Built by a Consultant Anaesthetist · Free Forever

Your NHS finances.
Finally clear.

Free, accurate financial tools built by a consultant anaesthetist for all UK healthcare professionals. Understand your take-home pay, pension tax, the 60% trap, and exactly what you can do about it.

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Built by a consultant anaesthetist · 2024/25 & 2025/26 · No login · gkmedic.co.uk

NHS doctors are brilliant at medicine.
Nobody taught them this.

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Your payslip is a mystery
218T CUMUL. D0. K codes. Pension tiers. Most doctors have no idea what their tax code means, let alone whether it's right. Errors go unnoticed for years.
"I just assumed payroll had it right. Turns out I was overpaying for 3 years." — NHS Consultant
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The 60% tax trap
Between £100,000 and £125,140, every extra £2 you earn costs £1.20 in tax. Take a locum shift in this zone and you're working for 40p in the pound. Most consultants discover this too late.
"I did 8 extra shifts last year. Kept about 40% of it. I wish I'd known."
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Pension tax letters nobody understands
Your NHS Pension Savings Statement arrives and it means nothing without context. Carry forward, adjusted income, tapered allowance — it's a minefield that can result in a surprise five-figure tax bill.
"£18,000 demand from HMRC. First I'd heard of annual allowance charges."

Four tools. Every angle covered.

Each calculator is built around the specific situations NHS doctors actually face — not generic tax tools repurposed from accountancy software.

Free
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NHS Take-Home Pay Calculator

The only NHS pay calculator that properly handles all three pension schemes — 1995, 2008, and 2015 CARE — including split membership and the McCloud remedy.

All bands: Consultants, junior doctors, nurses, GPs, admin
1995 / 2008 / 2015 schemes + split membership
McCloud remedy explained clearly
Scotland and England/Wales rates
Tapered annual allowance warning if salary qualifies
Open Calculator →
Free
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Pension Annual Allowance Tax Calculator

Enter figures from your NHS Pension Savings Statement and find out exactly whether you owe a pension tax charge — and precisely what to do about it.

Calculates threshold income and adjusted income
Three years carry forward included
Tapered annual allowance calculation
Scheme Pays, ISA, Gift Aid, Ltd company guidance
31 July Scheme Pays deadline reminder
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Multi-Income Total Tax Calculator

The calculator for the reality of NHS life — multiple income streams, non-standard tax codes like 218T and D0, rental income, and private practice all in one calculation.

NHS salary + locum bank + rental + private/sales
Custom tax codes: 218T, D0, BR, K codes explained
Correct post-2020 mortgage interest treatment
PAYE deducted vs Self Assessment balance estimate
60% trap detection and alert
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Monthly Financial Command Centre

A running year-long tracker. Enter figures each month from your payslips and get live advice — including exactly how many extra locum shifts you can safely take this month.

2024/25 and 2025/26 tracked side by side
Live threshold meters with alerts
"How many shifts can I take this month?" answered
Year-on-year comparison with change analysis
Saves data in browser — no login needed
Open Dashboard →

Because healthcare professionals deserve better tools.

GK Medic was built by a consultant anaesthetist who got tired of seeing colleagues blindsided by tax bills they could have avoided with the right information.

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Built from real clinical experience

Every scenario — 218T codes, D0 on locum bank, split pension membership, the McCloud remedy — comes from real situations faced by real NHS doctors.

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No login. No data collected. No ads.

All calculations happen in your browser. Nothing is sent to any server. Your financial information stays private. Always.

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Honest about what it is and isn't

These are estimation tools, not regulated financial advice. We tell you that clearly, and we point you toward qualified advisers when you need them.

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Updated every tax year

Rates, thresholds, and pension contribution tiers are kept current. April 2025 changes are already reflected in the 2025/26 tools.

Live Threshold View — Example Consultant
Income vs £100k PA Taper£95,400 / £100,000
⚠️ 4,600 headroom — approaching danger zone
Annual Allowance Used£38,000 / £60,000
✅ £22,000 headroom remaining
ISA Allowance Used£8,000 / £20,000
💚 £12,000 unused — act before 5 April
🚨 This month: If you take locum shifts, projected income crosses £100k. Every extra £1 earns only 40p net. Consider routing through Ltd company instead.
Safe action: Top up ISA — £12,000 remaining. Invest now before 5 April deadline.

Built for the full breadth of healthcare careers.

Whether you're a consultant, junior doctor, GP, nurse, AHP or pharmacist — juggling locum work, rental income, or private practice — there's a tool here for your situation.

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Consultants
Threshold 1–9, split pension membership, locum bank, private practice, 60% trap navigation, tapered annual allowance
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Junior Doctors
FY1–ST8, rota locum shifts, student loan deductions, 2015 CARE pension, planning for higher earnings ahead
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GPs & Salaried Doctors
Salaried GP pay, session-based income, rental income alongside salary, Self Assessment obligations
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Nurses & AHPs
Bands 2–9, overtime and bank shifts, pension contribution tiers, take-home pay across different trusts

Where to go next

Tools our calculators reference and recommend. All independently chosen — we only mention platforms we'd genuinely use ourselves.

