Guides
Plain-English guides on UK tax, budgeting, and property. Each article is paired with a calculator so you can run your own numbers.
Second Job Tax: What You Actually Pay
Two jobs paying £22,000 and £9,000 leave you £720 better off than one £31,000 salary. Why the BR code isn't a penalty, and when a second job does cost you.
Read guideHow Much Is a Mortgage a Month?
A £200,000 mortgage costs about £1,112 a month over 25 years at 4.5%, or £1,228 at 5.5%. See the cost on £150,000, £200,000 and £250,000 loans, and what moves it most.
Read guideTax on Savings Interest: When You Start Paying
Roughly £22,000 saved at 4.5% and you breach the Personal Savings Allowance. What you owe, how HMRC collects it, and the Scottish rule most sites get wrong.
Read guideUK Tax Deadlines 2026/27: Every Date and What Missing It Costs
The return you file by 31 January 2027 covers money you earned in April 2025. Every UK tax deadline on one timeline, with the penalty for missing each.
Read guideLBTT Explained: What You'll Pay to Buy a Home in Scotland
LBTT on the average £196,000 Scottish home is £1,020, which is £400 less than stamp duty in England. Above £333,000 Scotland becomes the more expensive place to buy.
Read guideBonus Tax Explained: Why Your Payslip Looks Worse Than the Bill
A £5,000 bonus on a £35,000 salary costs £1,176 in tax and National Insurance, so you keep £3,824. Paid in April, the payslip shows £746 more than that. Here's why.
Read guideTax Codes Explained: What 1257L Actually Means
1257L gives you £12,570 of tax-free pay. On the wrong code you can hand over £2,514 a year you don't owe. How to read your code, spot the ones that cost you, and claim it back.
Read guideHow Much Can I Borrow for a Mortgage?
Most UK lenders offer 4 to 4.5 times your income. On a £35,000 salary that's £140,000 to £157,500 before your deposit. How the figure is worked out, and what you can actually afford.
Read guideHow Compound Interest Works: Why Starting Early Beats Saving More
Save £200 a month from 25 to 35 and stop, and at 65 you could have £283,000. Start at 35 and save for 30 years and you'd have £245,000, despite paying in three times as much. Here's why.
Read guideShould I Remortgage When My Fixed Rate Ends?
Around 1.8 million UK fixed rate deals end in 2026. Do nothing and you roll onto the SVR at just over 7%: on a £200,000 mortgage that is about £190 a month more than a new fix.
Read guideHow Much Tax Do You Actually Pay on Your Salary?
On a £40,000 salary in 2026/27, your income tax is £5,486, an effective rate of 13.7%, not 20%. Here's how the bands work and what you actually keep.
Read guideThe 22% Charge on Cash in a Stocks and Shares ISA
From April 2027, interest earned on cash inside a stocks and shares ISA faces a 22% charge. Here's what's caught, what's not, and what to do before the rule takes effect.
Read guideThe £20,000 ISA Allowance: How to Use It Before 5 April
Your ISA allowance is £20,000 for 2026/27, and whatever you don't use by 5 April is gone for good. From April 2027 the cash portion drops to £12,000. Here's how to split it.
Read guideThe Mileage Tax Relief Most Employees Never Claim
Your employer pays 25p a mile, HMRC allows 55p. You can claim tax relief on the gap, and most drivers never do. How it works, with worked numbers for England and Scotland.
Read guideThe 50/30/20 Budget Rule: Does It Work on a UK Salary?
The 50/30/20 rule splits take-home pay into needs, wants, and savings. See if it actually works on a UK salary with real examples at £25k, £35k, and £50k.
Read guideScotland vs England Income Tax 2026/27: The Full Comparison
Below £33,500 Scotland pays less income tax than England. Above it, Scotland pays more. See the full comparison at eight salary points with 2026/27 figures.
Read guideThe 60% Tax Trap: What It Is and How to Avoid It
Earn between £100,000 and £125,140 and you hit a 60% effective tax rate. Here is how the Personal Allowance taper works and what you can do about it.
Read guideFirst-Time Buyer Stamp Duty Relief Explained
First-time buyers pay no stamp duty on the first £300,000. Above that, 5% up to £500,000. Buy above £500,000 and the relief disappears entirely. Here's what you pay at every price.
Read guideShould I Overpay My Mortgage or Invest?
On a 5.5% mortgage, overpaying gives you a guaranteed 5.5% return. Global equities have averaged 7–9% annually but with years of losses in between. Here is how to compare the two.
Read guideHow Salary Sacrifice Saves You Tax and National Insurance
Salary sacrifice reduces your pay before tax and NI are calculated. A basic-rate earner saves 28p per £1. A Scottish higher-rate earner saves 50p. Here's how.
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