See what your day rate actually becomes

Figures last verified 28 June 2026, for the 2026/27 tax year.

Most freelancers multiply their day rate by 260 and think that's the job. It isn't. Drag the sliders to see what's actually left after the taxman, your expenses, and every day you can't bill. Rest-of-UK, 2026/27 figures.

Day rate — £400Holiday days — 28Sick days — 8Non-billable days (admin, marketing, gaps) — 30Business expenses per year — £4,000

You actually keep52%of your £104,000 headline — that's £400 × 260 days. £50,180 goes to tax, NI, expenses and unbilled time.

Where every pound of the headline goes

Take-home£53,820
Income Tax£16,872
National Insurance£2,908
Expenses£4,000
Days you never bill£26,400

Real take-home£53,820

Real rate per working day£207

Days you actually bill194

Tax + NI on profit27%

Why the headline number lies

A £400 day rate looks like £104,000 a year if you assume 260 working days. But you don't get paid for holiday, sick days, admin, marketing, or the gaps between contracts — so a big chunk of those 260 days never turns into an invoice. On top of that, your taxable profit is hit by Income Tax, Class 4 and Class 2 National Insurance, and you carry business costs an employee never sees. What's left — your real take-home — is usually a long way below the headline.

This is a planning estimate for a rest-of-UK sole trader, not tax advice. It doesn't include VAT, student loans, or other income. For a full band-by-band breakdown, use the tax calculator below.