UK PAYE HOUSEHOLDS · 2026/27 TAX RULES · FREE CHECK IN 3 MINUTES

Can one of you step back from work without the numbers falling apart?

The financial impact of one partner stepping back isn't obvious — tax thresholds, childcare rules, and pension contributions all move together. This models the chain reaction on your numbers.

No account required · Takes 3 minutes
£79
One-time · No subscription
Example output — illustrative numbers
Illustrative — not your numbers
Example household
Partner 1: £95,000 · Partner 2: £38,000 · 1 child aged 2 · Full stop scenario
Current monthly position
+£1,840/month
After step-back
−£312/month
Monthly difference
−£2,152/month
Between staying on current incomes and the full step-back
Closest workable alternative: 3 days/week → +£164/month surplus
The pack surfaces this level of detail on your own inputs — not illustrative figures.
Breakdown — what's moving the monthly gap
Income reduction
−£2,093/month net (tax and NI reduce the gross fall)
Childcare entitlement
−£500/month (30-hour eligibility lost)
Child benefit charge
+£183/month recovered (HICBC falls as income drops)
Pension gap
~£41,000 over 10 years

Clearset models all four interactions on your specific numbers so you see the real outcome — not isolated estimates.

No account required · Takes 3 minutes

The rules most calculators miss

The combined effect on your household is what determines whether the plan is workable on your figures.

01
The £100k personal allowance withdrawal
Between £100k and £125,140, the personal allowance tapers at 60p in every £1 earned — an effective marginal rate of 60%. If a step-back brings one partner's income below £100k, up to £12,570 of allowance is restored. Most calculators do not model this at all.
02
High Income Child Benefit Charge
The HICBC applies to the higher earner's individual income — not household income. If that income falls below £80k after the step-back, some or all of the charge reverses. At two children, the full charge is worth up to £2,337/year.
03
30-hour free childcare eligibility
The 30-hour entitlement requires both parents to be working at least 16 hours per week. Stopping work removes this for 3–4 year olds. In many areas this is worth £6,000–£9,000/year — a cost most step-back calculations miss entirely.
04
Pension contribution gap
A full stop means zero employee and often zero employer contributions. At a 5% growth assumption, a 12-month gap on a £60k salary creates a compounding shortfall of roughly £15,000–£25,000 over 10 years. Consistently the most underestimated variable in this decision.

Clearset models all four jointly on your inputs so you see the net outcome — not isolated estimates.

About three minutes · No account needed

What the pack includes
Both household paths in one place
Your current setup against your step-back plan — so you can compare the full picture, not fragments.
Exactly what you would have left each month
After tax, National Insurance, childcare, and the rules that apply to your incomes — not a ballpark.
The three levers that move your result most
So you see what actually drives the gap for your household, not a generic checklist.
What would need to change for the numbers to work
Tipping points in plain terms — what shifts before the plan looks viable on your figures.
The closest version of the plan that still works
A nearer scenario modelled for you, without starting from scratch.
How the pension gap compounds over ten years
The long-term trade-off beside the monthly cash position, shown clearly.
Every threshold that applies to you, modelled together
Allowance taper, HICBC, childcare rules, student loan — the interactions spreadsheets usually miss.
Every assumption visible and editable
Defaults are shown openly so you can align the model with how you actually save and spend.

What getting this wrong costs

The risk is misreading how entitlements and marginal tax move when income changes. The bands below are rounded illustrations from typical UK dual-earner patterns under 2026/27 rules — your outcome depends on your inputs.

Where guessing goes wrongIllustrative cost bandClearset
Crossing the £100k threshold without planning~£2k–£4k/year in combined tax and allowance drag in the band — before childcare rules shift with the same income move.£79
Losing 30-hour childcare entitlement~£6k–£10k/year in extra net childcare cost in typical dual-earner patterns when funded hours drop out.£79
Under-counting pension impact of a step-back~£10k+ pension pot gap over 10 years is plausible when employee and employer contributions fall — often larger than the monthly cash picture alone suggests.£79

Bands are rounded and depend on hours, settings, and salaries; they are not forecasts. Your numbers will differ.

The free check takes 3 minutes. The pack shows the exact picture.

The Step-Back Pack

The exact monthly and annual household position on your numbers — every threshold interaction modelled, every assumption shown.

£79
A financial adviser consultation typically costs £250–£500. Clearset is £79.
This is a financial model, not regulated financial advice. Clearset produces scenario modelling based on the numbers you enter and published UK tax rules. It does not make recommendations. Always consult a qualified financial adviser before making major financial decisions.