--- title: "How to calculate Zakat: a practical UK guide" description: "Work out eligible assets, permitted deductions, nisab and the lunar-year condition, with a complete example and a checklist for UK accounts." source: https://www.zakat-calculator.org.uk/how-to-calculate-zakat retrieved: 2026-09-08T11:02:12.270Z --- Start here # How to calculate Zakat: a practical UK guide Work out eligible assets, permitted deductions, nisab and the lunar-year condition, with a complete example and a checklist for UK accounts. World Aid Network · Updated 8 September 2026 · 3 min read [Calculate your Zakat →](https://www.zakat-calculator.org.uk/zakat-calculator) The quick answer For cash and similar wealth, Zakat is generally 2.5% of net eligible assets when the applicable nisab and hawl conditions are met. Add eligible assets, subtract permitted debts, and compare the total with your chosen nisab. Apply 2.5% to the whole eligible balance, not just the amount above nisab. ## 1. Choose your Zakat date Start with the lunar anniversary used for your Zakat assessment. A lunar year is around 354 or 355 days, so a recurring Gregorian date does not track it exactly. Record the Hijri date and check its local calendar equivalent each year. Ramadan is a popular time to give, but an obligation due earlier should not be postponed simply to reach Ramadan. If this is your first calculation, establish when your eligible wealth first reached nisab. If you already have an anniversary, new savings and receipts can join that assessment under the Hanafi approach; every deposit does not necessarily start a separate year. Treatment of fluctuating balances differs between schools. ## 2. List the assets you actually own Collect statements for current and savings accounts, cash ISAs, investment accounts, business balances and any relevant pension. Include cash at home and money in payment wallets. Convert foreign-currency holdings to GBP on the same valuation date. Count each item once: cash already included in an investment total should not also appear in savings. - Gold and silver: use weight, purity and a reliable valuation, with the jewellery ruling you follow. - Shares and funds: distinguish trading stock from investments held for income or growth. - Business: assess goods for resale, cash and recoverable receivables; separate operating equipment. - Pensions: establish the scheme type and underlying eligible assets. A home you live in, a personal-use car and ordinary household belongings are generally excluded. Interest that must be disposed of is recorded separately; do not count its disposal as Zakat. ## 3. Deduct eligible liabilities carefully Start with existing bills and debts. Future living expenses are not automatically deductible. Scholars differ over longer-term liabilities: an entire mortgage balance should not simply cancel your savings. Check which principal repayments, if any, qualify under the approach you follow. Separate interest from principal and avoid deducting the same liability in both personal and business accounts. ## 4. Compare net wealth with nisab Nisab is a threshold based on a specified weight of gold or silver. This site uses 87.48g gold and 612.36g silver; another established convention uses 85g and 595g. The GBP value changes with metal prices. Use one coherent scholarly method and a dated price for your assessment. A lower threshold is not proof that every school requires it in every situation. ## 5. Calculate the amount Worked example · illustrative figures Cash £8,000 + eligible gold £3,000 + eligible investments £2,000 − permitted debts £1,000 = £12,000 net eligible wealth. Assuming the chosen nisab is below £12,000 and the hawl condition is met: £12,000 × 0.025 = £300 Zakat. If the conditions are not met, that multiplication alone does not establish a liability. ## 6. Keep a useful record Save the valuation date, account totals, metal prices and source, asset method, deductions and result. Record payments against the obligation, including valid advance payments. Check that the recipient or organisation can distribute Zakat in an eligible way. The calculator keeps its saved inputs on your device; anyone with access to that browser profile may be able to view them. ## Common questions ### Do I pay only on the amount above nisab? No. Once the relevant conditions are met, the usual 2.5% applies to the whole net eligible balance. ### Does the calculator decide my religious liability? It applies arithmetic to your inputs. It cannot verify ownership, your hawl history, an investment’s underlying assets or the scholarly ruling appropriate to you. ## Sources & calculation method Sources checked on 8 September 2026. External organisations publish their own guidance; a citation does not imply their endorsement of this website. - [National Zakat Foundation: understanding and calculating Zakat](https://nzf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/NZF_Understanding-Calculating-Zakat_Guide.pdf) - [National Zakat Foundation: nisab weights and valuation](https://nzf.org.uk/nisab/) - [National Zakat Foundation: deductible debts and liabilities](https://nzf.org.uk/knowledge/payment-of-zakat-deductible-liabilities/) This is educational guidance. We identify differences where relevant and do not claim a named scholarly review. For a personal ruling, consult a qualified scholar familiar with your circumstances. [Our editorial policy](https://www.zakat-calculator.org.uk/editorial-policy).