# Wealthfare

> Free UK money tools. Take the Money Health Check, get your score and a ranked action plan, then fix each item with our free calculators.

Wealthfare is a free UK personal-finance site. Every calculator runs client-side
in the browser, collects no personal data, and is free to use. Figures are
updated each tax year. Content is guidance and education, not regulated
financial advice.

## Topic hubs
- [Income & tax](https://wealthfare.co.uk/income-tax)
- [Savings & pensions](https://wealthfare.co.uk/savings-pensions)
- [Home & mortgages](https://wealthfare.co.uk/home-mortgages)
- [Budgeting & debt](https://wealthfare.co.uk/budgeting-debt)

## Calculators and tools
- [Take-home pay calculator](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/take-home-pay): What your salary actually pays after tax, NI, pension and student loan.
- [Emergency fund calculator](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/emergency-fund): Your target buffer in pounds, and how long it will take to build.
- [Debt payoff planner](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/debt-payoff): Avalanche vs snowball: when you will be clear, and the interest you save.
- [Mortgage overpayment calculator](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/mortgage-overpayment): What an extra monthly payment does to your term and total interest.
- [Savings goal planner](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/savings-goal): Turn an amount and a date into the monthly number that gets you there.
- [Pension contribution checker](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/pension-contributions): What your match is worth, and what raising contributions costs you in real take-home.
- [ISA and savings rate checker](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/isa-savings): What your idle cash earns now vs a competitive rate, in pounds per year.
- [Compound interest calculator](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/compound-interest): What investing monthly grows into over 10, 20, 30 years.
- [Budget planner](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/budget-planner): Split your take-home into needs, wants and savings with the 50/30/20 rule.
- [Subscription audit](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/subscription-audit): Add up your subscriptions, see the yearly total, and find the ones you forgot.
- [Income protection guide](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/protection-guide): What happens if you cannot work, and the cheapest ways to cover the gap.
- [Student loan repayment calculator](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/student-loan): What comes out of your payslip on every plan, and when the loan is written off.
- [Bonus tax calculator](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/bonus-tax): What you keep of a bonus after tax, NI and student loan, including the 60% trap.
- [Stamp duty calculator](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/stamp-duty): SDLT band by band: first-time buyer, moving home or additional property.
- [Mortgage affordability calculator](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/mortgage-affordability): What you could borrow and the price range to shop in, stress test included.
- [Salary sacrifice calculator](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/salary-sacrifice): What giving up salary for pension really costs your take-home, with the NI bonus.
- [Self-employed tax calculator](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/self-employed-tax): Income tax, Class 4 NI and payments on account from your trading profit.
- [Dividend tax calculator](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/dividend-tax): Salary plus dividends: what a limited company director actually keeps.
- [Capital gains tax calculator](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/capital-gains-tax): CGT on shares or property, with the £3,000 allowance and band-by-band rates.
- [Rent vs buy calculator](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/rent-vs-buy): Year by year, which builds more wealth: renting and investing, or buying.
- [Childcare cost calculator](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/childcare-costs): Free hours and Tax-Free Childcare: your real monthly nursery bill in England.
- [Mortgage repayment calculator](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/mortgage-repayment): Your monthly payment, total interest, and the year-by-year balance on any mortgage.
- [Remortgage calculator](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/remortgage): Whether switching deals saves money after the arrangement fee and any exit charge.
- [Pension drawdown calculator](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/pension-drawdown): How long your pot lasts at a given income, with growth and inflation built in.
- [UK inflation calculator](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/inflation): What money from any year is worth today, using official UK inflation data.
- [Net worth calculator](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/net-worth): Everything you own minus everything you owe, broken down and easy to track.
- [State pension top-up calculator](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/state-pension-top-up): Whether buying missing National Insurance years pays for itself, and how fast.
- [Tax code checker](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/tax-code-checker): What your tax code means, and whether HMRC is taking too much from your pay.
- [Loan repayment calculator](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/loan-repayment): Monthly cost and total interest on a personal loan, and what overpaying saves.
- [Credit card minimum payment calculator](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/credit-card-minimum): How long minimum payments really take to clear a card, and the fix that saves years.
