you need to achieve your desired take-home pay puts you in a much stronger negotiating position. For example, if you currently take home £2,500 per month and want to increase that to £3,000 per month, you do not simply ask for £6,000 more — because the additional gross income is taxed at your marginal rate. If you are a Basic Rate taxpayer (20% tax + 8% NI = 28% combined), you need approximately £8,333 more in gross salary to achieve £6,000 more in net pay. If you are a Higher Rate taxpayer (40% tax + 2% NI = 42% combined), you need approximately £10,345 more in gross salary. Use the calculator above to find your exact figure.
What Salary Do I Need in the UK? — Cost of Living Benchmarks
Understanding the gross salary you need starts with knowing your monthly expenses. The table below provides rough benchmarks for common living situations in the UK. These are illustrative — your actual costs will depend on location, lifestyle, and personal circumstances.
Living Situation
Est. Monthly Costs
Required Net (Annual)
Required Gross (est.)
Shared house, outside London
£1,200–£1,600
£14,400–£19,200
£18,000–£24,000
Solo renter, regional city
£1,800–£2,400
£21,600–£28,800
£27,500–£37,000
Solo renter, London
£2,500–£3,500
£30,000–£42,000
£39,000–£57,000
Homeowner with mortgage
£2,000–£3,000
£24,000–£36,000
£30,500–£47,000
Family (2 adults, 2 children)
£3,500–£5,000
£42,000–£60,000
£57,000–£85,000
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate the gross salary I need for a target net pay?
The reverse tax calculation is iterative: you estimate a gross salary, calculate the resulting net pay (after Income Tax, NI, pension, and student loan), then adjust the gross until the net matches your target. Our calculator does this automatically. As a rough rule of thumb, divide your target net by 0.72 for a Basic Rate taxpayer, or by 0.58 for a Higher Rate taxpayer, to get an approximate gross figure.
What gross salary do I need to take home £2,000 per month?
To take home £2,000 per month (£24,000 per year) in England/Wales with a 5% pension contribution and no student loan, you need a gross salary of approximately £30,800 per year. Without a pension contribution, the required gross is approximately £29,500. Use the calculator above for your exact figure based on your specific circumstances.
Does the required salary calculator account for pension contributions?
Yes. Pension contributions reduce your taxable income, which means you need a slightly higher gross salary to achieve the same net pay compared to someone with no pension. However, the pension contribution itself builds your retirement savings, so the 'cost' of the pension in terms of reduced take-home is less than the contribution amount — because you save tax on the contribution.
How do I use this calculator when negotiating a salary?
Enter the monthly take-home pay you want to achieve, select your student loan plan and pension contribution percentage, and the calculator will show you the gross annual salary to request. You can then go into salary negotiations with a specific gross figure that you know will deliver your desired net pay. Remember that employers may also offer non-salary benefits (pension matching, healthcare, etc.) that affect your overall compensation.