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UK Tax Rates & Allowances 2026–27 and 2025–26

A simple guide to the main tax rates, allowances and thresholds

This guide is designed as a quick reference. It simplifies some rules and is not a substitute for professional tax advice. Rates can depend on individual circumstances, residency, transaction date and other conditions.

Key changes for 2026–27

  • Dividend tax rates increase to 10.75% for basic-rate taxpayers and 35.75% for higher-rate taxpayers. The additional rate remains 39.35%.
  • Business Asset Disposal Relief and Investors’ Relief increase from 14% to 18%.
  • The main writing-down allowance for plant and machinery falls from 18% to 14%.
  • The National Living Wage rises to £12.71 an hour for workers aged 21 and over.
  • The employee mileage rate for cars and vans rises to 55p per mile for the first 10,000 business miles.
  • Business and Agricultural Property Relief rules change from 6 April 2026, including a £2.5 million allowance for 100% relief.
  • The full new State Pension rises to £241.30 a week.
Inheritance Tax
Inheritance Tax2026–272025–26
Nil-rate band£325,000£325,000
Residence nil-rate band£175,000£175,000
IHT rate on death40%40%
Reduced death rate where 10%+ goes to charity36%36%
Rate on chargeable lifetime transfers20%20%

The nil-rate band is fixed at £325,000 and the residence nil-rate band at £175,000. The residence nil-rate band starts to taper for estates above £2 million.

Business Property Relief

Type of property2026–272025–26
Qualifying business/agricultural property – 100% relief allowance100% up to £2.5m combined allowance; 50% above100% where qualifying
Shares traded on markets not meeting HMRC’s 'listed' definition (e.g. AIM)50%100% where qualifying
Land, buildings or machinery used in a qualifying business50% where qualifying for the 50% category50%
Listed company shares with control of more than 50% voting rights50%50%

From 6 April 2026, qualifying business and agricultural property can receive 100% relief up to the £2.5 million allowance, with 50% relief on qualifying value above that allowance. An unused allowance may be transferable from a predeceased spouse or civil partner, potentially increasing the allowance to £5 million.

Main exempt lifetime gifts

GiftAllowance
Annual gifts out of capital£3,000 per donor, with one-year carry-forward if unused
Small gifts£250 per recipient
Gift on marriage – parent£5,000
Gift on marriage – grandparent or party to marriage£2,500
Other wedding/civil partnership gifts£1,000
Regular gifts out of surplus incomePotentially exempt if the conditions are met

Gifts made before death – taper relief

Years before death0–33–44–55–66–7
% of death charge100%80%60%40%20%
National Insurance2026–272025–26
Lower Earnings Limit – weekly£129£125
Primary Threshold – weekly£242£242
Secondary Threshold – weekly£96£96
Upper Earnings Limit – weekly£967£967
Employee Class 1 – between PT and UEL8%8%
Employee Class 1 – above UEL2%2%
Employer Class 1 – above ST15%15%
Employment Allowance£10,500£10,500
Class 2 – voluntary weekly rate£3.65£3.50
Class 2 Small Profits Threshold£7,105£6,845
Class 3 – voluntary weekly rate£18.40£17.75
Class 4 Lower Profits Limit£12,570£12,570
Class 4 Upper Profits Limit£50,270£50,270
Class 4 rate – between limits6%6%
Class 4 rate – above upper limit2%2%

Class 2 is no longer normally charged when profits exceed the Small Profits Threshold; it can be paid voluntarily by people below the threshold to protect entitlement to certain benefits.

Capital Gains Tax2026–272025–26
Annual exempt amount – individuals/personal representatives£3,000£3,000
Annual exempt amount – most trustees£1,500£1,500
Main CGT rate – basic-rate taxpayer18%18%
Main CGT rate – higher-rate taxpayer24%24%
Business Asset Disposal Relief rate18%14%
Business Asset Disposal Relief lifetime limit£1,000,000£1,000,000
Investors’ Relief rate18%14%
Investors’ Relief lifetime limit£1,000,000£1,000,000

From 6 April 2026, carried interest is taxed within the Income Tax framework rather than having a separate Capital Gains Tax rate.

