This calculator supports UK/US assumptions only. Choose the applicable market in the calculator or its named UK/US tool. Israeli rules are not implemented.
Compare the same whole bonus as cash or as your chosen cash-and-pension split. Includes incremental income tax, employee NI and the employer rebate you enter, using 2026/27 rules.
England, Wales and Northern Ireland employment income. Scottish tax, other income and existing pension contributions are not modelled.
How much of the bonus to sacrifice, and the share of the employer NI saving they pass back to your pension.
Both routes use the same assumed real return and horizon. Confirm that the pension can be accessed at that horizon.
Your selected split compared with the whole bonus as cash
Illustration: equal real returns, no extra tax or fees on invested cash, and pension withdrawal of 25% tax-free plus 75% taxed at 20% (85% retained). This assumes enough remaining lump-sum allowance and access at the chosen horizon. Actual future rates and returns can differ.
A £20,000 bonus as all cash nets £11,600 today. Sacrificing 100% leaves £0 cash and adds £21,500 to pension. At the selected horizon, the chosen split is £61,886; its difference from all cash is £22,604 (58%).
2026/27 England, Wales and Northern Ireland income tax and annualised category A NI. Uses incremental tax on the cash bonus after the selected sacrifice and a 15% employer NI rate above the secondary threshold. The comparison assumes a valid employer arrangement, sufficient pension allowance and no annual-allowance/taper/MPAA charge. It does not check minimum wage, benefit effects, personal pension access or future tax law. A pension contribution is not immediately available cash.
Calculation and source checks: 20 October 2026. Supported tax year: 2026/27. Illustrative estimates within the stated scope.
2026/27 scenario: £100,000 salary and a £20,000 bonus. Sacrifice 50%, with no employer rebate and no growth before the chosen comparison horizon.
The selected value includes £8,500 of pension after the illustrative withdrawal factor: 25% tax-free plus 75% taxed at 20%. It assumes permitted pension access and sufficient lump-sum allowance at the horizon. The difference from all cash is £4,700; future tax and returns are not guaranteed.
Calculation checked 21 October 2026. Figures are illustrative and rounded; the calculator keeps unrounded intermediate values.
Worth runs this maths against your real salary, your real bonus, and the company's specific employer-NI rebate policy. Join the waitlist.
Only if your employer offers a valid arrangement before entitlement and the pension and minimum-wage conditions allow it. The standard annual allowance is £60,000 across contributions by you and your employer, but taper, MPAA, existing contributions and carry-forward can change available headroom. This calculator assumes sufficient headroom.
Yes. Both routes start with the same whole bonus. At 0% sacrifice the selected route equals all cash. At a partial sacrifice the selected route includes retained cash plus the pension after the stated withdrawal assumption. The all-cash baseline remains visible at 100% sacrifice.
Access depends on your age, scheme and any protected rights. The selected horizon must be one when access is permitted. The calculation does not check access rules or whether pension locking is suitable for your cash needs.
The annual allowance can taper when threshold income is over £200,000 and adjusted income is over £260,000. Employer pension contributions can affect adjusted income. This calculator does not calculate taper, MPAA or allowance charges, so its estimated advantage assumes sufficient headroom.