£20,000 profit self-employed: take-home 2026/27
Breakdown at £20,000 profit
| England | Scotland | |
|---|---|---|
| Profit | £20,000.00 | £20,000.00 |
| Income Tax | £1,486.00 | £1,446.33 |
| Class 4 National Insurance | £445.80 | £445.80 |
| Take-home per year | £18,068.20 | £18,107.87 |
| Take-home per month | £1,505.68 | £1,508.99 |
The England figures also apply in Wales and Northern Ireland. No Class 2 is due. Your profit is above the £7,105 threshold, so the year counts for your State Pension. Student loans add 9% of income above your plan threshold, for example Plan 2 above £29,385.
When you pay it
The bill is over £1,000, so payments on account apply: £965.90 on 31 January and £965.90 on 31 July towards next year. In your first year of trading the January payment is the whole year's £1,931.80 plus the first payment on account, £2,897.70 in one go. More in the payments on account guide.
As a limited company instead
Paying yourself £12,570 salary and the rest as dividends, a company with the same £20,000 profit would leave you £17,174.20: £894.00 less than as a sole trader, after £1,195.96 corporation tax and £494.34 dividend tax. Try other options in the limited company calculator.
Have a job as well, expenses to enter or a student loan? Use the self-employed tax calculator.
Other profit levels
Frequently asked questions
How much tax do I pay on £20,000 self-employed profit?
£1,931.80 in 2026/27 with no other income: £1,486.00 Income Tax and £445.80 Class 4 NI. In Scotland it is £1,892.13.
How much should I put aside each month?
About £160.98 a month, or 10% of every payment you receive.
Is this before or after expenses?
After. Profit is your income minus allowable business expenses. Tax is only charged on profit.
Calculated with 2026/27 HMRC rates: Personal Allowance £12,570, Class 4 at 6% and 2%, Scottish bands for Scottish taxpayers. Updated 2026-11-04. General information, not tax advice.