Net to Gross Calculator
What gross salary do you need for your desired take-home pay? Enter your target net income and we'll calculate the required gross salary.
Target Take-Home Pay
Enter your desired net income for 2025/26
£2,500.00/month = £30,000/year
Required Gross Salary
To achieve £2,500.00/month take-home
Common Take-Home Pay Targets
Quick reference for popular monthly take-home amounts
Values are approximate. Actual amounts depend on pension contributions, student loans, and other deductions.
How Net to Gross Calculation Works
Why It's Complex
Unlike gross-to-net which is straightforward, net-to-gross requires reverse engineering multiple tax thresholds:
- • Personal Allowance (£12,570)
- • Basic Rate band (20%)
- • Higher Rate band (40%)
- • Additional Rate (45%)
- • National Insurance thresholds
- • Personal Allowance taper above £100k
Our Approach
Our calculator uses an iterative method:
- Start with an estimate based on your target
- Calculate the resulting net pay
- Adjust the gross up or down
- Repeat until we find the exact match
This ensures accuracy across all tax bands, including the complex 60% effective rate zone between £100k-£125k.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate gross salary from net pay?
To calculate gross from net, you need to work backwards through the tax system. Our calculator uses an iterative approach to find the exact gross salary that, after Income Tax and National Insurance deductions, equals your desired take-home pay.
What gross salary do I need for £2,500 net per month?
To take home £2,500 per month (£30,000 per year), you need a gross salary of approximately £38,000-£39,000 depending on your tax situation. This accounts for Income Tax and National Insurance deductions.
Why is there no simple formula for net to gross?
The UK tax system has multiple thresholds (Personal Allowance, Basic Rate, Higher Rate, Additional Rate) and the Personal Allowance tapers above £100k. National Insurance also has different rates at different levels. This makes a simple formula impossible - iterative calculation is required.
What gross salary gives £40,000 take-home pay?
To achieve £40,000 annual take-home pay in the UK, you need a gross salary of approximately £53,000-£54,000. At this level, you're in the Higher Rate tax band (40%) for some of your income.
When to Use This Calculator
Know exactly what gross salary to ask for to achieve your target monthly income.
If you need a specific amount each month, work backwards to find the salary needed.
Calculate equivalent day rates for contractors vs permanent salary equivalents.
When offers quote different bases, compare what gross you need for equal take-home.