Answers · UK 2025/26

How much tax do I pay on a £10,000 bonus in the UK?

It depends on your salary. A basic-rate taxpayer keeps about £7,200 of a £10,000 bonus (28% lost to 20% tax and 8% NI). A higher-rate taxpayer keeps about £5,800 (42% lost), and an additional-rate taxpayer about £5,300 (47% lost).

Last updated: 7 June 2026Last reviewed: 7 June 2026How we verify

Full answer

A bonus is treated as ordinary earnings for 2026/27, so it is taxed at your marginal rate plus National Insurance. For a basic-rate taxpayer the bonus is taxed at 20% Income Tax and 8% NI, a 28% deduction, so you keep £7,200 of £10,000. For a higher-rate taxpayer the bonus is taxed at 40% plus 2% NI (NI drops to 2% above £50,270), a 42% deduction, leaving £5,800. For an additional-rate taxpayer it is 45% plus 2% NI, a 47% deduction, leaving £5,300. There is a costly trap if the bonus pushes your total income between £100,000 and £125,140: the Personal Allowance taper means that slice is taxed at an effective 60% (plus 2% NI), so you could keep as little as £3,800 of a £10,000 bonus. PAYE may also over-tax a one-off bonus in the month it is paid because the system annualises it, but this corrects itself over the year or via a refund. To keep more of a large bonus, you can ask your employer to pay it into your pension through salary sacrifice, which avoids both Income Tax and NI on the sacrificed amount. Use the Bonus calculator to see your exact take-home.