What is a K code?

Your tax code shows how much tax-free pay (personal allowance) you are entitled to.

Your personal allowance can be increase by things like the Married Couple’s Allowance and professional allowances/ subscriptions.

But it can also be reduced by taxable income that you receive without any tax taken off it (some state benefits/ pensions etc), taxable company benefits and any unpaid tax you owe from previous years.

If you have been issued with a K code, such adjustments have reduced your tax-free allowance to such an extent, that they are actually more than your personal allowance. Normally, the number in a tax code indicates the amount of income you are entitled to tax-free. However, the number in a K code denotes how much should be added to your gross income, before calculating the tax to be deducted from your pay.

If you would like to discuss your personal tax affairs in more detail, please feel free to contact your local TaxAssist Accountant.

Date published 5 Dec 2012

This article is intended to inform rather than advise and is based on legislation and practice at the time. Taxpayer’s circumstances do vary and if you feel that the information provided is beneficial it is important that you contact us before implementation. If you take, or do not take action as a result of reading this article, before receiving our written endorsement, we will accept no responsibility for any financial loss incurred.