- [Life insurance needs calculator](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/life-insurance-needs): How much cover your family would actually need, built from your debts and income.
- [Maternity and paternity pay calculator](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/maternity-pay): Your month-by-month income through parental leave, SMP and employer top-ups included.
- [Redundancy pay calculator](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/redundancy-pay): Your statutory entitlement, the tax-free £30,000, and what the package pays after tax.
- [Pay rise calculator](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/pay-rise): What a raise is really worth each month after tax, and the traps that shrink it.
- [Lifetime ISA calculator](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/lisa): What the 25% bonus is worth by your buying date, and the real cost of withdrawing early.
- [Car finance calculator](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/car-finance): PCP, HP or a loan: the true total cost of each way to pay for the same car.
- [Benefits entitlement checker](https://wealthfare.co.uk/tools/benefits-checker): Universal Credit, child benefit and childcare support: what your household could claim.

## Guides
- [How much emergency fund do I need?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/how-much-emergency-fund): The three-to-six-months rule explained properly: what counts as essential spending, when three months is enough, and where to keep the money.
- [Subscription creep: why you pay for things you forgot](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/subscription-creep): Why subscriptions pile up unnoticed, the trick of multiplying by twelve, a fifteen-minute audit method, and cancel versus negotiate.
- [Is paying more into my pension worth it?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/increase-pension-contributions): What an extra 1% really costs your take-home after tax relief, why the employer match beats everything else, and when to hold off.
- [How is my salary actually taxed in the UK?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/how-salary-is-taxed): Personal allowance, income tax bands and National Insurance explained with real 2026/27 numbers, plus the 62% trap above £100,000.
- [Avalanche vs snowball: which debt do I pay off first?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/avalanche-vs-snowball): Avalanche saves the most interest, snowball keeps you motivated. A worked example with real figures shows when each method wins.
- [Should I overpay my mortgage or save instead?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/overpay-mortgage-or-save): Compare your mortgage rate against your savings rate after tax, check overpayment limits and ERCs, and decide which wins for you.
- [How much should I save each month?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/how-much-to-save-each-month): The 20% rule explained, the priority order that beats it, paying yourself first, and what to do when 20% is out of reach.
- [Cash ISA vs savings account: which pays more?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/cash-isa-vs-savings-account): When a cash ISA beats an ordinary savings account: the personal savings allowance, the £20,000 limit, and why the rate matters most.
- [How compound interest actually works](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/compound-interest-explained): Growth on growth, why starting early beats paying in more, the rule of 72, and worked 10, 20 and 30 year examples in pounds.
- [Does the 50/30/20 rule work in the UK?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/50-30-20-rule-uk): What the 50/30/20 budget rule means in pounds, where it breaks (London rent, low incomes), and how to adapt the split honestly.
- [Should I pay off my student loan early?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/pay-off-student-loan-early): Why a UK student loan behaves like a tax, not a debt: write-off dates per plan, who actually clears it, and what beats overpaying.
- [Why is my bonus taxed so much?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/why-is-my-bonus-taxed-so-much): Why a bonus is taxed at your highest rate, why the payslip looks even worse, the 60% trap, and how bonus sacrifice avoids it all.
- [How much stamp duty do first-time buyers pay?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/stamp-duty-first-time-buyers): First-time buyer stamp duty for 2026/27: nothing up to £300,000, 5% to £500,000, the relief cliff above that, and who qualifies.
- [Is salary sacrifice worth it?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/is-salary-sacrifice-worth-it): Why salary sacrifice beats a normal pension contribution, what £100 in your pot really costs, and the three catches to check.
- [How do I get emergency tax back?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/how-to-get-emergency-tax-back): What the X, W1 and M1 codes mean, how much extra you are paying, and the two routes to getting the money back.
- [Why is my tax code BR?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/why-is-my-tax-code-br): BR taxes every pound at 20% with no allowance. When that is right, when it is a payroll mistake, and how to fix it.
- [Do you pay more tax on a second job?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/second-job-tax): There is no second-job tax rate. How allowances and codes actually split across jobs, and what your combined take-home really is.
- [How much can you earn from a side hustle before paying tax?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/side-hustle-tax): The £1,000 trading allowance for Vinted, eBay and Etsy sellers, when platforms report you to HMRC, and when Self Assessment kicks in.
