How much do you need to quit your job?
Put in what your life costs and what your business makes now. You'll see the savings buffer you need and how much profit your business has to make before it can replace your salary.
- Free, no sign-up
- 2026 to 2027 tax year
- Nothing you type leaves your browser
Savings you need before you leave
£11,172
6 months of the £1,862 a month the business doesn't cover yet.
What you've saved covers about 2.7 months. £6,172 more gets you to 6.
For the business to replace your salary
£2,605 profit a month
That's your costs plus the Income Tax and National Insurance you'd pay on it. You're 15% of the way there.
How we work it out
It's an estimate, not tax advice. If the numbers are close, check with an accountant.
Your monthly number is what life costs after tax. The part your business doesn't cover yet is your monthly gap, and your savings target is that gap multiplied by the months of cover you want.
Because you pay Income Tax and Class 4 National Insurance on self-employed profits yourself, the business needs to make more than you spend. We work that out with the 2026 to 2027 rates for where you pay tax, as if the business were your only income.
Everything stays in your browser. Nothing you type is saved or sent anywhere.
Questions people ask
Something we haven't covered? Ask us.
How many months of savings should I have before quitting?
Three to six months of your essential costs is a common range. Go for the higher end if your income will be uneven, you have dependants or you'd hate the pressure of a thin buffer.
Why is the profit needed higher than my costs?
Your costs are what you spend after tax. When you're self-employed you pay Income Tax and Class 4 National Insurance on your profits yourself, so the business has to make more than you spend.
Does this include student loans or pensions?
No. It's a quick estimate for 2026 to 2027 using a standard Personal Allowance. Student loan repayments and pension contributions would change the numbers, so check your plan with an accountant if it's close.
Read this next
Free guides that explain the numbers in more detail.
- How much money do you need before you quit your job?3 minute readA simple way to work out your own exit number: your monthly costs, your savings buffer and the income you need to replace, with a worked example.
- How to quit your 9 to 5 in the UK: a realistic plan4 minute readA step by step plan for leaving your job to work for yourself in the UK, from knowing your number and testing an idea to tax, notice periods and choosing your date.
- How to tell your boss you're leaving to start a business6 minute readHow to resign when you're leaving to work for yourself: timing, notice, a sample resignation letter, garden leave and what to sort before your last day.
Other free tools
- Side hustle tax calculatorThe tax and National Insurance your side income adds on top of your job, for 2026/27.
- Day rate calculatorThe day and hourly rate you need to take home what you want, after tax and time off.
- Business readiness quizEight quick questions, then one thing to do today and a plan for your next seven days.
Got the numbers? Now make the plan.
Exitnine gives you a coach that knows your plan, a weekly check-in that keeps you moving and people building the same thing.
See plans