11 February 2012
This information applies to England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
The tables in this information show the percentage rates of income tax that are applied to taxable income in the current and past six tax years.
For more information about how to calculate your tax, see Income tax.
Your taxable income is not the same as your total income. This is because all taxpayers are allowed a certain amount of tax-free income (called a personal allowance). Some people may also get other allowances and tax reliefs. You may also have some income that is not taxable.
When using the figures in the taxable income columns in the tables on this page, remember that they refer to your taxable income and not to your total income.
For more information about income that is not taxable, see Taxable and non-taxable income, for details of tax reliefs, see Tax reliefs, and for details of allowances, see Income tax allowances and amounts.
A tax year runs from 6 April one year to 5 April the following year.
The percentage rates or bands of taxable income may change for each tax year.
| Taxable income | rate of tax |
| 0 - £2,560 | 10 per cent (starting rate for savings only) |
| 0 - £35,000 | 20 per cent (basic rate) |
| £35,001 - £150,000 | 40 per cent (higher rate) |
| Over £150,000 | 50 per cent (additional rate) |
Tax is payable at the basic rate of 20 per cent on taxable income up to £35,000.
If you have more than £35,000 but less than £150,000 of taxable income, you will have to pay a higher rate of 40 per cent tax on the amount above £35,000 and below £150,000.
If you have more than £150,000 you will have to pay an additional rate of 50 per cent tax on the amount above this level.
To find out how to calculate the amount of tax payable, see Income tax.
Note if you are on a low income, some or all of the income from your savings will be taxable at 10 per cent. This is called the starting rate for savings. Low income means if your income is less than your personal allowance plus £2,560 for the tax year 2011/2012 (and £2,440 for the tax year 2010/2011).
The starting rate for savings does not apply if your taxable income (after allowances are taken off) is more than £2,560 for the tax year 2011/2012 (and £2,440 for the tax year 2010/2011).
You can find more information about how savings income is taxed on the Low Incomes Tax Return Group website at: www.litrg.org.uk.
| Taxable income | rate of tax |
| 0 - £2,440 | 10 per cent (starting rate for savings only) |
| 0 - £37,400 | 20 per cent (basic rate) |
| £37,401 - £150,000 | 40 per cent (higher rate) |
| Over £150,000 | 50 per cent (additional rate) |
| Taxable income | rate of tax |
| 0 - £2,440 | 10 per cent (starting rate for savings) |
| 0 - £37,400 | 20 per cent (basic rate) |
| Over £37,400 | 40 per cent (higher rate) |
| Taxable income | rate of tax |
| 0 - £2,320 | 10 per cent (starting rate for savings) |
| 0 - £34,800 | 20 per cent (basic rate) |
| Over £34,800 | 40 per cent (higher rate) |
From 6 April 2008, the starting rate of 10 per cent was abolished for non-savings income.
| Taxable income | rate of tax |
| 0 - £2,230 | 10 per cent |
| £2,231 - £34,600 | 22 per cent |
| Over £34,600 | 40 per cent |
| Taxable income | rate of tax |
| 0 - £2,150 | 10 per cent |
| £2,151 - £33,300 | 22 per cent |
| Over £33,300 | 40 per cent |
| Taxable income | rate of tax |
| 0 - £2,090 | 10 per cent |
| £2,091 - £32,400 | 22 per cent |
| Over £32,400 | 40 per cent |
If you receive income from UK company shares or distributions from unit trusts (but not interest), this is taxed at different rates from other income. You can find more information about this on the Directgov website at: www.direct.gov.uk.
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