Updated for 2026/27 · No signup · Estimate only, not financial advice
A bonus is added to your normal pay for that period, which can push part of it into a higher tax band even if your usual salary doesn't reach that band. This is why a £5,000 bonus can feel like it's taxed at 50%+ in that one payslip — it isn't a bonus-specific tax rate, it's your marginal rate applied to the extra income.
On a £35,000 salary with a £3,000 bonus, a basic-rate taxpayer keeps roughly £2,040 of the bonus after Income Tax (20%) and National Insurance (8%) — about 68%.
Calculate my exact bonusNo — there's no special bonus tax rate. It's taxed at your normal marginal rate, but because it's added to that period's pay, it can push part of it into a higher band, making the deduction feel larger.
Sacrificing some or all of your bonus into your pension is the main legal way to reduce the tax and NI due, since pension contributions are usually taken before tax.
Often yes — PAYE recalculates based on your year-to-date earnings, so if a bonus pushes you into overpaying tax in one month, it's frequently corrected in later payslips.