High tax week 1 due to bonus. Advice

irvin38aa

Not sure if this is the right section to post but could someone tell me if I’m right in this?

I get paid weekly. 

Top line is normally £491. Usually pay tax and NI totalling around £90. 

This week though my top line was £1016 due to receiving £525 bonus. My tax and NI this week amounted to £260. 

Is this due to it being the first tax week therefore the system assuming I’m on a lot more than I am and charging higher rates? That’s the way I’m thinking and if so am I right in thinking tax/NI will self adjust over the coming weeks?

Thanks. 

Dazed_and_C0nfused

You haven't paid any more tax than you should and won't get any of the NI back.

The only reason you would get a tax refund is if you stopped work or your average weekly earnings dropped below £240.  Which seems unlikely from £491.

You have received an extra £525 and paid 20% (£105) tax and 12% (£63) National Insurance on it. 

Total extra payable is £168.  Plus the normal deductions of £90 = £258 (presume the £2 difference is due to rounding).

chrisbur

Your figure indicate that you are on a tax code of 1250L or very close to that.
Your earnings for week 1 have taken you into the 40% tax band though not by a great deal.  This has resulted in you paying about £21 in 40% tax.  This will be adjusted in next week's pay when your pay returns to normal and the 40% tax will be converted to 20% reducing your tax next week by about £10.50. 
You have benefited from your earnings being a touch over the upper earnings limit so that you only paid 2% NI on earnings over £962 so a reduction of about £5.40.