How much tax does a delivery driver pay on £30,000?

With 19,000 business miles in a car, the mileage allowance is £7,750, leaving £22,250 of profit. Income tax on that is £1,936 and Class 4 National Insurance £581: £2,517 in total, about £210 a month.

How much should I put aside for tax?

The monthly figure the calculator shows, from the first month. As a rule of thumb for a basic rate taxpayer, every extra £100 of profit adds about £26 of tax and National Insurance. In your first year of payments on account, put aside half as much again.

Do I pay tax if I earn under £1,000?

No. Earnings of £1,000 or less in a tax year are covered by the trading allowance, and you do not need to register or report them.

Should I use the trading allowance instead of mileage?

Only if your mileage and expenses come to less than £1,000 in the year. It is one or the other, and for most regular drivers the mileage is worth far more. The calculator tells you if the allowance would work out better.

Is this the same figure the JoltMile app gives?

Yes. The calculator uses the same tax functions the app uses on your logged shifts. The app works it out shift by shift through the year, with your actual fuel, insurance and expenses.

Tax calculator for UK delivery drivers

As a self-employed driver you pay income tax and Class 4 National Insurance on your profit: what the apps paid you, minus the mileage allowance and any other allowable expenses. The first £12,570 of profit is tax free unless a job already uses your personal allowance. Put in a year's figures to see the bill and what to set aside each month.

Correct for the 2026/27 tax year. Last checked against gov.uk 12/09/2026. Free, no sign-up, and nothing you type leaves your browser.

Put aside each month

£209.73

£2,516.80 for the year, 8% of your earnings.

Mileage allowance: -£7,750.00
Taxable profit: £22,250.00
Income tax: £1,936.00
Class 4 National Insurance: £580.80
Total for the year: £2,516.80

A bill this size brings payments on account. In your first year of them, the January bill is about £3,775.20: this year's tax plus half of next year's in advance.

How the tax is worked out

Your profit is your earnings from the apps, before any deductions, minus the mileage allowance for your business miles and any other allowable expenses such as parking, your phone's business share or bags. Income tax and National Insurance are both charged on that profit.

Income tax: nothing on the first £12,570, then 20% up to £50,270, 40% above that, and 45% at the very top.
Class 4 National Insurance: 6% of profit between £12,570 and £50,270, and 2% above.
Class 2 is not added. Above £7,105 of profit it is treated as paid, and below it, it is voluntary.

If you tick the box for a job, the personal allowance is treated as already used at the job, so the delivery profit is taxed from the first pound. That assumes your job's pay stays within the basic rate band. The guide to tax with a PAYE job covers the rest.

Why the first bill is bigger

Once your bill is £1,000 or more, HMRC also asks for half of next year's tax in advance, on 31 January and again on 31 July. In the first year that means paying the whole bill plus half of it again in January. The payments on account guide explains it with a real example.

Common questions

How much tax does a delivery driver pay on £30,000?: With 19,000 business miles in a car, the mileage allowance is £7,750, leaving £22,250 of profit. Income tax on that is £1,936 and Class 4 National Insurance £581: £2,517 in total, about £210 a month.
How much should I put aside for tax?: The monthly figure the calculator shows, from the first month. As a rule of thumb for a basic rate taxpayer, every extra £100 of profit adds about £26 of tax and National Insurance. In your first year of payments on account, put aside half as much again.
Do I pay tax if I earn under £1,000?: No. Earnings of £1,000 or less in a tax year are covered by the trading allowance, and you do not need to register or report them.
Should I use the trading allowance instead of mileage?: Only if your mileage and expenses come to less than £1,000 in the year. It is one or the other, and for most regular drivers the mileage is worth far more. The calculator tells you if the allowance would work out better.
Is this the same figure the JoltMile app gives?: Yes. The calculator uses the same tax functions the app uses on your logged shifts. The app works it out shift by shift through the year, with your actual fuel, insurance and expenses.

Sources

Let JoltMile do this for every shift

Tap Start shift in the app when you set off and End shift when you finish. JoltMile captures the miles and keeps the running total for the whole tax year, ready for Self Assessment. Your first 10 shifts are free.

Get the app

Other calculators

Mileage allowance calculator for delivery drivers: What your business miles are worth at the HMRC approved rates.
Real hourly rate calculator for delivery drivers: What an hour of driving pays once fuel, insurance and tax come off.