What is the 60% tax trap and how can you legally avoid it?
This article explores what the 60% tax trap is, how it works and ways you can legally reduce your tax bill.
Most people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland pay tax at the standard rates of 20%, 40% or 45% (or no tax), depending on income. However, some high earners end up paying 60%. Before we discuss this further, it’s worth flagging that Scotland has different tax bands.
The 60% tax rate isn’t an official tax band, but if you’re a higher-rate taxpayer, you may pay this eye-watering rate on your earnings.
Recent data shows that the number of people caught in the 60% tax trap is up by 45% in two years, with an 18% increase over the last 12 months.
This article explores what the 60% tax trap is, how it works and ways you can legally reduce your tax bill.
If you earn between £100,000 and £125,140, you could pay 60% tax due to a tapered personal allowance. This means every £100 you earn is reduced to £40.
There are a few ways to avoid the 60% tax trap, but you must be proactive.
Unbiased can help you navigate your tax liabilities by connecting you to a financial adviser regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
What is the 60% tax trap, and how does it work?
If you’re a higher-rate taxpayer, defined as those earning between £50,271 and £125,140 annually, you may be hit by a stealthy 60% tax bill.
This is because your personal allowance, which is £12,570 for the 2026/27 tax year, begins to fall when you earn over £100,000.
Essentially, your personal allowance is reduced by £1 for every £2 you earn over £100,000. Once you earn £125,140 or more, your allowance disappears entirely.
Due to the tapering of your personal allowance, every £100 you earn between £100,000 and £125,140 is reduced to £40, as you lose an additional £20 via the reduced allowance.
You can view the current 2026/27 tax bands below.
| Tax band | Taxable income | Tax rate |
|---|---|---|
| Personal allowance | Up to £12,570 | 0% |
| Basic rate | £12,571 to £50,270 | 20% |
| Higher rate | £50,271 to £125,140 | 40% |
| Additional rate | Over £125,140 | 45% |
Can I legally avoid the 60% tax trap?
If your earnings push you past the £100,000 threshold, careful planning can help you legally avoid the 60% tax trap.
Here are four practical strategies that could reduce your liability, boost your savings, and make your money work harder for you:
1. Increase your pension contributions to reduce your adjusted net income
One of the best ways to avoid the 60% tax trap is to pay into a pension or increase your payments if you’re already contributing.
By paying more into a pension, you reduce your adjusted net income and can either reduce the amount of personal allowance you lose or even reinstate it fully if your income falls to £100,000 or less.
2. Use Gift Aid donations to lower your taxable income
Making charitable donations through Gift Aid can expand your basic rate tax band, which helps reduce the amount of income subject to higher-rate tax at 40%.
For instance, a £1,000 donation would boost your basic rate band by £1,250.
3. Use salary sacrifice to reduce your gross salary
Salary sacrifice isn’t limited to pension contributions.
Salary sacrifice allows you to give up part of your gross salary in exchange for non-cash benefits, such as additional annual leave, cycle-to-work schemes, or electric vehicles.
It's worth stressing that salary sacrifice contributions will be capped in the future. It was announced in the 2025 Autumn Budget that pension contributions under salary sacrifice will be capped at £2,000 each tax year from April 2029.
4. Use your ISA allowance to protect future returns from tax
ISAs don’t lower your taxable income upfront, but they play a vital role in long-term tax planning.
By making full use of your annual ISA allowance (£20,000), you can grow your savings and investments without paying income tax or capital gains tax, helping you keep more of your returns.
However, the cash ISA allowance will be cut from £20,000 to £12,000 for under-65s from April 2027, while over-65s will be unaffected.
You can pay up to £20,000 in a stocks and shares ISA or split the allowance between cash and stocks and shares (up to £12,000 in a cash ISA, while the remainder is invested in stocks and shares).
As with any financial strategy, it’s important to make sure your approach aligns with your overall circumstances and objectives.
If you’re uncertain, seeking guidance from a qualified financial adviser is advisable.
Why is boosting pension contributions worth considering?
Increasing your pension contributions is particularly attractive, as you’re building your pot for later on in life while also benefitting from tax relief.
Depending on how your pension fund performs, you can also benefit from potentially higher returns and compound interest over a long time, where your interest earns interest.
Use our free UK compound interest calculator to find out how your weekly, monthly or annual savings and investments can increase.
However, you should be aware that there are limits to how much you can contribute to your pension each year and get tax relief.
You can contribute the lower of £60,000 or 100% of your earnings annually and receive tax relief – if you exceed this, you’ll incur a tax charge.
High earners with an income of £200,000 will likely have a tapered pension annual allowance, which can reduce it to as little as £10,000.
Could you be missing out on free childcare worth thousands?
If your income exceeds £100,000, you automatically lose access to two government childcare schemes, regardless of how many children you have or how much you need the support.
The first is tax-free childcare, which is worth up to £2,000 per child per year (or £4,000 for disabled children) to help cover the cost of nurseries, childminders, and after-school clubs.
The second is 30 hours of free childcare per week, available to families in England with children aged nine months to four years.
If either parent has an adjusted net income above £100,000, your family is locked out of both schemes. Successfully reducing your income to £100,000 or below, through pension contributions, Gift Aid donations, or salary sacrifice, reinstates your eligibility for both.
For families with more than one young child, the combined value of these entitlements can run to several thousand pounds a year. That means the true financial benefit of escaping the 60% tax trap extends well beyond the tax you save.
Get expert financial advice on the 60% tax trap
The 60% tax trap is avoidable, but the rules are complex and the cost of getting it wrong is high.
A qualified adviser can help you understand your options, avoid costly tax traps like the 60% tax charge, and make the most of your retirement savings.
Whether you need guidance on tax-efficient withdrawals or long-term planning, professional advice ensures you make informed decisions tailored to your individual needs and goals.
Unbiased can quickly connect you to an expert financial adviser or accountant.
)