What is the personal allowance and does it apply to me?
£12,570 of income you can receive each tax year before paying any income tax. It covers all your income together, not each job separately.
Last checked 12/09/2026.
The personal allowance is £12,570 of income you can receive in a tax year before you pay any income tax. For 2026/27 that is the figure, and it applies to everyone with income under £100,000.
The important word is "total". It is one allowance across everything you earn, not one per job. If a PAYE job already uses it up, every pound of delivery profit is taxable from the first pound.
Above £100,000 the allowance tapers away by £1 for every £2 of income, so it disappears entirely at £125,140. That is well beyond most delivery earnings, but it matters if driving is a second income on top of a good salary.
JoltMile applies the allowance in its tax estimate by default, and you can turn it off in Settings if a job is already using it. Income tax rates and personal allowances (opens in a new tab).
Related
How much tax will I pay as a delivery driver?
Income tax at 20% on profit above £12,570, plus Class 4 National Insurance at 6%.
HMRC & taxUpdated 19/08/2026
How does a PAYE job affect my delivery tax?
Your job normally uses your £12,570 personal allowance first, so your delivery profit is taxable from the first pound.
HMRC & taxUpdated 19/08/2026
What are the income tax bands?
20% on income between £12,570 and £50,270, 40% above that, and 45% at the very top.
HMRC & taxUpdated 19/08/2026
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