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InvestEngine
Commission-free Stocks & Shares ISA and SIPP. Vanguard VWRP available. Ideal for NHS professionals starting to invest. Low fees, simple interface.
S&S ISA · SIPP · From £1
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AJ Bell
Well-established platform with excellent SIPP options — particularly useful for NHS doctors making personal pension contributions alongside NHS pension.
SIPP · ISA · Junior ISA
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Medical Accountant
When these tools show you need personalised advice — Medics Money and similar specialists understand NHS pension, Ltd companies, and locum income inside out.
Expert Advice · NHS Specialists
These are informational references independently chosen by GK Medic. Links are not currently affiliate links — this site does not earn commission from any of the above. Always do your own research before choosing a financial platform or adviser.

Common questions answered

Everything you need to know before you start using the tools.

Is this financial advice?
No — these are estimation and information tools only, not regulated financial advice. Results are based on the figures you enter and standard UK tax rules for 2024/25 and 2025/26. They will not reflect unusual personal circumstances such as complex pension histories or non-standard employment. Always consult a qualified financial adviser or tax specialist before making significant financial decisions. GK Medic is not regulated by the FCA.
Is my data safe? Do you store anything?
All calculations happen entirely in your browser. Nothing is sent to any server, no login is required, and nothing is stored outside your own device. The Monthly Financial Command Centre saves data to your browser's local storage only — it stays on your device and is cleared if you clear your browser data. GK Medic has no access to your financial information whatsoever.
How accurate are the calculators?
The tools use current 2024/25 and 2025/26 HMRC tax rates, National Insurance thresholds, NHS pension contribution tiers (5.2%–12.5%), and pension annual allowance rules (£60,000 standard). They give accurate estimates for most NHS employees in standard situations. Edge cases such as benefits in kind, complex historic pension records, or non-standard arrangements may produce less precise results. Always verify figures against your actual payslip.
What is the 60% tax trap?
Between £100,000 and £125,140, your personal allowance (normally £12,570) is withdrawn at 50p for every £1 earned above £100,000. You therefore pay 40% income tax on those earnings plus lose allowance worth another 20p per £1 — a combined effective rate of 60%. In plain terms: a £1,000 locum shift in this zone earns you only £400 take-home. Solutions include Gift Aid donations to pull income below £100k, additional pension or AVC contributions, or routing income through a limited company instead of taking it personally.
What is Scheme Pays and when do I need it?
Scheme Pays allows NHS Pensions to settle your Annual Allowance tax charge on your behalf, in exchange for a reduction in your future pension. Mandatory Scheme Pays applies if your charge exceeds £2,000 AND your pension input exceeds the standard AA (£60,000 in 2024/25). Voluntary Scheme Pays covers smaller charges including those from a tapered annual allowance. The election deadline is 31 July following the end of the tax year — miss it and you must pay HMRC directly via Self Assessment by 31 January. Use the Pension Tax Calculator on this site to check whether you need it.
What is the McCloud remedy?
A 2018 Court of Appeal ruling found it was unlawful age discrimination to move certain public sector workers to new pension schemes in 2015. NHS staff who were members of the 1995 or 2008 Section and transferred to the 2015 CARE scheme may be entitled to choose whichever gives better benefits for their service between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2022. NHS Pensions is issuing Remediable Service Statements to affected members. No immediate action is usually needed — but seek advice before drawing benefits.
What tax code should I have on locum income?
For most NHS consultants doing bank shifts at the same trust, the correct code is D0 — 40% deducted on every pound, no personal allowance. This is correct because your main salary already uses your entire personal allowance. If locum income is taxed at BR (20%), you are likely underpaying and will face a Self Assessment bill. If taxed at D1 (45%), check whether your total annual income genuinely exceeds £125,140. Use the Multi-Income Tax Calculator to see your full position.
What does 218T, K codes or CUMUL mean on my payslip?
Number + T (e.g. 218T): The number × 10 = your personal allowance. 218T means only £2,180 allowance rather than the standard £12,570 — HMRC has reduced it because your income exceeds £100,000 or because rental income or benefits in kind are being collected through your PAYE code. The T suffix means HMRC is reviewing the code and it may change.

K codes (e.g. K497): Your deductions exceed your allowances — extra taxable income is added on top of your salary rather than deducted. Typically caused by large rental income or a prior year underpayment being recovered.

CUMUL: Cumulative basis — tax is calculated on your total earnings since April, not just this month. This is the normal, correct basis and means overpayments are automatically corrected across the year. Always check your P2 Notice of Coding via HMRC Personal Tax Account if your code looks unusual.

Start in the next five minutes at GK Medic.

No signup. No login. No cost. Just open a calculator and put in your numbers.

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Important Disclaimer

GK Medic (gkmedic.co.uk) provides free financial estimation tools and educational information for healthcare professionals in the United Kingdom. The calculators and information on this website are provided for general information and estimation purposes only and do not constitute financial advice, tax advice, or any other form of regulated advice.

Results produced by these tools are estimates based on standard UK tax rules for the 2024/25 and 2025/26 tax years. Individual circumstances vary and your actual tax position may differ. You should not rely solely on these tools when making financial or tax decisions.

GK Medic is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). For personalised financial and tax advice, please consult a qualified Independent Financial Adviser (IFA) or tax adviser who is regulated and authorised to provide such advice. For pension-specific queries, contact NHS Pensions directly at nhsbsa.nhs.uk/nhs-pensions.

Tax rates, thresholds, and pension rules are updated regularly. While we aim to keep these tools current, always verify figures with HMRC or your employer's payroll department.