UNDERSTAND YOUR NUMBERS

Umbrella Assignment Rate vs Gross Pay

Understand why an assignment rate is not salary and read the employment-cost waterfall.

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

Two prices

Assignment income goes to the umbrella and funds employment costs. Gross PAYE is worker earnings before personal deductions.

Request reconciliation

Ask for fee, employer NI, pension, levy and holiday treatment. Check these against your documents.

Enter actual costs

No margin or levy is silently assumed. Use the provider's annualised fee and applicable employment costs.

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.

Two prices

Assignment income goes to the umbrella and funds employment costs. Gross PAYE is worker earnings before personal deductions.

Request reconciliation

Ask for fee, employer NI, pension, levy and holiday treatment. Check these against your documents.

Enter actual costs

No margin or levy is silently assumed. Use the provider's annualised fee and applicable employment costs.

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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