Reverse Salary Calculator
Work backwards from your target take-home pay. Enter the amount you want to see in your bank account, and we'll tell you the gross salary you need to ask for.
Your target take-home
How to use the reverse calculator.
When negotiating a new job or a pay rise, you usually have a specific monthly figure in mind that you need to cover your bills, mortgage, and lifestyle. But employers negotiate based on Gross Salary.
This tool bridges that gap. By entering your required net take-home pay, we instantly reverse-calculate the exact gross salary you need to request during negotiations.
Common Scenarios
- Negotiating a Pay Rise: "I need an extra £300 a month to cover my new mortgage. What gross salary increase do I need to ask my boss for?"
- Job Hunting: "I won't move jobs for less than £4,000 take-home a month. What gross salary should I put on my CV as my expectation?"
- Self-Employed to PAYE: "I take home £3,500 from my business. If I go back to a permanent role, what gross salary matches that?"
Reverse tax questions answered.
What is a Reverse Salary Calculator?
A reverse salary calculator works backwards from your desired take-home pay to find the gross salary you need. Instead of typing in your gross salary to see what you'll get after tax, you type in the net amount you want in your bank account, and the calculator figures out the exact gross salary required.
Why is calculating net to gross so complicated?
UK income tax is not a flat rate. As your salary increases, you move through different tax bands (20%, 40%, 45%), lose your personal allowance (over £100k), and pay different rates of National Insurance. This makes working backwards algebraically very difficult. Our tool uses a binary search algorithm to test hundreds of salaries instantly to find the exact match.
Does this include National Insurance and Pension?
Yes. By default it calculates Income Tax and National Insurance. You can also open the Advanced Options to add Student Loan deductions, Pension contributions, or change your Tax Code. The required gross salary will update automatically.
Are these rates accurate for 2026/27?
Yes, this net-to-gross calculator is fully updated for the 2026/27 UK tax year, incorporating all current Income Tax and National Insurance thresholds.