UK money guides
Plain-English explainers for the numbers that matter — how UK tax, mortgages, borrowing, savings and pensions actually work, with worked examples and the calculators to try your own.
Income & Tax
View calculators →How take-home pay is calculated
Every deduction between gross and net — income tax, NI, pension and student loan — with a full £35,000 worked example.
Read guide →UK income tax explained
The personal allowance, how the 20/40/45% bands really work, Scottish rates, the 60% trap — and the allowances that legally cut your bill.
Read guide →Self-employed tax explained
Income tax on profits, Class 4 NI, the payments-on-account cashflow shock and every deadline — with a £45,000 worked example.
Read guide →Property
View calculators →How mortgage repayments are calculated
The formula behind your monthly payment, why early payments are mostly interest, and how the rate, term and overpayments change what you pay.
Read guide →How much deposit do I need?
The realistic minimum, how deposit size changes your rate and monthly payment, and how long it takes to save — with first-time buyer boosts.
Read guide →Should I overpay my mortgage?
What £50–£200 a month actually saves, lump sums vs monthly, the 10% rule and early repayment charges — and when saving beats overpaying.
Read guide →Borrowing
View calculators →Credit card minimum payments explained
Why minimum payments stretch a £3,000 balance to 28 years and £5,998 of interest — and how a simple fixed payment collapses both.
Read guide →PCP vs HP vs leasing explained
The three finance routes compared on the same £25,000 car — monthly cost vs true cost — plus the balloon and mileage traps.
Read guide →Saving & Retirement
View calculators →Compound interest explained
The formula, why £200 a month becomes £166,000 over 30 years, and why a ten-year head start is worth more than £138,000.
Read guide →How much do I need to retire?
Target pot sizes, what the State Pension actually covers, how tax relief supercharges contributions — and a worked example from age 30.
Read guide →