The UK money numbers that actually matter
One page for the numbers that change what you do: the base rate, inflation, tax thresholds, ISA and pension allowances, stamp duty and the State Pension. Each one dated, sourced, and linked to the calculator that uses it.
Base rate and inflation update automatically from the BoE and ONS · Statutory figures are for the 2026/27 tax year (6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027) · England, Wales & Northern Ireland unless stated
⚡ The headline numbers
The six most-asked figures, at a glance.
📈 Rates that move
These change through the year, so each carries its own date. We check them against the Bank of England and ONS.
| Number | Value | As of | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank of England base rate | 3.75% | 17 Dec 2025 | Sets the pricing of mortgages and savings. Mortgage → · Live dashboard → |
| CPI inflation (12-month) | 3.5% | September 2026 | How fast prices rise; it quietly erodes savings and pay. Compound growth → · Live dashboard → |
💷 Income & tax
Headline figures for the 2026/27 tax year. For the full band tables, see our UK tax rates page.
| Number | Value | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Personal allowance | £12,570 | Income you pay no tax on. Tapers above £100,000, gone at £125,140. Take-home → |
| Higher-rate threshold | £50,270 | 40% income tax starts here; 20% applies below it. Take-home → |
| Additional-rate threshold | £125,140 | 45% income tax applies above this. Take-home → |
| Employee National Insurance | 8% then 2% | 8% on £12,570 to £50,270, then 2% above. Take-home → |
| Class 4 NI (self-employed) | 6% then 2% | 6% on £12,570 to £50,270, then 2% above. Self-employed tax → |
🌱 Saving & investing
The tax-free allowances that decide where your money is best kept, for 2026/27.
| Number | Value | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| ISA allowance | £20,000 | Total you can pay into ISAs each year, tax-free. ISA vs SIPP → |
| Lifetime ISA | £4,000 | Counts within the £20,000; earns a 25% bonus, up to £1,000 a year. LISA bonus → |
| Junior ISA | £9,000 | A separate tax-free allowance for an under-18. Compound growth → |
| Pension annual allowance | £60,000 | Most you can pay in with tax relief a year (or 100% of pay if lower). Pension relief → |
| Money Purchase Annual Allowance | £10,000 | The lower pension limit once you have flexibly drawn a pension. Pension relief → |
| Lump Sum Allowance | £268,275 | The cap on total tax-free cash from your pensions. Will it last? → |
| Capital gains allowance | £3,000 | Tax-free gains a year; above it, 18% or 24%. Capital gains → |
| Dividend allowance | £500 | Tax-free dividends a year; above it, 10.75% to 39.35%. Dividend tax → |
🏠 Property (stamp duty)
Headline Stamp Duty Land Tax figures for England & Northern Ireland. Scotland (LBTT) and Wales (LTT) differ.
| Number | Value | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Nil-rate threshold | £125,000 | No stamp duty up to here on a standard purchase. Stamp duty → |
| First-time buyer relief | £300,000 | First-time buyers pay nothing up to £300,000 (partial relief to £500,000). Stamp duty → |
| Additional-property surcharge | 5% | Extra on top for a second home or buy-to-let. Stamp duty → |
🎯 Retirement
The State Pension and the ages that gate your pension money.
| Number | Value | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Full new State Pension | £241.30/wk | About £12,548 a year with a full NI record. Retirement number → |
| State Pension age | 66 | Rising to 67 between 2026 and 2028. Retirement number → |
| Pension access age | 55 | Earliest you can normally take a private pension; rising to 57 in April 2028. Will it last? → |
🎓 Student loans
You repay a share of income above the threshold for your plan. Nothing below it.
| Plan | Threshold | Repayment rate |
|---|---|---|
| Plan 1 | £26,900 | 9% of income above the threshold |
| Plan 2 | £29,385 | 9% of income above the threshold |
| Plan 4 (Scotland) | £33,795 | 9% of income above the threshold |
| Plan 5 | £25,000 | 9% of income above the threshold |
| Postgraduate | £21,000 | 6% of income above the threshold |
Out of work, or on a low income? Benefits are the one area where we point you elsewhere rather than build our own tool. Universal Credit depends on your housing, children, savings and health, and two free calculators model all of it properly: entitledto and Turn2us. Both are comprehensive, free and anonymous. Check them before assuming you qualify for nothing; billions in benefits go unclaimed every year.
💬 Common questions
What is the UK base rate right now?
The Bank of England base rate is 3.75%, held since 17 December 2025. The Monetary Policy Committee reviews it eight times a year, so it can change between updates.
What is the current UK inflation rate?
UK CPI inflation is 3.5% over the latest 12 months (September 2026), published monthly by the Office for National Statistics.
What is the personal allowance for 2026/27?
The tax-free personal allowance is £12,570 for 2026/27. It tapers away above £100,000 and is gone entirely at £125,140.
What is the ISA allowance for 2026/27?
The ISA allowance is £20,000 per person for 2026/27, across all your ISAs. Within that you can pay up to £4,000 into a Lifetime ISA, which earns a 25% bonus.
How much is the State Pension in 2026/27?
The full new State Pension is £241.30 a week, about £12,548 a year, for someone with a full National Insurance record.
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Every figure here is checked against gov.uk, HMRC, the Bank of England and the ONS, and against our own calculators, before publishing. Figures move; we date each one and re-check regularly, but always confirm against the primary source before acting. Illustrative and educational, not financial advice.