£400 a day after tax in 2026/27
On a £400 day rate for 220 days a year you take home about £4,548 a month inside IR35 through an umbrella company, or £4,903 a month outside IR35 through your own limited company.
Where the money goes
| Inside IR35 (umbrella) | Outside IR35 (limited company) | |
|---|---|---|
| Contract income | £88,000 | £88,000 |
| Umbrella margin or company costs | −£1,100 | −£1,500 |
| Employer NI and levy | −£11,013 | −£1,136 |
| Corporation Tax | none | −£15,541 |
| Income Tax or dividend tax | −£17,787 | −£10,990 |
| Employee National Insurance | −£3,528 | none |
| Take-home a year | £54,572 | £58,834 |
| Take-home a month | £4,548 | £4,903 |
Inside IR35 you keep 62% of what the client pays. Outside you keep 67%, assuming all profit is paid out as dividends. That gap is mostly the employer National Insurance, which inside IR35 comes out of your rate, and the lower tax on dividends.
If you work more or fewer days
| Days a year | Inside IR35 a month | Outside IR35 a month |
|---|---|---|
| 180 | £3,886 | £4,273 |
| 200 | £4,217 | £4,588 |
| 220 (about 46 weeks) | £4,548 | £4,903 |
| 240 | £4,878 | £5,218 |
Nearby day rates
| Day rate | Inside IR35 a month | Outside IR35 a month |
|---|---|---|
| £250 | £3,132 | £3,449 |
| £300 | £3,627 | £4,037 |
| £350 | £4,087 | £4,470 |
| £400 | £4,548 | £4,903 |
| £450 | £5,008 | £5,336 |
| £500 | £5,468 | £5,769 |
| £550 | £5,854 | £6,202 |
2026/27 rates, England, Wales or Northern Ireland, no pension, student loan or other income. Outside IR35 assumes a £12,570 director’s salary and all profit paid as dividends. Read how IR35 works on the IR35 calculator page.
Common questions
How much is £400 a day after tax inside IR35?
About £4,548 a month, or £54,572 a year, working 220 days through an umbrella company with a £25 weekly margin.
How much is £400 a day after tax outside IR35?
About £4,903 a month, or £58,834 a year, through a limited company paying a £12,570 salary and the rest as dividends.
What salary is £400 a day equal to?
Over 220 working days, £400 a day is £88,000 a year before costs. Inside IR35 that becomes a gross salary of about £75,887 once the umbrella has paid employer National Insurance and its margin.