Add your monthly household income and spending to see what is left, where your money goes and whether your current budget balances.
Enter your monthly budget
Use monthly take-home amounts. Leave any item that does not apply blank—it will be treated as £0.
Monthly income
Essential spending
Flexible spending and saving
Important: This calculator is a budgeting aid, not financial or debt advice. Use accurate figures and include bills that are paid less often by converting them to a monthly amount. If you cannot cover essentials or priority debts, seek free debt advice promptly.
How to use this UK budget calculator
Enter the income that actually reaches your household each month, then list regular spending. The calculator adds the figures, separates essential costs from flexible spending and shows your monthly and annual surplus or shortfall.
For the most useful result, check recent payslips, bills and statements rather than relying on memory. MoneyHelper also recommends using accurate income and spending information and being consistent about whether the budget covers one person or the whole household.
What counts as monthly income?
Use net income after tax, National Insurance, pension deductions and any other payroll deductions. You can combine a partner’s net pay, benefits, pension income, maintenance received and dependable additional income in the second income field.
If your pay changes from month to month, a cautious approach is to use a lower typical month or calculate an average from several months. Do not build essential commitments around overtime or bonuses that may not continue.
Essential and flexible spending
| Group | Examples | How the calculator treats it |
|---|---|---|
| Essential spending | Housing, Council Tax, utilities, groceries, transport, childcare, minimum debt payments and insurance | Shown as the first priority share of income |
| Flexible spending | Eating out, entertainment, non-essential shopping, subscriptions and other discretionary costs | Shown separately so adjustable costs are easier to identify |
| Planned savings | Emergency fund, regular savings or investments | Included in total outgoings but displayed as its own share |
How the budget result is calculated
Total income is take-home pay plus other income. Total outgoings are essential spending, flexible spending and planned savings. Money left is total income minus total outgoings. A negative result means the entered spending is greater than the entered income.
The category percentages compare each group with total monthly income. They are descriptive, not fixed targets: housing, family size, location, health needs and debt commitments can make a large difference.
Turning annual or weekly costs into monthly amounts
For an annual bill, divide the annual amount by 12. For a weekly cost, multiply it by 52 and divide by 12. Setting aside the monthly equivalent can reduce the shock of insurance renewals, car costs, school expenses or seasonal energy bills.
What to do if the result is negative
Start by checking that every figure uses the same monthly period and that no cost has been counted twice. Separate costs you must pay from spending that can be reduced or paused. Priority bills and debts can have serious consequences if missed, so do not simply stop payments without guidance.
Citizens Advice provides help for working out a budget, and MoneyHelper can direct you to free debt advice. If the shortfall is persistent, get support early rather than using more borrowing to cover regular living costs.
Guidance sources: MoneyHelper Budget Planner and Citizens Advice: work out your budget.
Frequently asked questions
Should I enter gross or take-home pay?
Enter take-home pay—the amount available after tax, National Insurance, pension contributions and other payroll deductions.
What should I do with weekly spending?
Multiply a weekly amount by 52 and divide by 12 to estimate its monthly equivalent.
Are blank fields counted as zero?
Yes. Every optional blank spending or income field is treated as £0.
Does planned saving count as spending?
It is included in total monthly outgoings so the remaining balance reflects the amount you intend to set aside, but it is displayed separately from bills and flexible spending.
What does a negative budget mean?
It means the entered monthly outgoings are higher than the entered monthly income. Recheck the figures and seek free debt advice if you cannot cover essential costs or priority payments.