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The Daily Insight

What tax codes mean?

Author

Rachel Hernandez

Updated on March 21, 2026

Tax codes are HMRC's way of checking how much tax and National Insurance you're supposed to pay each year. If you've got any special circumstances that change the tax you owe, they'll be shown in your tax code. For most people in the 2019/2020 tax year, for example, the basic tax code would be 1250L.

Similarly, what do the tax codes mean?

Tax codes are HMRC's way of checking how much tax and National Insurance you're supposed to pay each year. If you've got any special circumstances that change the tax you owe, they'll be shown in your tax code. That allowance means that they won't be taxed until they're making more than this.

Beside above, what is the tax code for 2019? For most people, their tax code in 2019/20 will be 1250L – the Personal Allowance they are entitled to divided by 10.

Furthermore, how do I know what my tax code is?

There are several places you can find your tax code:

  • PAYE Coding Notice, Form P2 – you and your employer get this 'notice of coding' from HMRC in the mail every March.
  • Payslips – weekly or monthly, from your employer.
  • P60 – your annual tax summary, from your employer.

What does tax code 1250l mean?

1250L is a cumulative tax code, which means that if you return to work after a break or if you start working part-way through the tax year, your tax-free personal allowance will have been building up and you may pay less tax for a while.

Related Question Answers

How does your tax code work?

The tax code is used by your employer to work out how much tax to deduct from your pay under PAYE. Tax codes are also used by pension providers to deduct tax from pension payments. A typical tax code has two parts: A number, which is one tenth of the amount of tax-free pay you are allowed during the year.

What does tax code CBR mean?

Code BR (or CBR for Welsh taxpayers) Code BR stands for basic rate – 20% in 2020/21. HMRC usually use this code for a second employment or pension where there is no tax-free amount available to reduce your tax deductions, because the tax-free allowance is allocated against your main employment or pension.

What is basic rate tax code?

A BR code means that you receive no tax-free personal allowance, so everything you earn will be taxed at 20% (or the basic rate, hence the letters 'BR'). The BR code is most often used if you have additional sources of income that have used up your tax-free personal allowance - for example, a second job or a pension.

What is the standard tax code?

The standard PAYE tax code for your main job in 2018-19 is 1185L (2017/18 – 1150L). It represents £11,850 of tax-free income. For a second or subsequent job the standard code is BR – Basic Rate, a 20% deduction.

Is a higher tax code better?

The numbers in your tax code relate to your annual personal allowance, which means how much you can earn before you pay tax. In short then, the higher the numbers are within your tax code, the less tax you will generally pay. But tax is notoriously complicated so don't make any presumptions.

How do you change your tax code?

If you believe your tax code is wrong you should contact HMRC who will issue your employer with a revised tax code as required. This can be done by phone – 0300 200 3300 – or on-line . Almost all employers will now be operating PAYE in Real Time.

What is OT tax code?

no tax free personal allowance

What is Tax Code 2020?

The standard tax code for the 2020 – 2021 year is 1250L, which means you can earn £12,500 as a tax free personal allowance until midnight on the 5th April 2021. You can find your tax code on your payslip. This code is the same code as the previous tax year, 2019 – 2020.

What percentage is tax?

Income Tax rates and bands
Band Taxable income Tax rate
Personal Allowance Up to £12,500 0%
Basic rate £12,501 to £50,000 20%
Higher rate £50,001 to £150,000 40%
Additional rate over £150,000 45%

Do you get emergency tax back?

A tax refund is a refund of tax which has been overpaid. There are a number of reasons why tax may have been overpaid, including: you start a new job and are taxed under an emergency code for a while. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) sends the wrong tax code to your employer or your employer does not use the correct code.

How do u work out tax?

To work out your tax, you have to do the following calculation:
  1. First, take your allowances from your total income to work out your taxable income.
  2. Second, work out the charge tax on your taxable income using the rates of tax that apply to you.

What are the tax rates for 2020 2021?

Lower rate taxpayers pay 10% tax on capital gains, and higher and additional rate taxpayers pay 20%. The only exception is for second properties, including buy-to-let investments. Capital gains on these investments will be taxed at 18% for basic rate taxpayers, and 28% for higher and additional rate taxpayers.

What is the personal tax allowance for 2020 21?

£12,500

What does the L stand for in your tax code?

The L Code: The most common letter which means you're under 65 and eligible for basic tax-free personal allowance. The D0 Code: All your income from this job or pension is taxed at the higher rate. The D1 Code: All your income from this job or pension is taxed at the additional rate.

What happens if my tax code is wrong?

If there are any errors and the wrong amount of tax is collected, you, the employee, are usually liable to pay any unpaid tax. If you think your tax code is wrong, you should contact HMRC. You can do this on the Income Tax Helpline 0300 200 3300 (or via the HMRC contact us page).

How do I know if I paid too much tax?

If you pay tax through the PAYE system you may sometimes pay too much tax and notice this by looking at your payslip or P800. If you think you have overpaid tax through PAYE in the current tax year, tell HMRC before the end of the tax year - which was April 6 2018 - and tell them why you think you have paid too much.

Why has my tax code changed to 1185l?

If your tax code is 1185L, it means your allowance is £11,850. It is given to you in equal portions throughout the year, so that by the end of the tax year you have received your full allowance.

What do tax codes mean UK?

UK Tax codes are made up of numbers and letters with the number representing how much income you can have before paying tax and letters referring to your situation and how it affects your tax-free Personal Allowance.