Close Menu
    [OC] UK Tax Burden
    Data

    [OC] UK Tax Burden

    Share.
    View 36 Comments

    36 Comments

    1. Pavlock on

      You could always come to the states, where you’d still pay ~30% but at least you wouldn’t have health care.

    2. RexFuzzle on

      Made using SenkeyMatic: [Public link](https://sankeymatic.com/build/?i=PTAEFUGlQQQNwKYCcCGBzBoDKKA2KkBPUAFRQA9QAhJBFAawBMB7AdwDtRWBLAFwAtQABWQBjBO17oEAZwBQIaihkJGoZpwDFAZgBsAGgAMx0AHEkzGTOx4ChOXPOXrOfEVABtACy6AHLoBdYRgATQBRUABJdlFmAFtMMkoACgBGbQBSAEpHCysbN2IPVN8Adi8ggDkUXm4NPCj2GQBXVBjMZIBWADoAJmzc5wK7T16ATi8vQyqEXlIGBABaAAl4zCEUYmTfVO7fAblK2fn6JdWE4U3Qbd39rM9UseMggGFmZpjuXHmUnsyco5zMinFZrS5bHZ7bKebSpZ6gABqMBI1183V0A0BJzOYI2ENu0I8vk601AABFmrVZNdet0vJjjsCcRc8aiCfcPL1tJ0nkESEhmpgydwZAAHSwoABGuEw0ViF2Suh6nQOihgaDQtDQNW47DQoAAZswkKABJheMwpN84CLmng5EJQhE5WCktd0oSfP4%2BZaGm6qK1GBJrtovN0VQCdfVvtEWm1xNcev0OSVyj6rT9qIHg8lQ%2BGBm8PqIvpmut1%2Dg8nqSSL7vv7s5xc2GI3IkSjtujCbD4TWM%2DWkEHG3mWxSqdZkrT6RzidXa5mAwOc8OBjJuAAvTCsUC%2BYxyUCCHeGORxAhoXWgb6pXp7k1XvdzEp7yWgXpHyX62K4Y2gADEBv%2DAH3m0YoEBIcyVHI7DMEGXCgHe%2B6gCSe4gcWeqgKUnRPsaQYmkepr8AgFwoHun7fj%2BvgUZRe7MKKKDFrwxCpHIBpfluoitHANStJghjhnuuoEUgfAGhYcTqJSq5BosuokcwX4mj%2BYxKcp1G0fRxC8V4mH4IQ7xzNhyCgCglLxDqoh7gAVs0Mi1AaulCWeTSgBBoBWTZ3B2RIjDWC5tCIEgKiaigoqCC5NRSKI%2DC6vKooyrwsgWqA7B0LQNlyPgkoILg1ikQpxj5XhUUwS5UVoPwuDcGVcy8Rhe5GpIBp0ZgMgoE0iwqEJBp7hVyUobq%2Bq8deoC0PgtSIKuG5wXCe4nmg7AeYxu4ZVl7AoERoqiil1ghMh66YKkuh7qwCCVfwcxTEey24JxuCCkZG1baAO2Gs0uC4KKtDFquGhPXu4qrrUP2ZaxR0nVVoAXelUpZf9fB1JwxkWnglWcHhMiRYRmCbUgAD6NnSHV3ABXMmVGrQT60Aw4q6nMmE3XdZMnnMADk%2BjdMzf20Aa3CUMzHOgC0%2D486AfNyGaCTMP%2BKhzCgoCHaAz54aIoB4WoR4JFIoAJJI8MtewpyEEz3DK89FXuXEkq2O021AA)

    3. RexFuzzle on

      Earnings and Income Data

      * Median Annual Earnings: The figure of ~£39,000 (used as the basis for the £36k example) comes from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE).
      * [ONS: Employee earnings in the UK: 2025](https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/bulletins/annualsurveyofhoursandearnings/2025)
      * Living Standards & Real Income: Data on how disposable income is tracking for the 2025/26 year.
      * [Resolution Foundation: The Living Standards Outlook 2025](https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/app/uploads/2025/06/LivingStandardsOutlook2025.pdf)

    4. RexFuzzle on

      Indirect Tax Data (VAT, Council Tax, Duties)

