These figures were correct for the 2018/19 tax year.
1185L was the most common tax code in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for the 2018/19 tax year, which started on 6th April 2018. You usually get a new tax code at the beginning of a tax year because this is often when changes to your personal allowance come into effect.
In Scotland, the equivalent tax code was S1185L.
What does it mean?
Nearly everyone in the UK is entitled to a tax-free personal allowance, which means that a certain amount of your earnings each year are paid to you without being taxed. If your tax code is 1185L, it means your allowance is £11,850.
It is given to you in equal portions throughout the year, so that by the end of the tax year you have received your full allowance.
For example, if you are paid weekly, your allowance is equivalent to £228 per week. If you’re paid monthly, it’s £988 per month.
Unless you’re in Scotland, any earnings over and above your personal allowance will be taxed as follows:
- 20% on earnings up to £34,500
- 40% on earnings between £34,501 and £150,000
- 45% on earnings above £150,000
1185L is a cumulative tax code, which means that if you return to work after a break or if you start working part-way through the tax year, your tax-free personal allowance will have been building up and you may pay less tax for a while.
In the 2017/18 tax year, the most common tax code was 1150L, which gave you a personal allowance of £11,500.