Universal Credit childcare

Item2026–272025–26
Maximum percentage of eligible costs85%85%
Maximum – one child, per assessment period£1,071.09£1,031.88
Maximum – two or more children, per assessment period£1,836.16£1,768.94

Tax Credits: Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit ended on 5 April 2025. There are therefore no normal 2025–26 or 2026–27 Tax Credit rates to show.

Universal Credit childcare limits shown above are monthly/assessment-period maximums. Eligibility conditions apply.

Pensions and State Pension2026–272025–26
Annual Allowance£60,000£60,000
Money Purchase Annual Allowance£10,000£10,000
Adjusted income threshold for tapered Annual Allowance£260,000£260,000
Minimum tapered Annual Allowance£10,000£10,000
Standard Lump Sum Allowance£268,275£268,275
Standard Lump Sum and Death Benefit Allowance£1,073,100£1,073,100
Normal minimum pension age5555
Full new State Pension – weekly£241.30£230.25
Full basic/old State Pension – weekly£184.90£176.45

Income Tax – England, Wales and Northern Ireland2026–272025–26
Personal Allowance£12,570£12,570
Basic rate – taxable income£1–£37,700£1–£37,700
Higher rate – taxable income£37,701–£125,140£37,701–£125,140
Additional rate – taxable incomeOver £125,140Over £125,140
Basic rate20%20%
Higher rate40%40%
Additional rate45%45%
Personal Allowance starts reducing above£100,000£100,000
Blind Person’s Allowance£3,250£3,130
Personal Savings Allowance – basic-rate taxpayer£1,000£1,000
Personal Savings Allowance – higher-rate taxpayer£500£500

The Personal Allowance reduces by £1 for every £2 of adjusted net income above £100,000 and is normally fully withdrawn at £125,140.

Scottish Income Tax

Band2026–272025–26
Starter – 19%£12,571–£16,537£12,571–£15,397
Basic – 20%£16,538–£29,526£15,398–£27,491
Intermediate – 21%£29,527–£43,662£27,492–£43,662
Higher – 42%£43,663–£75,000£43,663–£75,000
Advanced – 45%£75,001–£125,140£75,001–£125,140
Top – 48%Over £125,140Over £125,140

Dividends and savings

Item2026–272025–26
Dividend allowance£500£500
Dividend ordinary/basic rate10.75%8.75%
Dividend upper/higher rate35.75%33.75%
Dividend additional rate39.35%39.35%
Marriage Allowance£1,260£1,260
Married Couple’s Allowance – maximum£11,700£11,270
Married Couple’s Allowance – minimum£4,530£4,360
Married Couple’s Allowance income limit£39,200£37,700

Scottish taxpayers pay the same UK rates on dividend income and savings interest; Scottish rates apply to most non-savings, non-dividend income.

Child Benefit2026–272025–26
Eldest or only child – weekly£27.05£26.05
Each additional child – weekly£17.90£17.25
High Income Child Benefit Charge starts above£60,000£60,000
Child Benefit fully withdrawn above£80,000£80,000

The High Income Child Benefit Charge is 1% of the full Child Benefit award for every £200 of adjusted net income above £60,000, up to the full amount.

England and Northern Ireland – residential SDLT

Purchase price portionStandard rate
£0–£125,0000%
£125,001–£250,0002%
£250,001–£925,0005%
£925,001–£1,500,00010%
Over £1,500,00012%

Additional residential properties generally pay higher rates. From 31 October 2024 the surcharge is 5 percentage points above the standard rates. Certain non-UK resident transactions have a further 2 percentage points. First-time buyer relief can give 0% up to £300,000 and 5% on £300,001–£500,000, subject to conditions.

England and Northern Ireland – non-residential/mixed property

Purchase price portionRate
£0–£150,0000%
£150,001–£250,0002%
Over £250,0005%

Scotland – residential LBTT

Purchase price portion2026–27 / 2025–26
£0–£145,0000%
£145,001–£250,0002%
£250,001–£325,0005%
£325,001–£750,00010%
Over £750,00012%

A first-time buyer relief can increase the nil-rate band to £175,000. The Additional Dwelling Supplement is 8% for relevant additional dwellings.

