Locum PharmacistHow the calculator works
As a self-employed locum you are taxed on your profit: the fees you invoice, less the expenses you are allowed to claim. The calculator takes that profit and works out three things you pay through your Self Assessment tax return:
- Income tax, using the 2026/27 bands for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or the Scottish bands if you live in Scotland.
- Class 4 National Insurance on your profit. Class 2 is no longer charged: since April 2024, profits above the small profits threshold (£7,105 for 2026/27) count towards your State Pension without it.
- Student loan repayments, which the self-employed pay through the tax return rather than through payroll.
Take-home pay is what is left after those and anything you pay into a pension. It is the money you can spend, as long as you have put the tax aside as you go.
Pension contributions
A self-employed pharmacist usually saves into a personal pension or SIPP. These work by relief at source: for every £80 you pay in, your provider claims £20 from HMRC, so £100 goes into the pension. If you pay higher rate tax, you get further relief on your tax return, and the calculator includes that in the income tax figure. Pension payments do not reduce National Insurance or student loan repayments.
If you also have a salaried job
Plenty of pharmacists locum alongside an employed post. Your employer taxes the salary through PAYE, and your locum profit is added on top, so it is often taxed at a higher rate than you might expect. Put your salary in and the calculator shows the extra tax, National Insurance and student loan that the locum work brings.
The rates it uses
| Personal allowance | £12,570, reduced by £1 for every £2 of income over £100,000 |
|---|---|
| Income tax (England, Wales, NI) | 20% on the first £37,700 above the allowance, 40% up to £125,140, 45% above |
| Income tax (Scotland) | 19%, 20%, 21%, 42%, 45% and 48% bands |
| Class 4 National Insurance | 6% on profits from £12,570 to £50,270, 2% above |
| Student loans | 9% of income over £26,900 (Plan 1), £29,385 (Plan 2), £33,795 (Plan 4) or £25,000 (Plan 5); 6% over £21,000 (postgraduate) |
What it leaves out
- When you pay. The bill for 2026/27 is due by 31 January 2028, and once your bill is over £1,000 HMRC also asks for payments on account towards the next year. The tax return guide explains the timing.
- Savings interest, dividends, rental income and other income apart from a PAYE salary.
- Gift Aid, the marriage allowance and the high income child benefit charge.
- Locum work through an agency payroll, an umbrella company or your own limited company, which are taxed differently. See PAYE vs self-employed.
It is an estimate, for planning. Your actual bill depends on your full tax return. For decisions about your own tax, speak to an accountant.
Common questions
How much should a locum pharmacist put aside for tax?
At £44,160 of fees a year the calculator suggests about 17% of each payment. The share rises with your income, so run your own figures. Most locums keep it in a separate savings account and do not touch it.
Do locum pharmacists pay National Insurance?
Yes. Self-employed locums pay Class 4 National Insurance on profits over £12,570: 6% up to £50,270 and 2% on anything above.
What expenses can I claim?
Costs that are wholly and exclusively for your locum work: the GPhC renewal fee, indemnity cover, RPS or PDA membership, mileage to pharmacies and CPD courses among them. The expenses guide goes through them.