How is the taxable gross pay reduced in a salary sacrifice compared to simply receiving a pay rise to buy a benefit?

Answer

The salary is rerouted pre-tax, meaning the money never hits the bank account as standard pay before being used for the benefit.

The core distinction is timing; salary sacrifice reroutes the money pre-tax before standard PAYE calculations occur, contrasting with using post-tax income to purchase the same item.

How is the taxable gross pay reduced in a salary sacrifice compared to simply receiving a pay rise to buy a benefit?
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