Dividend tax rates and allowance 2026/27

The dividend allowance and the basic, higher and additional dividend rates for 2026/27, with the year-on-year change and what it means for company directors.

  • 2026/27 tax year, reviewed 2nd September 2026
  • Figures from HMRC and the Treasury
  • Updated automatically when rates change
  • £500Dividend allowance
  • 10.75%Basic rate
  • 35.75%Higher rate

What changed from 2025/26 to 2026/27

Item2025/262026/27Change
Dividend allowance£500£500No change
Basic rate8.75%10.75%+2 points
Higher rate33.75%35.75%+2 points
Additional rate39.35%39.35%No change

Full rates and thresholds

Everything for 2026/27 in one place.

Rates

BandRate
Within the dividend allowance0%
Basic rate band10.75%
Higher rate band35.75%
Additional rate band39.35%

Tax on dividends taken by a director with a £12,570 salary

DividendsTax 2025/26Tax 2026/27
£10,000£831£1,021
£30,000£2,581£3,171
£50,000£7,406£8,396
£80,000£17,531£19,121

Worth knowing

  • Dividends are paid from profit after Corporation Tax, so the company has already paid 19% to 25% before the personal rate applies.
  • The rates apply UK-wide; Scottish income tax bands do not change dividend tax.
  • Dividends inside an ISA or pension are tax-free and do not use the allowance.

Run your own figures: Dividend vs Salary Calculator

Dividend vs Salary Calculator

After all other costs, before Corporation Tax and before your salary or dividends.

£12,570 is the usual choice: no income tax, and above the threshold for State Pension credits.

Rental income, another job, pension. Uses up your allowances and bands first.

Companies whose only employee is a director cannot claim the £10,500 Employment Allowance.

Enter your figures to see results.

Uses 2026/27 rates, last reviewed 2nd September 2026.

Figures are estimates for guidance only and are not financial, tax or legal advice. Calculations run in your browser; nothing you enter is stored or sent to us.

Open the full Dividend vs Salary Calculator page

Frequently asked questions

Did dividend tax go up this year?

Yes. The basic and higher rates rose from 8.75% and 33.75% to 10.75% and 35.75% from 6 April 2026. The additional rate is unchanged at 39.35%.

Is salary plus dividends still worth it?

Usually yes, because employer National Insurance at 15% makes salary expensive, but the gap has narrowed. Run your own figures in the dividend vs salary calculator.

Ask the people who have done it

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