£1,000 a day after tax
At £1,000 a day for 220 days a year, a UK contractor takes home about £9,239 a month through an umbrella company or £9,557 a month through a limited company in 2026/27; a limited company leaves more.
Umbrella company
For work inside IR35, paid through PAYE
£110,862 a year
£9,239 a month, plus £3,522 into your pension
Like a permanent salary of £186,935
Your own limited company More take-home
For work outside IR35, salary plus dividends
£114,681 a year
£9,557 a month
Like a permanent salary of £194,140
On £220,000 of fees (£1,000 a day for 220 days), a limited company leaves £3,818 a year more. "Like a permanent salary" is the employee salary with the same take-home pay.
Umbrella company, step by step
| Fees from the agency | £220,000 |
|---|---|
| Umbrella margin (£20 a week × 44 weeks) | −£880 |
| Employer National Insurance (15% above £5,000) | −£27,633 |
| Apprenticeship Levy (0.5%) | −£946 |
| Employer pension (3% of qualifying earnings) | −£1,321 |
| Your gross pay, including holiday pay | £189,220 |
| Income tax | −£70,361 |
| National Insurance | −£5,795 |
| Your pension contribution (5%, before tax) | −£2,202 |
| Take-home pay | £110,862 |
Limited company, step by step
| Fees invoiced (excluding VAT) | £220,000 |
|---|---|
| Director salary | −£12,570 |
| Employer National Insurance on the salary | −£1,136 |
| Company profit | £206,295 |
| Corporation Tax (24.7% effective) | −£50,918 |
| Paid out as dividends | £155,376 |
| Your salary | £12,570 |
| Income tax and NI on the salary | −£2,514 |
| Your dividends | £155,376 |
| Dividend allowance on £500 | £0 |
| Ordinary rate (10.75%) on £24,630 | −£2,648 |
| Upper rate (35.75%) on £87,440 | −£31,260 |
| Additional rate (39.35%) on £42,806 | −£16,844 |
| Take-home pay | £114,681 |
Inside IR35 through your own company, the agency or client deducts income tax and National Insurance as if you were an employee and pays employer National Insurance (£32,250) itself. On the full £220,000 you would keep £128,386, but inside-IR35 rates are usually lower than outside-IR35 rates, so compare the rate you are actually offered.
Fees exclude VAT. See the assumptions behind both routes.
By days worked
| Days a year | Fees | Umbrella, a year | Limited company, a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200 | £200,000 | £101,721 | £105,765 |
| 220 | £220,000 | £110,862 | £114,681 |
| 230 | £230,000 | £115,433 | £119,138 |
| 240 | £240,000 | £120,003 | £123,596 |
England, Wales or Northern Ireland, 2026/27, £12,570 director salary, no business costs, umbrella margin £20 a week with the minimum workplace pension.
Frequently asked questions
How much is £1,000 a day after tax?
Working 220 days a year (£220,000 of fees) in 2026/27, you take home about £110,862 a year (£9,239 a month) through an umbrella company, plus £3,522 into your pension, or £114,681 (£9,557 a month) through your own limited company outside IR35.
What permanent salary is £1,000 a day worth?
For the same take-home pay as a permanent employee you would need about £186,935 a year compared with the umbrella route, or £194,140 compared with a limited company, before pension and benefits such as paid holiday and sick pay.
Is it different in Scotland?
Salary is taxed at Scottish rates, dividends at UK rates. At £1,000 a day for 220 days, the umbrella route leaves £103,820 and a limited company £114,720 in Scotland.
Other day rates
How the calculation works and every assumption: UK contractor calculator.