The optimum salary for limited company directors in 2025/26

What is the optimum salary for a limited company director in the 2025/26 tax year? Read on to find out.

There are several variables to consider when setting the salary levels of company directors, including:

• What are the current income tax rates and bands?
• What are the current Employers’ and Employees’ National Insurance rates and bands?
• Do you have income from other sources, e.g. investments or renting out a property?
• What salary level do you need to count as a valid year towards the State Pension?

Why it is worth paying a director’s salary

Although there’s no legal obligation to do so, salaries are a legitimate business expense that can be offset against your limited company’s Corporation Tax bill.

Importantly, CT rates increased in April 2023 based on your annual profits, so the potential savings from paying a salary also increased.

If you pay yourself a £12,570 salary, your company saves a minimum of £2,388 in Corporation Tax.

This assumes that your company profits are £50,000 or under. If your annual profits are higher, your CT savings will also increase.

Another reason you should pay yourself and other directors a salary is to ensure this tax year is a qualifying year for your State Pension entitlement. To do this, your salary must be above the Lower Earnings Limit (see below).

There might be good reasons why a director does not receive a salary, for example, if he/she is above state retirement age or due to other income streams.

Always talk to your accountant if you have any questions about how to set your company’s salary levels.

What are the Income Tax and National Insurance thresholds for 2025/26?

• Personal Allowance is £12,570. Most individuals are eligible – your tax code will be 1257L.
• Lower Earnings Limit (LEL) is £6,500. You must pay yourself above this level to qualify for the State Pension.
• Employees’ NI (Primary Threshold) is £12,570. You don’t pay employees’ NICs if your salary is below this level.
• Employers’ NI (Secondary Threshold) has been cut to £5,000. Your company pays employers’ NICs on salaries above this level, unless it can claim the Employment Allowance.

What is the optimum limited company salary for 2025/26?

To work out the optimum salary for this tax year, consider the income tax and NI thresholds above and if your limited company is eligible to claim the Employment Allowance.

Here we look at four salary scenarios.

It is worth bearing in mind that the calculations look at salaries in isolation from the company’s perspective, and don’t consider other things, such as the amount of dividends drawn down by directors during the tax year.

A note on the April 2023 Corporation Tax changes

In these examples, we assume your company’s annual profits are £50,000 or less during 2025/26 – Corporation Tax is 19%.

If your profits are higher, your CT savings will also be higher, as CT is 26.5% on profits between £50,000 and £250,000. And 25% on profits above £250,000.

£5,000 salary

• No income tax is payable.
• No employers’ NICs are payable.
• No employees’ NICs are payable.
• No qualifying year towards the State Pension.
• Hassle-free as the amount of paperwork is reduced.

This may be an attractive salary for some directors as it is low-maintenance. You don’t need to make any PAYE deductions via the company payroll, nor does your company pay any Employer’s NICs.

The company saves a minimum of £950 in Corporation Tax (19% of £5,000).

However, as it is below the 2025/26 £6,500 Lower Earning Limit (LEL), it won’t be credited as a qualifying year towards your state pension, which is a big drawback for many.

£6,500 salary

• No income tax is payable.
• Some employers’ NICs are payable (at 15% of salary above £5,000).
• No employees’ NICs are payable.
• It counts as a qualifying year towards the State Pension.
• Hassle-free as the amount of PAYE paperwork is reduced.

This is also a low-maintenance salary. You don’t need to make any PAYE deductions via the company payroll. However, your company has to pay £225 in Employer’s NICs.

The company saves a minimum of £1,235 in Corporation Tax (19% of £6,500).

The year will also qualify as a credit towards your State Pension entitlement.

£12,570 salary (single director, no Employment Allowance)

This remains the most tax-efficient salary for 2025/6.

If your company’s annual profits are £50,000 or less (CT is 19%), it saves £1,369 in additional CT compared to a £6,500 salary. However, it must also pay £1,135.50 in Employers’ NICs.

However, the Employers’ NICs are also deductible against CT, saving another £215.74.

Overall, there is a net £190.75 benefit for single director companies at this salary level, compared to £6,500.

£12,570 salary (claiming the Employment Allowance)

This is also the most tax-efficient salary for companies with 2+ employees if the company can claim the Employment Allowance.

There is no income tax or employees’ NICs to pay.

Thanks to the Employment Allowance (EA), the £1,135.50 Employers’ NIC costs are removed.

As a result, your company is £1,110.55 better off per employee at the £12,570 salary level, compared to £6,500.

Salary Comparison Table – £6,500 vs. £12,570

What is the best salary/dividend mix for 2025/26?

To work out how much tax you will pay this year for any mix of salary and dividends, try our updated dividend tax calculator.

2025/26 Salary & Dividends Calculator

What if you are an umbrella company employee?

As a PAYE umbrella company employee, your umbrella will deduct income tax and National Insurance Contributions from your salary via the PAYE (Pay-As-You-Earn) system.

While there may be variations in service fees and perks provided by different umbrella schemes, the level of tax you pay should remain consistent between providers. Only an unscrupulous provider would claim otherwise.

What was the optimum director’s salary for 2023/24 and 2024/25?

• The optimal salary was the same for the previous two tax years.
• For single-director companies, £9,100 was a tax-efficient salary to draw in 2023/24 and 2024/25 with minimal administration.
• For single-director companies, £12,570 was the most tax-efficient salary if you couldn’t claim the EA.
• If your company could claim the EA, £12,570 was the most tax-efficient salary in 2023/24 and 2024/25.

What was the optimum director’s salary for 2022/23?

• For single-director companies, £9,100 was a tax-efficient salary to draw in 2022/23 with minimal administration.
• For single-director companies, £11,908 was the most tax-efficient salary if you couldn’t claim the EA.
• If your company could claim the EA, £12,570 was the most tax-efficient salary in 2022/23.

What was the optimum director’s salary for 2021/22?

• For single-director companies, £8,840 was a tax-efficient salary to draw in 2021/22 with minimal administration.
• If your company could claim the EA, £12,570 was the most tax-efficient salary in 2021/22.

Although our own accountants verify all of our tax and accounting guides, please use this information as a guide only. Always ask your own accountant if you have any questions about salary and dividends.