- [Do I pay tax on savings interest?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/tax-on-savings-interest): The personal savings allowance by tax band, why frozen thresholds drag more savers in, and when an ISA beats a higher headline rate.
- [How much pension do I need to retire at 60?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/pension-to-retire-at-60): Realistic pot sizes for retiring at 60, the seven-year gap before the state pension, and how to test your own number.
- [Can I take 25% of my pension tax-free at 55?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/pension-tax-free-lump-sum): Yes, within limits. The lump sum cap, the age rising to 57 in 2028, and the emergency-tax trap on first withdrawals.
- [What happens to my pension when I die?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/pension-when-you-die): Who gets your pot, how age 75 changes the tax, and the expression-of-wish form most people never complete.
- [What happens when my fixed rate mortgage ends?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/fixed-rate-mortgage-ending): You roll onto the SVR and the payment jumps. The three exits, the six-month timeline, and how to price each option.
- [How much mortgage can I get on a £40,000 salary?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/mortgage-on-40k-salary): The income multiples lenders actually use, what affordability checks knock off, and your realistic price range on £40k.
- [Should I overpay the mortgage or pay into my pension?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/overpay-mortgage-or-pension): The maths usually favours the pension, the psychology often favours the mortgage. How to compare them honestly for your numbers.
- [How much deposit do I need to buy a house?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/house-deposit-how-much): 5% gets you in, 10% gets better rates. What deposits unlock at each step and how long yours will take to save.
- [What happens if you only pay the minimum on your credit card?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/credit-card-minimum-payment-trap): Decades of payments and thousands in interest, by design. Why minimums shrink, and the one change that saves years.
- [Should I still claim child benefit if I earn over £60k?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/child-benefit-over-60k): Almost always yes. How the charge tapers to £80k, why claiming protects your state pension, and the pension trick that keeps it.
- [PCP or HP: which is better for car finance?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/pcp-vs-hp): PCP is cheaper monthly, HP ends with you owning the car. Which wins depends on what you do at the end; here is the honest comparison.
- [Why has my tax code changed?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/why-has-my-tax-code-changed): The five common triggers, from benefits in kind to underpayment clawbacks, and how to check the new code before it costs you months of wrong tax.
- [Am I due a tax refund from HMRC?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/am-i-due-a-tax-refund): The situations that create PAYE overpayments, how P800 letters work, and how to claim without paying a fee-charging agent.
- [What happens to my tax when I earn over £100k?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/earning-over-100k): The 60% trap, the childcare cliff, surprise Self Assessment, and how pension contributions claw your allowance back.
- [Do I pay capital gains tax when I sell my house?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/cgt-when-selling-house): Not on your main home, thanks to Private Residence Relief. The exceptions that catch people, and the 60-day reporting deadline.
- [ISA or pension: which is better?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/isa-or-pension): Pension wins on tax relief and the employer match, ISA wins on access. The order of operations that uses both properly.
- [Should I consolidate my pensions into one pot?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/consolidate-pensions): Usually yes for old high-fee DC pots, almost never for defined benefit. The fee-drag maths and a lost-pot tracing checklist.
- [How much state pension will I get with 20 years of NI?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/state-pension-20-years): The 35ths formula made concrete: what 10 to 35 qualifying years each pay, and when buying missing years is worth it.
- [Are premium bonds worth it?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/are-premium-bonds-worth-it): What median luck actually returns at each holding size, and who genuinely beats a savings account by holding them.
- [Can I retire at 60 with £500k?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/retire-at-60-with-500k): Roughly £20k to £25k a year sustainably, more once the state pension arrives. The drawdown maths behind the answer.
- [Should I fix my mortgage for 2 or 5 years?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/fix-mortgage-2-or-5-years): Certainty versus flexibility, what the rate gap between the two fixes is really pricing, and which suits your plans.
- [When should I start remortgaging before my fix ends?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/when-to-start-remortgaging): Six months out. Why the window matters, how rate locks work, and the do-nothing cost of rolling onto the SVR.
- [Can I port my mortgage to a new house?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/can-i-port-my-mortgage): Porting moves your rate, not your loan. How re-approval works, topping up at a second rate, and when porting beats paying the ERC.
