The Tax Guide: the UK Tax System Explained in Simple Terms | Free Tools

You deserve to understand exactly how your money works within the UK tax system, and our expert-written guides make even the most complex tax matters refreshingly simple. The Tax Guide is here to help.

Try our 6 free tools including the Income Tax Calculator, Tax Code Explainer, Self Assessment Helper, Stamp Duty Calculator and Inheritance Tax Checker to get instant personalised help.

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Allowable Expenses and Deductions

For those who incur personal costs as a result of their job, it can often seem that the rules regarding what can be counted as an expense are impenetrably co...

Claiming Tax Relief on Mileage

A considerable number of professions require employees to travel extensively. In the majority of cases, employers will pay their workers for the mileage that...

What Does Road Tax Pay For?

Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) is more commonly known as road tax and is a perpetual source of political contention. The majority of adults in the UK are either c...

What is My Tax Code?

Every taxpayer in the UK has a tax code. This short series of numbers and letters is used by whoever pays your income (whether that is an employer or a pensi...

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Latest Articles and Tools

Income Tax Calculator

Enter your salary and get a clear breakdown of your income tax, National Insurance, and take-home pay for the 2025/26 tax year. See exactly where your money goes.

Tax Code Explainer

Not sure what your tax code means? Enter it here and get a plain English explanation of what it means, whether it is correct, and what to do if it is wrong.

Junior ISAs: Tax Free Way to Save for Your Child

The axing of the Child Trust Fund was amongst the most controversial of the coalition government’s early moves. The Child Trust Fund (CTF) was a popular me...

Umbrella Companies: A Quick Start Guide

If you are a freelancer or contractor, the chances are you are well versed in the difficulties of the UK’s tax system. Those who are not in conventional em...

Tax on PPI Repayments: What Do I Need to Do?

Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) has become one of the most significant consumer scandals of recent years. The mis-selling of this form of insurance was wi...

Auto Enrolment: How Will it Affect Me?

Auto-enrolment constitutes one of the most significant changes to UK pension law in decades. The set of new rules, which come into force from October 2012, w...

Tax Efficient Alternatives to the Child Trust Fund

Everyone wants the best for their children or grandchildren. In the current economic climate, financial concerns are becoming particularly acute – and many...

Top 10 Self Assessment Tips

Self Assessment taxpayers bear a significant responsibility. While those who pay all their tax through PAYE have the luxury of leaving their tax affairs to s...

The Universal Credit: What Will it Mean for Me?

The Universal Credit marked one of the biggest ever shifts in the history of the welfare state. The introduction of this new system will result in the gradua...

What Happens if You Die Without Making a Will?

Intestacy is a major problem in Britain. A surprisingly large number of people die without making a will – indeed, surveys suggest that the majority of Bri...

How Will My Second Job Be Taxed?

Many people seem to think that second jobs are taxed at a higher rate. We have previously received questions regarding the tax treatment of a part-time job i...

I Couldn't Pay My Self Assessment: A Case Study

For many taxpayers, the annual Self Assessment tax bill comes as something of a shock. Many people fall in and out of self-employment, or have self-employed...

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