UK budget helper
Add your monthly pay and spending to see what is left each month, and how your budget compares with the 50/30/20 rule.
Your budget
Enter your monthly take-home pay to start your budget.
| Group | Amount | Share of pay |
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How to use the budget helper
Start with your take-home pay for the month, then fill in what you spend in each box. Use the real figures from your bank statements if you can, not what you think you spend. Everything runs on monthly amounts, so divide yearly costs such as insurance or a holiday by 12.
The result shows what is left after your spending, or how much you are short. It also shows how your spending is split between needs, wants and savings.
The 50/30/20 rule
The 50/30/20 rule is a simple guide for dividing take-home pay:
- 50% for needs: the things you cannot easily avoid, such as housing, bills, food, travel to work and minimum debt payments.
- 30% for wants: everything that makes life enjoyable but could be cut, such as eating out, streaming and holidays.
- 20% for savings and debt: building an emergency fund, saving for the future, and paying off debts faster than the minimum.
It is a starting point, not a rule. In a high-cost area, needs can take much more than half of your pay. If that is you, the goal is to keep wants and savings as healthy as you can, and to grow your income over time.
If your budget is short
Check the biggest costs first. Housing, energy, insurance and phone or broadband deals are the ones where a switch or a call can save the most. If you are struggling to cover essentials or are falling behind on bills, free, impartial help is available from MoneyHelper and Citizens Advice.
What this tool does and does not do
- It is a planning tool and a guide, not financial advice.
- It works with monthly amounts and a single income figure. Irregular income or yearly bills need averaging first.
- Groups are fixed, so some items may feel like they sit in the wrong place. Put them where you think they belong.
- Nothing you type is saved. If you refresh the page, the figures are cleared.
Questions people ask
What counts as a need and what counts as a want?
A need is something you must pay to live and work: a roof, heating, food, travel to your job and minimum debt payments. A want is something you could cut back if you had to. Some things sit in between, such as a mobile phone contract, so use your own judgement.
How much should I save each month?
The 50/30/20 rule suggests about 20% of take-home pay for savings and extra debt payments. Many people start smaller and build up. A common first aim is an emergency fund worth a few months of essential spending, kept somewhere easy to reach.
Should my budget use pay before or after tax?
After tax. Use the money that actually lands in your bank account each month, after income tax, National Insurance, pension and any student loan have come out.
Is what I type stored or shared?
No. The calculations run in your browser and nothing you enter is sent to us or saved. Our privacy page has the details.
Is this financial advice?
No. It is a planning guide for information only. For advice on your own situation, speak to a regulated adviser, or use the free services at MoneyHelper or Citizens Advice.