- [How much can I overpay my mortgage without penalty?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/overpay-mortgage-without-penalty): The usual 10% a year allowance, how lenders count it, what early repayment charges cost if you cross the line.
- [Does Klarna affect your credit score?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/does-klarna-affect-credit-score): Buy-now-pay-later now reports to credit agencies. What lenders see, what hurts, and how BNPL reads on a mortgage application.
- [Is 30 hours free childcare actually free?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/is-30-hours-free-childcare-actually-free): Term-time only, top-up fees, and the £100k cliff. What the funded hours really cover and how to work out your true bill.
- [Do I need to file a Self Assessment tax return?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/do-i-need-to-file-a-tax-return): Who has to file a Self Assessment return: self-employment over £1,000, the High Income Child Benefit Charge, untaxed income and capital gains, plus the deadlines.
- [How much National Insurance do I pay?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/how-much-national-insurance-do-i-pay): National Insurance in 2026/27: employees pay 8% on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270 and 2% above, worked out per pay period, with a real worked example.
- [Can I claim Marriage Allowance and how much is it worth?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/marriage-allowance-explained): Marriage Allowance lets a non-taxpayer transfer £1,260 of personal allowance to a basic-rate partner, worth up to £252 a year and backdatable four years.
- [How do I claim higher-rate pension tax relief?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/higher-rate-pension-tax-relief): Relief-at-source pensions only add 20% automatically. Higher and additional-rate taxpayers must claim the extra 20% or 25% back, and can backdate four years.
- [Is overtime taxed more in the UK?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/is-overtime-taxed-more): There is no special overtime tax rate. Overtime is taxed at your marginal rate; a heavy overtime month can look over-taxed because PAYE annualises, then it evens out.
- [How much company car tax will I pay?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/company-car-tax-explained): Company car tax is P11D value times a benefit-in-kind percentage times your tax rate. Why electric cars are taxed at 4%, petrol at 30%+, and how it hits your tax code.
- [How much income tax do I pay in Scotland?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/scottish-income-tax-explained): Scotland has six income tax bands, not three, and they diverge from the rest of the UK above about £30,000. A worked £50,000 comparison and who counts as a Scottish taxpayer.
- [How is rental income taxed?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/tax-on-rental-income): Rental profit is taxed at your marginal rate. The £1,000 property allowance, allowable expenses, the 20% mortgage-interest credit and the Making Tax Digital timeline for landlords.
- [What is a P60 and what do I do with it?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/what-is-a-p60): A P60 is your year-end summary of pay and tax, issued by 31 May. How it differs from a P45 and P11D, what to check on it, and why you keep it for refunds and applications.
- [How does the High Income Child Benefit Charge work?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/high-income-child-benefit-charge): The charge claws back Child Benefit at 1% for every £200 of adjusted net income over £60,000, gone entirely at £80,000. How it is collected and how pensions cut it.
- [How much do I need to retire comfortably in the UK?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/how-much-to-retire-comfortably-uk): The PLSA retirement living standards for 2026: what minimum, moderate and comfortable cost a year, the pension pot behind each, and how to find your own number.
- [Cash ISA vs stocks and shares ISA: which is better?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/cash-isa-vs-stocks-and-shares-isa): Cash ISAs are safe and predictable, stocks and shares ISAs grow more over time but fall along the way. How to choose by your time horizon, not by the label.
- [Lifetime ISA vs pension: which is better for me?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/lifetime-isa-vs-pension): The LISA gives a 25% bonus up to £1,000 a year; a pension gives bigger tax relief and employer money. When each one wins, and why most people use both.
- [Annuity vs drawdown: which is right for you?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/annuity-vs-drawdown): Annuities give guaranteed income for life, drawdown keeps your pot invested and flexible. How the two compare in 2026, the risks of each, and why many blend them.
- [How many ISAs can I have? (2026/27 rules)](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/how-many-isas-can-i-have): Since April 2024 you can pay into multiple ISAs of the same type in one year. The four types, the single £20,000 allowance, the LISA sub-limit and transfers explained.
