UK Umbrella Company Take-Home Pay Calculator 2026/27 (day rate to net pay)

How much of my agency day rate do I actually keep?

Enter the day rate your agency pays the umbrella. You get the umbrella margin, employer National Insurance and Apprenticeship Levy taken out first, then your income tax and National Insurance, your take-home pay per day, week and month, what a bigger margin costs you, and the day rate you need to reach a target.

A first read written from published 2026/27 rates (frozen income tax thresholds, employer NI 15% over £5,000) without a live lookup. Rates change at each Budget; confirm the current text. Not tax advice.

Agency day rate paid to the umbrella (£)

Days worked per week

Weeks worked per year

Umbrella margin per week (£)

Employer pension (% of gross pay)

Student loan

Target annual take-home (£, optional)

Enter your day rate, then click Work out my take-home pay. Weeks default to 46, days to 5, margin to £25 and employer pension to 3%.

Result

The numbers

Item	Per year	Per month

What to do

Step	What it means

What it does, and what it leaves to you

Covers: an agency worker paid through an umbrella company in England, Wales or Northern Ireland on a standard tax code: umbrella margin, employer National Insurance, Apprenticeship Levy, optional employer pension, income tax with the personal allowance taper, employee National Insurance and Student Loan Plans 1, 2, 4 and 5.
Gives: gross pay and take-home pay per year, month, week and day worked, the cost of the margin, and the day rate needed for a target take-home.
Not decided: Scottish tax bands, other tax codes, expenses or extra fees, Postgraduate Loan, weekly tax timing, and anything that changed after this was written.

Common questions

How much of my day rate do I keep through an umbrella company?

On a £400 day rate, 5 days a week for 46 weeks, with a £25 weekly margin and a 3% employer pension, you keep roughly 60% of what the agency pays: about £55,400 a year, or £241 per day worked. Employer National Insurance of 15% is the biggest deduction, followed by income tax and your own National Insurance.

What is employer National Insurance and why does it come out of my day rate?

Because the umbrella is your employer, it pays 15% National Insurance on your gross pay above £5,000 a year. The agency pays the umbrella one fixed rate, so employer NI, the Apprenticeship Levy, any employer pension and the umbrella margin are taken from it before your gross pay is worked out.

What is a normal umbrella company margin?

Most umbrellas charge a flat weekly fee, commonly around £20 to £30 a week, though some charge more. Ask what it covers, and check for enrolment, exit or insurance fees on top.

Is holiday pay included?

Yes. Your gross pay includes 12.07% holiday pay, which the umbrella accrues or pays with each week. It is part of what you take home over the year, so the totals here do not change whether you take it as you go or when you take leave.

Is an umbrella company better than a limited company?

It depends on your pay and whether IR35 applies. An umbrella is simple but costs you employer NI, so at higher pay a personal service company can keep more of the day rate, with accountancy costs and IR35 risk. Use the sole trader vs limited company and IR35 calculators to compare.

Is my data uploaded anywhere?

No. Everything is calculated in your browser and nothing is sent.