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2025/26 Tax Year

£550 Day Rate Take Home Pay

Calculate your exact take-home pay on a £550/day contractor rate inside IR35 or through an umbrella company.

£70,774
Annual Take-Home
£5,898
Monthly Take-Home
£308
Effective Day Rate
56%
Retention Rate

£550/Day by Working Pattern

PatternContract ValueAnnual Take-HomeMonthlyRetention
3 days/week£75,900£47,310£3,94362%
4 days/week£101,200£59,626£4,96959%
5 days/week£126,500£70,774£5,89856%
5 days (48 weeks)£132,000£72,512£6,04355%

Based on standard umbrella arrangement: £25/week margin, 3% employer pension, 0.5% apprenticeship levy, no student loan.

Customise Your Calculation

Contract Details

Enter your IR35/umbrella contract details

£/day

46 weeks = 6 weeks holiday/gap

£

Typically £20-£35 per week

£68,764
Annual Take-Home
£5,730
Monthly Take-Home
£299
Effective Day Rate
54.4%
Retention Rate

Full Breakdown (2025/26)

Annual Contract Value£126,500

£550/day × 5 days × 46 weeks

Umbrella & Employer Costs

Umbrella Margin-£1,150
Apprenticeship Levy (0.5%)-£627
Employer NI (15.0%)-£15,616
Employer Pension (3%)-£3,273
Holiday Pay Accrual (12.07%)+£15,054
Gross Salary (for PAYE)£105,834

Your Deductions (PAYE)

Income Tax-£27,757
Employee NI-£4,021
Employee Pension (5%)-£5,292
Annual Take-Home Pay£68,764
Monthly Take-Home£5,730

Understanding IR35 & Umbrella Companies

  • Inside IR35: You're treated as an employee for tax purposes
  • Employer NI: Comes out of your contract rate, not paid on top
  • Holiday Pay: Accrued at 12.07% (5.6 weeks ÷ 46.4 working weeks)
  • Umbrella Margin: Typically £20-35/week for admin and payroll
  • Apprenticeship Levy: 0.5% for umbrellas with pay bill over £3m

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the take home pay on a £550 day rate?

On a £550/day rate working 5 days a week for 46 weeks (inside IR35 or umbrella), your approximate take-home pay is £70,774 per year, or £5,898 per month. Your effective day rate after all deductions is approximately £308.

How much tax do I pay on £550 day rate?

On a £550/day rate (5 days, 46 weeks), you would pay approximately £30,932 in income tax and £4,127 in National Insurance. Additional deductions include employer NI, umbrella margin, and pension contributions which come out of your contract rate.

What percentage do I keep on a £550 day rate inside IR35?

On a £550/day rate inside IR35, you typically retain around 56% of your contract value as take-home pay. This accounts for umbrella margin, employer NI (15%), employer pension (3%), income tax, and employee NI.