Free · nothing leaves your browser
Tax code checker
What your code means in plain English, the tax-free allowance it implies, and a 2026/27 estimate of whether HMRC is taking too much, or too little, from your pay.
Your code is on your payslip, P45, P60 or in your HMRC personal tax account. This check assumes the salary you enter is the only income on this code, and compares income tax only (National Insurance is not affected by tax codes).
Difference vs the expected code
£0
a year — your code charges what we'd expect
Likely fine
Your code charges roughly the same tax as the code HMRC would normally issue for this salary on its own.
- Tax-free pay under your code£12,570
- Expected code for this salary alone1257L
- Income tax under your code£4,486
- Under the expected code£4,486
The standard code for most people with one job or pension: the full Personal Allowance of £12,570 is tax-free, spread evenly across the year.
A guide, not advice: only HMRC can confirm your code. Want the full picture of what lands in your account? Take-home pay calculator.
Common questions
- What does tax code 1257L mean?
- 1257L is the standard code for most people with one job or pension in 2026/27. The number times ten is your tax-free Personal Allowance (£12,570) and the L means you get the standard allowance, spread evenly across each payday. If your code is different, something is adjusting it: benefits in kind, untaxed income, owed tax or a transferred allowance.
- Why is my tax code wrong?
- The usual suspects: starting a new job without a P45 (you get an emergency code), having two jobs or pensions (the allowance can end up in the wrong place, or doubled up), company benefits like a car or medical insurance changing mid-year, or HMRC collecting tax owed from a previous year. Codes are HMRC's best guess from the data employers send; when your circumstances change faster than the data, the code lags.
- What does a K tax code mean?
- K codes work in reverse. Instead of tax-free pay, the number times ten is added to your taxable pay, because you have untaxed income (company benefits, state pension, or owed tax) worth more than your Personal Allowance. K codes are often correct, but check the income behind the number in your personal tax account. Payroll can never take more than half of your pre-tax pay under a K code.
- What is emergency tax and how do I get off it?
- Codes ending W1, M1 or X are emergency, non-cumulative codes: each payday is taxed in isolation rather than over the year so far, which often means overpaying after a job change. They usually fix themselves once your employer sends HMRC your details (give your new employer your P45 or starter checklist). Tax overpaid in earlier months only comes back once you are on a cumulative code.
- How do I fix my tax code with HMRC?
- Check the breakdown in your personal tax account at gov.uk (or the HMRC app), where you can update wrong employment, benefit or income details directly. If something still looks off, call HMRC's Income Tax helpline on 0300 200 3300. Your employer cannot change your code; they can only apply what HMRC sends them.
- Will HMRC refund overpaid tax automatically?
- Usually yes, eventually. Within the tax year, a corrected cumulative code refunds the overpayment through your next payslip. After the year ends, HMRC reconciles everyone's PAYE and sends a P800 letter if you overpaid, typically between June and November. But that can be over a year after the money left your payslip, which is why catching a wrong code early is worth the five minutes.
Once your code is right, the take-home pay calculator shows exactly what lands in your account each month, and if a bonus is coming, the bonus tax calculator shows how much of it you keep.