UNDERSTAND YOUR NUMBERS

Inside IR35: Pay & Employment Costs

Understand employment taxes and distinguish assignment budgets from gross worker pay.

Tax year 2026/27 · Last verified · Methodology · Official sources

Identify the quoted rate

Ask whether the rate is assignment income or gross PAYE. Assignment income funds margin and employer costs before worker wages.

Check documents

Compare the agency key information document, umbrella reconciliation and payslip. Employer NI is a budget cost; employee NI is a gross-pay deduction.

Compare annually

Include gaps and eventual holiday payments. Weekly cash during an engagement is not a guaranteed annual income.

Use the relevant calculator

Worked example: £600/day

220 billable days give £132,000 revenue. These figures use the same engine as your comparison.

Inside IR35

£74,423 annual cash

£121,848 cash-equivalent salary

Outside IR35

£78,666 annual cash

£133,093 cash-equivalent salary

Make it yours

England, no loans or other income. Inside: assignment rate, no margin, levy or pension. Outside: £3,000 expenses, Personal Allowance salary, no pension or retained profit. Salary comparison: 5% employee and employer pension.

Compare with your salary

How this calculation works

Revenue is day rate multiplied by billable days. The shared engine applies payroll taxes inside IR35 and company plus personal taxes outside IR35. Equivalent salary and rate solvers match cash, cash plus pension or economic value.

Important assumptions

Annual estimates, England by default, no other income or student loan. Illustrations use £3,000 company expenses, no opening reserves and a 12-month accounting period. Pension, gross benefits and retained profit are not spendable cash.

Identify the quoted rate

Ask whether the rate is assignment income or gross PAYE. Assignment income funds margin and employer costs before worker wages.

Check documents

Compare the agency key information document, umbrella reconciliation and payslip. Employer NI is a budget cost; employee NI is a gross-pay deduction.

Compare annually

Include gaps and eventual holiday payments. Weekly cash during an engagement is not a guaranteed annual income.

Frequently asked questions

Is revenue the same as take-home?

No. Employment costs, expenses and taxes can apply before money reaches you. Pension and retained profit are separate.

Can this decide IR35 status?

ContractorMoney.co.uk does not determine IR35 employment status. We model financial consequences after you select a status.

Sources and review

Tax year 2026/27 · Last verified · Methodology · Official sources

ContractorMoney.co.uk does not determine IR35 employment status. Use HMRC's official status guidance. Estimates only, not tax, financial, legal, accounting or investment advice. Read the limitations.

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