Skilful Designers£300 a day after tax
A £300 day rate over 155 billable days earns £46,500. After £4,000 of costs and £7,782 of income tax and Class 4 National Insurance, a UK sole trader takes home about £34,718 a year, or £2,893 a month (2026/27).
Worked out with the Self-employed tax calculatorUpdated
Open this in the self-employed tax calculator
£300 × 155 days − £4,000 costs = £42,500 profit
The breakdown
| Turnover (£300 × 155 days) | £46,500 |
| Business costs | −£4,000 |
| Profit | £42,500 |
| Income tax | −£5,986 |
| Class 4 National Insurance | −£1,796 |
| Take-home | £34,718 |
That is £2,893 a month, or £224 kept from each billed day. All of the taxable profit is in the 20% basic-rate band.
£300 a day at different workloads
155 days assumes 222 working days (after 25 days of holiday, 8 bank holidays and 5 sick days) of which 70% are billed. New freelancers often bill fewer; busy ones more.
| Billable days | Turnover | Tax and NI | Take-home | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | £30,000 | £3,492 | £22,508 | £1,876 |
| 130 | £39,000 | £5,832 | £29,168 | £2,431 |
| 155 | £46,500 | £7,782 | £34,718 | £2,893 |
| 180 | £54,000 | £9,732 | £40,268 | £3,356 |
| 200 | £60,000 | £12,209 | £43,791 | £3,649 |
| 220 | £66,000 | £14,729 | £47,271 | £3,939 |
Figures use 2026/27 rates for England, Wales and Northern Ireland and leave out student loans, pension contributions and other income; Scotland sets different income tax bands. See the exact tax at any profit in the self-employed tax tables, or find the rate you need for a target income with the day rate calculator. Rates and thresholds: GOV.UK.
Nearby values
Frequently asked questions
How much is £300 a day after tax in the UK?
About £34,718 a year, or £2,893 a month, for a sole trader billing 155 days with £4,000 of costs in 2026/27. That is £46,500 turnover, £42,500 profit, and £7,782 of income tax and Class 4 National Insurance.
How much of each £300 day should I set aside for tax?
About 17% of what you invoice, £51 a day, covers the income tax and National Insurance at this level. In your first Self Assessment year, set aside more for the payment on account.
Do I need to register for VAT at £300 a day?
Not at 155 days: £46,500 is under the £90,000 threshold. You would cross it after 300 billed days in a rolling 12 months.
What hourly rate is £300 a day?
£40.00 an hour over a 7.5-hour day, or £37.50 over 8 hours.
Cite this page
Skilful Designers. “£300 a day after tax.” https://skillfuldesigners.co.uk/day-rate-take-home/300/ (updated 13 November 2026).