- [Junior ISAs explained: allowance, rules and how they work](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/junior-isa-explained): A Junior ISA lets you save up to £9,000 a year tax-free for a child. Cash vs stocks and shares, who can open one, when the child gets the money, and a worked example.
- [SIPP vs workplace pension: should you have both?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/sipp-vs-workplace-pension): Workplace pensions give you free employer money you should never refuse; a SIPP gives you investment choice. How to use both, and when to consolidate.
- [Pension annual allowance and carry forward explained](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/pension-annual-allowance-carry-forward): The £60,000 annual allowance, how carry forward lets you use up to three unused years, the taper for high earners, and the £10,000 MPAA trap.
- [Defined benefit vs defined contribution pensions: what's the difference?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/defined-benefit-vs-defined-contribution): Defined benefit pays a guaranteed income for life; defined contribution builds a pot you invest and bear the risk on. How to tell which you have.
- [Regular saver accounts: how they work and are they worth it?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/regular-saver-accounts-explained): Regular savers advertise big rates like 7%, but interest builds on each monthly deposit, so the real return over the year is roughly half the headline.
- [Workplace pensions and auto-enrolment: how do they work?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/auto-enrolment-explained): Employers must auto-enrol eligible staff into a pension: minimum 8% total, with 3% from the employer. Why opting out throws away free money.
- [How much can I borrow for a mortgage?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/how-much-can-i-borrow-mortgage): Most lenders start at about 4.5 times income, some stretch to 5 or 5.5, but the affordability test on your outgoings usually decides the real number.
- [Fixed, tracker or variable: which mortgage type is right?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/mortgage-types-fixed-tracker-variable): Fixed gives you a set payment, a tracker follows the base rate up and down, the SVR is usually the dearest, and a discount sits below it. When each one suits.
- [Mortgage in principle: what it is and how long it lasts](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/mortgage-agreement-in-principle): An agreement in principle is a lender's indicative yes based on a credit check, usually valid 30 to 90 days. It is not a guarantee, but you need one to make offers.
- [Self-employed mortgages: how many years of accounts do you need?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/self-employed-mortgage-uk): Most lenders want two years of accounts or SA302s, some accept one. How they assess sole traders and company directors, and how to strengthen your case.
- [How does a mortgage actually work? A UK beginner's guide](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/how-does-a-mortgage-work): A plain guide to how a UK mortgage works: deposit and LTV, term, capital and interest, fixed and variable rates, repayment versus interest-only, and missed payments.
- [What is LTV (loan-to-value) and how do I improve it?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/what-is-ltv-loan-to-value): LTV is your loan divided by the property value. Rates get cheaper as you cross the 90, 75 and 60 percent bands. How a bigger deposit or overpayments improve it.
- [Shared ownership explained: is it worth it?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/shared-ownership-explained): How buying a 25% to 75% share works, paying rent on the rest, staircasing to own more, service charges, resale rules, and when it beats renting or waiting.
- [Product transfer vs remortgage: which should you choose?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/product-transfer-vs-remortgage): A product transfer keeps your lender with no legals or affordability check; a remortgage moves lender for a possibly cheaper rate. When each one wins, with the numbers.
- [The true cost of buying a home: conveyancing and solicitor fees](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/conveyancing-costs-buying-a-house): Every buying cost beyond the deposit: solicitor fees, searches, Land Registry, bank transfer, survey and stamp duty, with a rough total on a typical UK purchase.
- [Gifted deposits: the rules, who can gift, and the gift letter](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/gifted-deposit-mortgage-rules): Most lenders accept a gifted deposit from close family with a signed gift letter. The letter, the money-laundering checks, and the inheritance-tax angle explained.
- [Leasehold vs freehold: what's the difference?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/leasehold-vs-freehold): Freehold means you own the land and building outright; leasehold means you own it for a term with ground rent, service charges and the sub-80-year lease trap.
- [Buying with a partner: joint tenants vs tenants in common](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/joint-tenants-vs-tenants-in-common): Joint tenants own the whole equally and it passes to the survivor; tenants in common hold defined shares that pass by will. Which suits couples, friends and unequal deposits.
- [How can I improve my credit score in the UK?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/how-to-improve-credit-score-uk): The moves that actually shift a UK credit score: register to vote, pay on time, keep utilisation under 30%, space out applications, and fix errors, plus how long it takes.
