The 60% UK Tax Trap Explained: How the £100,000 Personal Allowance Taper Works
For UK incomes between £100,000 and £125,140 the Personal Allowance reduces by £1 for every £2 over £100,000 (HMRC), interacting with the 40% Higher rate to produce a higher effective marginal rate. Here is how the two rules combine and which levers reduce it.
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The standard Personal Allowance is £12,570, which is the amount of income you do not have to pay tax on (gov.uk).
The Personal Allowance goes down by £1 for every £2 that adjusted net income is above £100,000 (gov.uk). The allowance reaches zero at £125,140 or above (gov.uk).
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The bands that apply
The Income Tax bands set the rate that applies to each slice of income above the Personal Allowance.
- Basic rate: £12,571 to £50,270 at 20% (gov.uk).
- Higher rate: £50,271 to £125,140 at 40% (gov.uk).
- Additional rate: over £125,140 at 45% (gov.uk).
Why the £100,000 band is special
Two rules combine. The Higher rate of 40% applies to income from £50,271 to £125,140 (gov.uk). The Personal Allowance tapers by £1 for every £2 above £100,000 (gov.uk).
The combination means each extra £2 of earnings in this band attracts the Higher rate tax on the £2 AND removes £1 of Personal Allowance (gov.uk).
What this means for earners passing £100,000
The tax bands themselves do not change as adjusted net income passes the taper threshold — the Higher rate of 40% continues to apply on income from £50,271 to £125,140 (gov.uk). What changes is the Personal Allowance, which begins to reduce by £1 for every £2 of adjusted net income above £100,000 (gov.uk).
By the time pay reaches £125,140, the Personal Allowance has been removed entirely (gov.uk). Above £125,140 the Additional rate of 45% takes over (gov.uk).
The shape of the marginal-rate curve is therefore: 40% from £50,271 to £100,000 (gov.uk), then a higher effective marginal rate from £100,000 to £125,140 driven by the Personal Allowance taper (gov.uk), then 45% above £125,140 (gov.uk).
Levers that reduce the marginal rate
These are mechanical descriptions of how the tax system interacts with common reliefs, not advice. A qualified tax adviser is the right person to assess any individual case.
Pension contributions. The figure used for the Personal Allowance taper is adjusted net income, not gross salary (gov.uk). Reducing adjusted net income enough to bring it back below the £100,000 taper threshold (gov.uk) restores the £12,570 Personal Allowance (gov.uk).
Salary sacrifice schemes. Childcare vouchers, electric-vehicle leases, cycle-to-work, and additional pension via salary sacrifice all reduce gross salary at the payroll stage, which in turn reduces adjusted net income for the Personal Allowance test (gov.uk).
Charitable donations under Gift Aid. Donations under Gift Aid also reduce adjusted net income for this purpose (gov.uk).
The lever to consider depends on the taxpayer's broader plan, the timing of pay (bonuses, equity vesting), and whether the same lever reduces National Insurance or only Income Tax.
A note on scope
This page covers the published HMRC rules: the £12,570 Personal Allowance (gov.uk), the 40% Higher rate band (gov.uk), the £1-for-every-£2 Personal Allowance taper above £100,000 (gov.uk), and the £125,140 cliff where the Personal Allowance reaches zero (gov.uk).
Scottish residents follow a different set of bands set by the Scottish Parliament. UK Calculator provides information and tools, not regulated tax or legal advice; anyone planning around the taper should consult a chartered tax adviser.
Frequently asked questions
What is the 60% trap?
It's the popular label for the band where the Higher rate of 40% applies (gov.uk) AND the Personal Allowance tapers by £1 for every £2 of adjusted net income above £100,000 (gov.uk).
At what income does the trap start and end?
The taper begins above £100,000 (gov.uk) and the Personal Allowance reaches zero at £125,140 (gov.uk). Above £125,140 the Additional rate of 45% applies (gov.uk).
Can pension contributions reduce the marginal rate?
The Personal Allowance taper applies to adjusted net income (gov.uk). Pension contributions paid through a relief-at-source arrangement reduce adjusted net income and can restore the £12,570 Personal Allowance (gov.uk).
What rate applies above £125,140?
The Additional rate of 45% applies to income over £125,140 (gov.uk). The Personal Allowance has already been removed at this point (gov.uk).
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