Payslip Generator
Produce a payslip for an employee with PAYE tax, National Insurance, pension and student loan deductions shown.
A UK payslip must show gross pay, each deduction (income tax, National Insurance, pension and student loan), net pay and, where pay varies by time worked, the hours. For 2026/27 employees pay 8% National Insurance on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270 a year and 2% above, and tax code 1257L gives a £12,570 tax-free allowance.
Payslip preview
Payslip
Monthly pay. Tax year 2026/27.
Employer
Employee
Employee
Tax details
Tax code 1257L (week 1 / month 1)
NI category A
Student loan: None
Payments
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Basic pay | £0.00 |
| Gross pay | £0.00 |
Deductions
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| PAYE income tax | £0.00 |
| Employee National Insurance | £0.00 |
| Total deductions | £0.00 |
Net pay
£0.00
Employer costs (not deducted from pay)
This payslip was produced on a non-cumulative basis; year to date figures are not shown.
Figures are an estimate on a week 1 / month 1 basis from the 2026/27 rates. Check them against your payroll software before issuing.
Rates used for 2026/27
| Threshold | Annual | Monthly | Weekly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower earnings limit | £6,708 | £559 | £129 |
| Primary threshold (employee NI starts) | £12,570 | £1,048 | £242 |
| Secondary threshold (employer NI starts) | £5,000 | £417 | £96 |
| Upper earnings limit | £50,270 | £4,189 | £967 |
| Rate | Value |
|---|---|
| Employee, primary threshold to upper earnings limit | 8% |
| Employee, above the upper earnings limit | 2% |
| Employer, above the secondary threshold | 15% |
| Plan | Annual | Monthly | Weekly | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plan 1 | £26,900 | £2,241.67 | £517.31 | 9% |
| Plan 2 | £29,385 | £2,448.75 | £565.10 | 9% |
| Plan 4 (Scotland) | £33,795 | £2,816.25 | £649.90 | 9% |
| Plan 5 | £25,000 | £2,083.33 | £480.77 | 9% |
| Postgraduate loan | £21,000 | £1,750.00 | £403.85 | 6% |
| Age band | Hourly rate |
|---|---|
| 21 and over (National Living Wage) | £12.71 |
| 18 to 20 | £10.85 |
| Under 18 | £8.00 |
| Apprentice | £8.00 |
Source: GOV.UK: Payslips; HMRC: Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027. Last updated .
How to use the payslip generator
What must a payslip legally show?
- Gross pay before deductions
- Each variable deduction, with the amount and what it is for
- Fixed deductions, either itemised or covered by a separate standing statement
- Net pay and how it is paid, for example by bank transfer
- The number of hours paid, where pay varies with time worked
Employees and workers must receive it on or before payday, on paper or electronically. Most employers also print the tax code, National Insurance number, pay period and year-to-date totals, and this generator includes all of them.
How is PAYE tax worked out on a payslip?
Tax code 1257L spreads the £12,570 personal allowance across the year, £1,048.00 a month. Pay above that is taxed at 20% until the higher rate band starts. National Insurance is 8% of pay between £1,048.00 and £4,189.00 a month and 2% above. Auto-enrolment pension contributions are at least 5% from the employee on earnings above £520.00 a month.
| Line | Working | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | £2,500.00 | |
| Income tax | (£2,500.00 − £1,048.00) × 20% | −£270.60 |
| Employee NI | (£2,500.00 − £1,048.00) × 8% | −£116.16 |
| Pension | (£2,500.00 − £520.00) × 5% | −£99.00 |
| Net pay | £2,014.24 |
What does the employer pay on top?
Employer National Insurance at 15% on pay above £5,000 a year (£417.00 a month), which is £312.45 in the example, plus a minimum 3% pension contribution. Eligible employers can set the first £10,500 of employer National Insurance each year against the Employment Allowance. The employer figures appear in the generator’s summary but not on the employee’s payslip.
How are student loan deductions shown?
Choose the plan on the employee’s starter checklist. Plan 1 starts at £26,900 a year, Plan 2 at £29,385, Plan 4 at £33,795 and Plan 5 at £25,000, all at 9% of pay above the threshold; postgraduate loans take 6% above £21,000.
Does this replace payroll software?
No. It produces the payslip document and the sums behind it, but you must still report every payment to HMRC through RTI on or before payday and pay the tax and National Insurance due. Directors paid a £12,570 salary can check the figures against the dividend vs salary calculator.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I work out net pay from gross pay?
- Take off income tax, employee National Insurance, pension and any student loan, in that order. On £2,500 a month with tax code 1257L and a 5% pension, the deductions are £270.60, £116.16 and £99.00, leaving £2,014.24. The generator shows each line so the employee can check it.
- What is tax code 1257L?
- It is the standard code for 2026/27 and means the employee gets the full £12,570 personal allowance spread across the year. Other codes change the allowance, for example because of benefits in kind or a second job. Use the code on the employee’s P45 or HMRC notice, not the standard one by default.
- Do I have to give payslips to casual or part-time staff?
- Yes. Every employee and worker is entitled to an itemised payslip on or before payday, including part-time, zero-hours and temporary staff. For hourly paid staff it must show the hours paid. Self-employed contractors are not entitled to one; they invoice you instead.
- When does National Insurance start?
- Employees pay 8% on earnings above £12,570 a year, which is £1,048.00 a month. Earnings between £6,708 and that threshold pay nothing but still count towards state pension. The employer’s contribution starts lower, at £5,000 a year.
- Can I use this for a director’s payslip?
- Yes. Directors’ National Insurance is normally worked out on an annual basis rather than monthly, so a director paid evenly through the year gets the same result. If pay is uneven, for example a single bonus payment, check the year-to-date figures against your payroll software before relying on a single month.
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Read next
- How to invoice as a sole traderA step by step guide to writing, numbering, sending and chasing invoices as a UK sole trader, with a worked example.
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Cite this page: “Payslip Generator”, SoleKit, https://solekit.co.uk/payslip-generator