Wage1257L Tax Code — What It Means
You get the standard tax-free Personal Allowance and pay no Income Tax on the first £12,570 of income from one job or pension - the number 1257 stands for that allowance.
How 1257L changes your pay on a £30,000 salary
| Code | Income tax / year | Per month | Take-home / month* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard 1257L | £3,486 | £291 | £2,210 |
| 1257L | £3,486 | £291 | £2,210 |
*Take-home per month here reflects income tax only; National Insurance and any student loan or pension are separate.
Why you might have the 1257L code
- It is the most common code for someone with a single job or pension and no other adjustments.
- You are entitled to the full Personal Allowance with nothing added to or taken from it.
- HMRC has no extra income, taxable benefits or unpaid tax to account for in your code.
How to fix a wrong code
1257L is the standard code for 2026-27, so it is usually correct. If you think your allowance is wrong, check your Personal Tax Account or contact HMRC.
Related codes: BR · 0T · W1/M1 · All tax codes
General information, not advice. Estimates assume the standard 1257L tax code and typical circumstances; your payslip may differ by a pound or two because HMRC payroll software truncates at each step. Verify with HMRC or an accountant for any decision. WageReckon stores no salary data - the calculators run in your browser.
Rates for the 2026-27 tax year, current as of 24 July 2026. Source: HMRC (gov.uk). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: HMRC / gov.uk. See how we calculate.