Estimating your SA302 tax for 2025-26 (self-employed)
The 2025-26 tax year runs from 6 April 2025 to 5 April 2026, with the return due by 31 January 2027. If you're self-employed and want to know what your tax calculation will look like, here are the figures that apply and how to get a personal estimate.
What applies for 2025-26
| Item | 2025-26 |
|---|---|
| Personal Allowance | £12,570 |
| Basic rate (20%) | up to £50,270 |
| Higher rate (40%) | £50,270 to £125,140 |
| Additional rate (45%) | over £125,140 |
| Class 4 NI main rate | 6% (£12,570 to £50,270) |
| Class 4 NI upper rate | 2% (over £50,270) |
| Class 2 NI | Not required for most; treated as paid |
| Dividend Allowance | £500 |
The headline rates and thresholds are the same as 2024-25 (most are frozen), which mainly matters because frozen thresholds pull more people into higher bands as their profits rise. This is often called fiscal drag.
What's different from a couple of years ago
If your last clear memory of the numbers is from 2022-23 or 2023-24, two things stand out. The Class 4 main rate is now 6%, down from 9% in 2023-24 and a blended 9.73% in 2022-23, a real cut for the self-employed. And the Dividend Allowance is now £500, down from £2,000, so dividend income is taxed sooner. Our dividend tax by year and Class 2 and 4 guides cover the detail.
A quick 2025-26 example
A sole trader with £45,000 of profit and no other income:
- Personal Allowance £12,570; taxable income £32,430.
- Income Tax: £32,430 × 20% = £6,486 (all within the basic-rate band).
- Class 4 NI: (£45,000 − £12,570) × 6% = £1,945.80.
- Class 2: treated as paid, £0.
- Total: £8,431.80.
When you can get the real SA302
Remember this is an estimate. The official SA302 for 2025-26 only exists once you've filed the return, which you can do from 6 April 2026 onwards. If you need it for a mortgage, file as early as you can after the year ends so the document is available sooner. Until then, the estimator gives you a reliable preview of the number.