Your take-home pay on a £20,000 salary — full PAYE breakdown including income tax and National Insurance.
| Component | Annual | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | £20,000 | £1,666 |
| Personal Allowance | £12,570 | £1,047 |
| Income Tax | − £1,486 | − £123 |
| National Insurance | − £594 | − £49 |
| Take-Home Pay | £17,920 | £1,493 |
| Band | Income in Band | Tax Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Personal Allowance (0%) | £12,570 | £0 |
| Basic Rate (20%) | £7,430 | £1,486 |
| Total | £20,000 | £1,486 |
| Band | Earnings in Band | NI Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Below Primary Threshold (0%) | £12,570 | £0 |
| Primary Rate (8%) | £7,430 | £594 |
| Total NI | £594 |
On a £20,000 salary you take home £17,920 per year — that is £1,493 per month or £344 per week after income tax and National Insurance in 2026/27.
You pay £594 in National Insurance on a £20,000 salary. NI is charged at 8% on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270.
You pay £1,486 in income tax on a £20,000 salary in 2026/27. Your Personal Allowance covers the first £12,570 tax-free.
A £20,000 annual salary works out at approximately £9.62 per hour based on a standard 40-hour week. After tax your hourly take-home is around £8.62.
The National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over is £12.71 per hour from April 2026, equivalent to approximately £26,400 per year full-time. A £20,000 salary is below this on a full-time basis.
The UK median salary is around £35,000. At £20,000, you are below the median but above the National Living Wage full-time equivalent of £26,400.