Wales – residential LTT

Purchase price portion2026–27 / 2025–26
£0–£225,0000%
£225,001–£400,0006%
£400,001–£750,0007.5%
£750,001–£1,500,00010%
Over £1,500,00012%

Higher residential rates apply to relevant additional dwellings and some company/trust purchases.

Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings (ATED)

Property value2026–27 annual charge
£500,001–£1m£4,600
£1,000,001–£2m£9,450
£2,000,001–£5m£32,200
£5,000,001–£10m£75,450
£10,000,001–£20m£151,450
Over £20m£303,450
National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage2026–272025–26
National Living Wage – age 21+£12.71/hour£12.21/hour
National Minimum Wage – age 18–20£10.85/hour£10.00/hour
National Minimum Wage – under 18£8.00/hour£7.55/hour
Apprentice rate£8.00/hour£7.55/hour

The 2026–27 rates apply from 1 April 2026.

VAT2026–272025–26
Standard rate20%20%
Reduced rate5%5%
Zero rate0%0%
VAT registration threshold£90,000£90,000
VAT deregistration threshold£88,000£88,000
Cash Accounting Scheme threshold£1,350,000£1,350,000
Annual Accounting Scheme threshold£1,350,000£1,350,000
Corporation Tax2026–272025–26
Main Corporation Tax rate25%25%
Small profits rate19%19%
Lower threshold£50,000£50,000
Upper threshold£250,000£250,000
Marginal relief fraction3/2003/200

Corporation Tax is based on financial years, not tax years. The limits may need to be reduced where a company has associated companies.

Capital allowances

Allowance2026–272025–26
Plant & machinery – main writing-down allowance14%18%
Plant & machinery – special rate6%6%
Structures & Buildings Allowance3%3%
Annual Investment Allowance£1,000,000£1,000,000
Full expensing100% first-year allowance for qualifying expenditure100% first-year allowance for qualifying expenditure
40% main-rate First Year AllowanceAvailable for qualifying expenditure from 1 Jan 2026—
Zero-emission cars – 100% FYAAvailable to 31 Mar 2027 for Corporation Tax purposes100% FYA

Capital allowance rules are subject to qualifying conditions. Cars do not generally qualify for the Annual Investment Allowance.

CO₂ g/kmElectric range2025–262026–27Type/notes
0N/A3%4%Fully electric
1–50>1303%4%PHEV
1–5070–1296%7%PHEV
1–5040–699%10%PHEV
1–5030–3913%14%PHEV
1–50<3015%16%PHEV
51–54—16%17%
55–59—17%18%
60–64—18%19%
65–69—19%20%
70–74—20%21%
75–79—21%21%
80–84—22%22%
85–89—23%23%
90–94—24%24%
95–99—25%25%
100–104—26%26%
105–109—27%27%
110–114—28%28%
115–119—29%29%
120–124—30%30%
125–129—31%31%
130–134—32%32%
135–139—33%33%
140–144—34%34%
145–149—35%35%
150–154—36%36%
155–159—37%37%
160+—37%37%Maximum

Diesel cars normally attract an additional 4% supplement, capped at 37% until 2027–28. RDE2-compliant diesel cars are exempt from the supplement.

Mileage Allowance Payments2026–272025–26
Car or van – first 10,000 business miles55p/mile45p/mile
Car or van – over 10,000 business miles25p/mile25p/mile
Motorcycle24p/mile24p/mile
Cycle20p/mile20p/mile
Passenger payment – car/van5p/mile5p/mile
Tax-Favoured InvestmentsAnnual limitMain tax benefit
Adult ISA£20,000Tax-free income and gains
Lifetime ISA£4,000 (within ISA limit)25% government bonus; conditions apply
Junior ISA£9,000Tax-free income and gains for children
VCT£200,00030% Income Tax relief, subject to conditions
EIS£1,000,000*30% Income Tax relief, subject to conditions
SEIS£200,00050% Income Tax relief, subject to conditions

* The EIS annual limit can be up to £2 million where at least £1 million is invested in knowledge-intensive companies and the other conditions are met.

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