What this calculator does
Will you be affected by the new rules on salary sacrifice?
In her November 2025 Budget, the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, announced that from tax year 2029-30, the government will cap at £2,000 the amount of National Insurance contributions relief pension savers can receive when putting money into their pension through salary sacrifice.
Currently, no cap is applied.
This calculator is designed to show you whether you will be any worse off once the new rule is implemented in April 2029. If you are affected, it will show you by how much.
We’ll also provide some guidance on next steps in the sections below.
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What is salary sacrifice and how does it work?
Salary sacrifice is where you agree with your employer to give up (‘sacrifice’) part of your salary in exchange for a non-cash benefit.
Although employers can offer various benefits, such as childcare vouchers or workplace bike / electric car schemes, the most commonly offered benefit is pension contributions.
That usually means your employer makes contributions straight into your pension pot instead of you receiving that money as pay. Because your salary is therefore reduced before tax and National Insurance (NIC) are calculated, both you and your employer pay less NIC. Some employers then pass some of that saving back to you as extra pension contributions.
Who can benefit from using salary sacrifice?
- Employees saving into a pension: It’s most beneficial for those who want to boost retirement savings in a tax-efficient way because it reduces NIC and increases pension contributions.
- Employers: They save on NIC and may share some of that saving with staff.
- Anyone with taxable income: Higher earners can get valuable NIC savings. But the benefit depends on your pay and contribution level.
What changes has the Chancellor announced in relation to salary sacrifice?
In her 2025 Budget, the Chancellor announced that from April 2029, the government will cap the amount of NIC relief you can get from salary-sacrificed pension contributions at £2,000 per year.
That means, up to £2,000 of contributions via salary sacrifice will remain exempt from NIC for employee and employer.
But any amount above £2,000 that you sacrifice towards your pension will no longer be exempt — you and your employer will pay have to pay regular NIC on it.
When do the salary sacrifice rules change?
The new rules apply from 6 April 2029 (the start of the 2029/30 UK tax year). Until then, salary sacrifice pensions work as they currently do (with no cap on National Insurance Contributions).
What should I do if I use salary sacrifice to save into a pension right now?
Check how much you currently sacrifice: If you contribute less than £2,000 a year via salary sacrifice, the new cap won’t affect your NIC saving after 2029.
If you sacrifice more than £2,000: Expect that from 2029 you’ll start paying NIC on the excess amount — meaning less take-home pay benefit from the arrangement.
Talk to your employer or a financial adviser: Employers may review their pension arrangements in response to the change, and you might want to check how this affects your overall pension saving strategy.
Is it still worth using salary sacrifice for pension saving?
Almost certainly – yes, as it still has some significant benefits. They are just more limited in scale now.
You will still get full income tax relief on pension contributions whether paid via salary sacrifice or not.
The main benefit affected by the change is NIC savings — but you’ll still save on NIC up to £2,000 a year.
For many people, especially those with typical contribution levels, it often remains a useful way to save into a pension.
If you contribute a lot via salary sacrifice now, you may want to review whether other pension contribution methods (e.g., personal contributions claiming tax relief via self-assessment) make sense alongside or instead of salary sacrifice.
Disclaimer
This calculator is for illustrative purposes only and is intended to give you an estimate of any tax you might have to pay based on the information you provide.
Tax treatment is subject to individual circumstances. Any reference to taxes, reliefs or rates is based on the rules in place as at 06/04/2025 and is subject to change.
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