What am I actually paying?

What you really pay is the gross wage you earn to buy something. What it could cost is the price with every tax removed: no duty, no VAT, and no income tax on the money you spend.

Item

Ticket price

Defaults are typical prices. Type in what you actually paid.

VAT rate

Duty details

Drink type

Volume (ml)

Strength (% ABV)

Draught (served in a pub or bar)

Draught relief only applies under 8.5% ABV.

Volume (ml)

Sugar per 100ml

Number of cigarettes

Litres

Liquid (ml)

Fixed duty (£)

Duty as % of price

Your tax

Marginal rate on your next £ of salary

England, Wales and NI bands for 2026/27. Use Custom for Scotland, student loans or pension effects.

Mars barTrue cost breakdown

What you really payGross wages earned to buy it

What it could costPrice with no duty, VAT or income tax

Ticket price

Less VAT

Less duties and levies

What it could cost

Ticket price less VAT and duties

Income tax and NI

What you really pay

Seller Duty VAT Income tax/NI

Rates used (UK, October 2026): VAT 20%. Fuel duty 52.95p per litre (5p cut extended to end of 2026). Alcohol duty from 1 Feb 2026, per litre of pure alcohol: beer 3.5–8.4% £22.58; wine/spirits 3.5–8.4% £26.61; any drink 8.5–22% £30.62; over 22% £33.99; draught 3.5–8.4% £19.45; under 3.5% £9.96 (draught £8.58). Cigarettes from 1 Oct 2026: £394.09 per 1,000 plus 16.5% of retail price, minimum £518.75 per 1,000. Vaping duty from 1 Oct 2026: £2.20 per 10ml. Soft drinks levy from 1 Apr 2026: 27.8p per litre (8g+ sugar), 20.8p (5–8g).

What this doesn't show: the underlying price still contains taxes the seller's businesses pay (employer NI, business rates, corporation tax, import tariffs), so the true government share is higher than shown. Small-producer alcohol relief is ignored. VAT is charged on top of duty, which is why it's taken off the full ticket price first.