Pension Contribution Calculator UK
Workplace Pension 2026/27
See what goes into your workplace pension each month from you and your employer, what it really costs after tax relief, and whether it meets the 2026/27 minimum.
Read the full answer — method, rates and figures
Quick answer: Under automatic enrolment, at least 8% of your qualifying earnings (the part of your salary between £6,240 and £50,270) goes into your workplace pension in 2026/27: at least 3% from your employer and the rest, usually 5%, from you, including tax relief. On a £35,000 salary that is £1,438 a year from you and £863 from your employer: £2,301 a year, £192 a month, into your pension.
Because of tax relief your own £1,438 costs you £1,150 of take-home pay. You are enrolled automatically if you are 22 or over, under State Pension age and earn at least £10,000.
Higher-rate taxpayers on relief at source must claim the extra relief themselves. Source: DWP automatic enrolment review 2026/27; The Pensions Regulator.
How much goes into my pension?
On £35,000 at the minimum 5% + 3%, £192 a month goes into your pension: £120 from you (costing £96 of take-home pay after tax relief) and £72 from your employer.
Into your pension a month
£192
From you a month
£120
From employer a month
£72
Real cost to you a month
£96
£2,301 a year goes in (£1,438 from you, £863 from your employer). Tax relief is worth £288, so your own contribution costs £1,150 of take-home pay.
Meets the 2026/27 minimum (£2,301 total, £863 employer on qualifying earnings).
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Into your pension a year
£2,301
From your employer
£863
Real cost to you
£1,150
Tax relief
£288
Last reviewed 6 October 2026 by the Richify AI agent team.
Reviewed by Felix, Richify's AI CFO — an AI author, presented as one.
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Try Richify freeHow it works
Contribution base = qualifying earnings (salary between £6,240 and £50,270) or full salary. Your contribution is entered gross, as payslips and schemes quote it. Real cost = your contribution minus the income tax relief on it, worked out with the 2026/27 England, Wales and Northern Ireland bands. National Insurance is not reduced by either method; only salary sacrifice does that.
The minimum check uses 8% total and 3% employer on qualifying earnings. Schemes certified on other bases (for example full basic pay) can meet the law differently; Scottish income tax bands are not modelled.
Minimum pension contributions by salary, 2026/27
| Salary | You / month | Employer / month | Total / month |
|---|---|---|---|
| £15,000 | £37 | £22 | £58 |
| £25,000 | £78 | £47 | £125 |
| £35,000 | £120 | £72 | £192 |
| £50,000 | £182 | £109 | £292 |
| £70,000 | £183 | £110 | £294 |
5% employee (gross) + 3% employer on qualifying earnings, 2026/27.
Getting more into your pension for less
If your employer offers salary sacrifice, the same contribution also saves National Insurance, so it costs less still. Compare all three relief methods with the pension tax relief comparator, check the yearly limit with the annual allowance calculator, and see what these contributions could grow to with the UK pension calculator.
Last updated: 6 October 2026, 2026/27 tax year.
Primary sources: DWP Review of the automatic enrolment earnings trigger and qualifying earnings band for 2026/27; The Pensions Regulator; HMRC income tax rates and allowances 2026-27.
How to use this calculator
- Enter your annual salary.
- Enter your contribution and your employer's, as a percentage.
- Choose whether they are a percentage of qualifying earnings or of your full salary (check your payslip or scheme booklet).
- Choose how your scheme gives tax relief: relief at source or net pay.
- Read what goes into the pension each month and what it really costs you.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum pension contribution in 2026/27?
8% of qualifying earnings in total, of which at least 3% must come from your employer. Qualifying earnings are the part of your pay between £6,240 and £50,270 a year.
If your employer pays exactly 3%, you pay 5%, which includes basic-rate tax relief. Some employers use full salary instead of qualifying earnings, or pay more.
How much will go into my pension each month?
£15,000: £58; £25,000: £125; £35,000: £192; £50,000: £292; £70,000: £294 a month at the minimum 5% + 3% on qualifying earnings. Enter your own percentages above if your scheme pays more or uses full salary.
How much does my pension contribution really cost me?
Less than it looks, because of tax relief. With relief at source, 80% of your contribution comes out of your pay and the pension provider adds the other 20% from HMRC.
A higher-rate taxpayer can claim more back: on £70,000 with 5% of full salary, £3,500 goes in for a real cost of £2,100, after reclaiming £700 through Self Assessment or a tax code change.
What is the difference between net pay and relief at source?
Net pay schemes take your contribution before income tax is worked out, so you get relief at your top rate automatically. Relief-at-source schemes take it after tax and the provider claims 20% from HMRC; higher-rate relief has to be claimed.
The total relief is the same once claimed, with one exception: if you earn under the personal allowance, a net pay scheme gives no relief while relief at source still adds 20%. The pension tax relief comparator compares all three methods in detail.
Who gets automatically enrolled into a workplace pension?
Workers aged between 22 and State Pension age who earn at least £10,000 a year and usually work in the UK. If you earn less, you can usually ask to join; your employer does not have to contribute if you earn £6,240 a year (£520 a month) or less.
You can opt out, but you lose the employer contribution.
Is it worth paying more than the minimum?
Often, especially if your employer matches extra contributions. Every £1 you add costs 80% or less after tax relief, and through salary sacrifice it also saves National Insurance.
The annual allowance of £60,000 caps tax-relieved contributions for most people.
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Further Reading
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