      * Council Tax Levels: Average Band D Council Tax for England in 2025/26 is officially set at £2,280.
      * [GOV.UK Statistics: Council Tax levels set by local authorities in England 2025 to 2026](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/council-tax-levels-set-by-local-authorities-in-england-2025-to-2026/council-tax-levels-set-by-local-authorities-in-england-2025-to-2026)
      * The Effects of Taxes on Household Income: This ONS bulletin provides the “Post-tax income” and “Final income” data used to estimate the impact of VAT and duties (indirect taxes) across different income groups.
      * [ONS: Effects of taxes and benefits on UK household income: 2024/25](https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/personalandhouseholdfinances/incomeandwealth/bulletins/theeffectsoftaxesandbenefitsonhouseholdincome/2024)
      * Fuel and Alcohol Duties: Updated rates for 2026, including the fuel duty freeze and inflation-linked alcohol duty.
      * [House of Commons Library: Tax Statistics Overview (January 2026)](https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-8513/)

    5. tolzan on

      I pay more than you do in taxes just in health insurance in the U.S. and I am a healthy adult

    8. jacekowski on

      VAT seems to be really low considering that almost everything you spend money on will have 20% VAT in it.

      Also, employers NI would be nice to include (another £4650).

    9. tungsten_panda on

      Whoa, 13% for PAYE? In south africa, the minimum PAYE contribution is 18%. At your income level, it would be 39% if I’m not mistaken. There’s still UIF to consider, no Healthcare or health tax, but there’s certainly VAT… At 15%

    13. mattihase on

      Pretty reasonable I’d say. Now if only we could get the rich to pay at least that much too

    14. Revolutionary-Dot653 on

      I’d include employers national insurance as IMO this is a stealth tax on the employee.

      If you’ve been to university I think that the repayments function more like a graduate tax than a loan repayment.

    15. pointTheGap on

      That is… Really good?

      In Germany net take-home pay would be like 65% of your gross income

    16. Apple_Turnover93 on

      The UK is a low tax country for those on low to average salaries, even when comparing to low tax US and especially elsewhere in Europe

    17. ChthonicIrrigation on

      Worrying you don’t make any additional pension contributions – did you opt out of your workplace pension?

    20. maxmarioxx_ on

      Where are the pension contributions in that?
      Are you not saving anything for retirement?
      At least 10% of that should be pension contributions.

    25. Zestyclose-Barber-24 on

      In Poland in December my salary was taxed 56.25% and after that I pay 23% VAT for everything I buy

    26. SpinIx2 on

      Is that 1,900 council tax per person or per dwelling? How many dwellings have only one income?

    28. cAtloVeR9998 on

      I’m glad to be in Switzerland (I did live for a bit in the UK). Much lower tax burden than the UK, much better social safety net, and much higher salaries. Healthcare may be pricey but it isn’t in as much of a crisis as the UK.

    29. thomasthetanker on

      Also Stamp Duty Tax. Average of £4500 per house purchase. Average person moves 3 times in their lifetime, so 13,500 over 60 years is £225 per year. Probably double in the South East.

    30. ajfromuk on

      I’m,form the UK and I have no idea what the hell VAT and duties are on that take home pay.

      Can someone explain?

    33. FreshPrinceOfH on

      Here is a list of European countries which have a higher tax burden than the uk at £36k

      Germany
      France
      Italy
      Belgium
      Netherlands
      Spain
      Poland
      Austria
      Portugal
      Greece
      Czech Republic
      Slovakia
      Hungary
      Slovenia

    34. Unsey on

      What was the thought process to include VAT in this? Because it’s so baked in daily transactions, I never really think about it, so I don’t consider it to be a reduction of my disposable income.

      I’m also curious as to what you count as “Duties”. My initial thought was VED, but then if we’re being this pedantic surely Fuel Duty would take that number way above £850 for a year.

    35. spaceninjaking on

      This is misleading imo. Whilst it does sort of show the tax burden, for it to be Net take home there are several relevant things missing: notably pension deductions and uk student loans – both of which are taken from Gross ahead of taxes

    36. MichaelMJTH on

      You can take off another 9-15% for student loan debt. I know it’s not technically a tax, but it’s treated like one on your payslip every month.