- [How does a UK credit score actually work?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/how-credit-scores-work-uk): There is no single UK credit score. Three agencies hold different files, every lender scores you their own way, and the number you see is not the one they use.
- [Am I eligible for Universal Credit and how much will I get?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/universal-credit-how-much-will-i-get): How Universal Credit is worked out in 2026/27: the standard allowance, the child, childcare and housing elements, the 55% earnings taper, and the £16,000 savings limit.
- [What benefits am I missing? Pension Credit, Council Tax Reduction and more](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/benefits-you-might-be-missing-uk): Billions in UK benefits go unclaimed each year. Pension Credit, Council Tax Reduction, PIP, Attendance Allowance, Carer's Allowance and Healthy Start, and how to check.
- [Is a debt consolidation loan a good idea?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/is-debt-consolidation-a-good-idea-uk): When a debt consolidation loan actually saves money and when it just hides the problem. The APR maths, the secured-loan trap, and when free debt advice beats a loan.
- [Struggling to pay council tax? Reductions and arrears help](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/council-tax-reduction-and-arrears-uk): How to cut a UK council tax bill with the single-person discount, Council Tax Reduction and disregards, plus what happens with arrears and how to get help fast.
- [DMP, IVA, bankruptcy or DRO: which UK debt solution is right?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/dmp-vs-iva-vs-bankruptcy-uk): DMP, IVA, DRO and bankruptcy compared for UK debts: how each works, what it costs, which ones bind your creditors, and where to get free debt advice first.
- [How do 0% balance transfer credit cards work?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/how-0-percent-balance-transfers-work): How 0% balance transfer cards work: moving existing card debt to a new card, the 1-4% transfer fee, clearing it inside the promo window, and using one well.
- [What is a CCJ and how do I get it removed?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/what-is-a-ccj-and-how-to-remove-it): What a CCJ is, how it reaches your credit file for six years, how to remove it by paying within one month, and how to set aside a wrongly issued judgment.
- [How much does an overdraft really cost?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/how-much-does-an-overdraft-cost-uk): What an overdraft really costs at a typical 39.9% EAR, how that compares to cards and loans, arranged versus unarranged, and how to clear a stuck overdraft.
- [What cost-of-living grants and hardship help can I get in 2026?](https://wealthfare.co.uk/guides/cost-of-living-grants-and-hardship-help-uk): Cost-of-living help in 2026/27: the new Crisis and Resilience Fund, charitable grants, energy and water hardship schemes, and interest-free budgeting advances.

## Life-event journeys
- [Having a baby](https://wealthfare.co.uk/journeys/having-a-baby): What parental leave actually pays, what childcare actually costs, and the cover and buffer that let you enjoy the year instead of fearing it.
- [Buying your first home](https://wealthfare.co.uk/journeys/buying-your-first-home): The deposit, the free government bonus, what you can actually borrow, the tax, and the payment you will live with. One step at a time.
- [New job or pay rise](https://wealthfare.co.uk/journeys/new-job-pay-rise): What the new number really pays after tax, the payslip checks that catch HMRC errors early, and how to bank the difference before lifestyle absorbs it.
- [Made redundant](https://wealthfare.co.uk/journeys/made-redundant): What the package actually pays, how many months it buys you, and the order to cut, check and protect while you find the next thing.
- [Retiring soon](https://wealthfare.co.uk/journeys/retiring-soon): Whether the pot lasts, the state pension gaps worth buying back, and the final accumulation moves that matter most in the last working decade.
- [Debt reset](https://wealthfare.co.uk/journeys/debt-reset): Face the full list once, kill the minimum-payment trap, find the money to attack with, and get a date when it is done.

## Data studies
- [Average UK salary](https://wealthfare.co.uk/average-uk-salary)
- [Average savings by age](https://wealthfare.co.uk/average-savings-by-age)
- [Average pension pot by age](https://wealthfare.co.uk/average-pension-pot-by-age)
- [Salary needed to live comfortably](https://wealthfare.co.uk/salary-to-live-comfortably-uk)
- [Income needed for the top 1% and 10%](https://wealthfare.co.uk/income-percentiles-uk)