Income tax

Estimate your personal income tax liability using the current rates. View the current rates here.

Rates

Income tax applies to the amount of income after deduction of personal allowances.

Income is taxed in a specific order with savings and dividend income taxed last.

Dividend income and savings income falling within the dividend and savings allowances still form part of total income of an individual.

The starting rate band is only applicable to savings income. The 0% rate is not available if the taxable amount of non-savings income exceeds the starting rate band.

For 2017/18 the Scottish Parliament set the rates of income tax and the limits at which these rates apply for Scottish residents.

2017/18:

Type	Band of taxable income (£)	Rate (%)	Rate if dividends (%)
Starting rate for savings	0 – 5,000	0	N/a
Basic rate	0 – 33,500	20	7.5
Higher rate	33,501 – 150,000	40	32.5
Additional rate	Over 150,000	45	38.1

For Scottish residents the following bands apply for non-savings and non-dividend income:

Type	Band of taxable income (£)	Rate (%)
Basic rate	0 – 31,500	20
Higher rate	31,501 – 150,000	40
Additional rate	Over 150,000	45

There are special rates for savings and dividend income.

Savings Allowance:

Band of taxpayer	Amount (£)	Rate (%)
Basic rate	1,000	0
Higher rate	500	0
Additional rate	0	N/a

Dividend Allowance:

Band of taxpayer	Amount (£)	Rate (%)
All	5,000	0

2016/17:

Type	Band of taxable income (£)	Rate (%)	Dividend rate (%)
Starting rate for savings	0 – 5,000	0	N/a
Basic rate	0 – 32,000	20	7.5
Higher rate	32,001- 150,000	40	32.5
Additional rate	Over 150,000	45	38.1

There are special rates (as follows) for savings and dividend income falling into the above bands of taxable income.

Savings Allowance:

Band of taxpayer	Amount (£)	Rate (%)
Basic rate	1,000	0
Higher rate	500	0
Additional rate	0	N/a

Dividend Allowance:

Band of taxpayer	Amount (£)	Rate (%)
All	5,000	0

Allowances

A personal allowance gives an individual an annual amount of income free from income tax.

Income above the personal allowances is subject to income tax.

The personal allowance will be reduced if an individual’s  Allowances £ Personal allowance 11,500 Marriage allowance 1,150

2016/17:

Allowances	£
Personal allowance	11,000
Marriage allowance	1,100

Blind person’s allowance

£2,320 (2016/17: £2,290)

Married couple’s allowance

Either partner born before 6th April 1935.

Reduction in tax bill	2017/18 (£)	2016/17 (£)
Maximum	844.50	835.50
Minimum	326.00	322.00
Age allowance income limit 1	28,000	27,700

Note…

1. Reduce married couples allowance by £1 for every £2 of