TOOLS & GUIDES
Take-home target & freelance rate calculator.
Start with the money you want available for yourself. Add your business costs and the time you can realistically charge for, and we’ll work back to an illustrative income target and day or hourly rate. Free, private, no sign-up.
Start with your take-home
Get a day or hourly rate
See where the money goes
Part of:
Working for yourself
ASSUMPTIONS AND SCOPE
What the calculator covers, and what it doesn’t.
WHO IT’S FOR
UK sole traders and freelancers with only ordinary sole-trader income, UK tax resident and under State Pension age all year. Not limited companies, partnerships or a job alongside.
TAX YEAR
2026/27 only, including the Scottish Income Tax bands if you choose Scotland. A full-year illustration, not what to earn between today and 5 April.
WHAT’S ESTIMATED
Income Tax, Class 4 National Insurance, student loans and an optional relief-at-source pension, worked back from your target after costs, cash spending and any buffer.
REVENUE AND RATE
How much business revenue the plan needs, and the day or hourly rate that supports it at your billable capacity. A planning benchmark, not a recommended price.
SCENARIOS
Change your billable time, target, costs or pension and compare it against your starting plan, which stays put. You can also test a rate you have in mind.
NOT COVERED
VAT, cash-flow timing, payments on account, the £1,000 trading allowance, benefit interactions, losses, capital allowances, CIS deductions and basis periods.
This is an illustrative estimate based on what you enter and published rates. It is general information, not financial or tax advice, and it does not replace your Self Assessment calculation or an accountant. Tax treatment is subject to personal circumstances and may change in the future.
Model version v1
GUIDES TO HELP YOU EXPLORE
Read alongside the calculator.
NEXT STEP
Know your target? Now see what the tax bill looks like.
The sole trader tax & deadline planner has a different scope, so its estimate may differ from this illustration.
Try the tax planner