technofatty Questions, awkwardly answered.

Questions, awkwardly answered.

Money · Side hustle checker

Side Hustle Reality Check

Enter your side income, hours, and tax band to see your net take-home after estimated tax and NI — and get an honest verdict on the effective hourly rate.

Instant result Plain-English why Copyable takeaway
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Side hustle checker

Uses the £1,000 HMRC trading allowance and your main-job tax band.

What this means

This tool estimates your net side hustle income after the £1,000 trading allowance, income tax at your marginal rate, and Class 4 NI — then calculates your effective hourly rate.

Formula used

Taxable side income = gross − £1,000 trading allowance. Tax = taxable × marginal rate. NI = taxable × 9%. Net hourly = (gross − tax − NI) ÷ annual hours.

Worked example

£4,500/year income, 5 hours/week, basic rate taxpayer. Taxable: £3,500. Tax: £700. NI: £315. Net: £3,485. Annual hours: 260. Effective rate: £13.40/hour net.

Common questions

What is the £1,000 trading allowance?
HMRC allows up to £1,000 per year of self-employment income tax-free — the trading allowance. Income above this threshold must be declared via Self Assessment and is taxed at your marginal rate. If your side income is below £1,000, you don't need to register.

Why does my main job tax band matter?
Side hustle income is added on top of your employment income and taxed at your marginal rate. If your main job already uses your basic rate band, your side income may fall into the higher rate. This is why a basic-rate employee and a higher-rate employee paying the same effort on the same side income can have very different net returns.

Plain-English summary

Enter your side income, hours, and tax band to see the real net return and an honest verdict on whether the effort is worthwhile.

This section translates the result into a short, direct takeaway rather than leaving the page at a bare number.

Disclaimer: This is an illustrative estimate only — not tax advice. Actual tax depends on your full income picture, allowable expenses, and other factors. Register for Self Assessment and consult HMRC or an accountant for accurate figures.

Read the guide

How tax works on side hustle income in the UK

Side income over £1,000 is taxable in the UK. Here's how the trading allowance works, when you need to register, and how your main job affects the rate.

Read the guide

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