Payslip Checker for Bristol on Tax Code BR

Bristol is a large urban workforce of around 470k residents in South West England. Median full-time gross pay for the area sits near £36,200 per year (ONS ASHE 2024), and most local employees see their PAYE deducted before they ever check the breakdown. This page focuses specifically on what tax code BR should look like on a Bristol payslip. Because BR is a stable PAYE code, the monthly figures should be broadly consistent across the tax year. England uses the rest-of-UK PAYE bands, so the standard 20% / 40% / 45% rates apply alongside BR.

What does BR mean for Bristol workers?

BR applies a flat 20% to every pound under this employment. In Bristol, this is most often a second-job code — for example NHS bank shifts at a local trust on top of a substantive role. For most Bristol employees, BR should appear in the same place on every payslip, with the deductions tracking smoothly month to month.

BR (basic rate) means all earnings under this employment are taxed at 20% with no personal allowance applied. Typically used for a second job where the personal allowance is fully used by your main employment.

Effective tax + NI rate on this salary: 25.2%. Estimates based on ONS ASHE median earnings 2024 — your actual pay may differ.

Local context for Bristol

Bristol payslips use the rest-of-UK PAYE bands: 20% basic up to £50,270, 40% higher up to £125,140, then 45% additional above that. National Insurance for a category-A employee is 8% between the primary threshold and the upper earnings limit, then 2% above. Council tax is settled separately via your local authority and is not a payslip line.

Common payroll questions in Bristol

Should my Bristol payslip show tax code BR?

BR should appear if your circumstances match what HMRC expects for this code (all income taxed at the basic rate of 20%.). On a typical Bristol salary of £36,200 you would expect roughly £603 of income tax per month under this code.

Why does my Bristol payslip differ from a colleague's on the same code?

Two Bristol colleagues on tax code BR can still see different deductions because pension contributions, salary sacrifice, student loan plan, taxable benefits and overtime all sit alongside the tax code. The code only governs the income-tax line. Match the code first, then check pension and NI category, then the variable lines.

How does Bristol compare to other UK cities for BR take-home?

Bristol's take-home tracks the rest-of-UK PAYE table directly. The same gross pay anywhere in England would yield the same income tax and NI; differences across cities come from local pay levels, not the tax code itself.

What should I do if BR looks wrong on my Bristol payslip?

Start with your most recent payslip and your latest HMRC P2 coding notice. If the code on your payslip does not match the code on the P2, the employer is the right first call. If they match but the figure looks wrong, contact HMRC on 0300 200 3300 — your tax code is set by HMRC, not by your Bristol employer. You can also upload your payslip to PayslipIQ for a free instant breakdown.