Your take-home pay on a £21,000 salary — full PAYE breakdown including income tax and National Insurance.
| Component | Annual | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | £21,000 | £1,750 |
| Personal Allowance | £12,570 | £1,047 |
| Income Tax | − £1,686 | − £140 |
| National Insurance | − £674 | − £56 |
| Take-Home Pay | £18,640 | £1,553 |
| Band | Income in Band | Tax Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Personal Allowance (0%) | £12,570 | £0 |
| Basic Rate (20%) | £8,430 | £1,686 |
| Total | £21,000 | £1,686 |
| Band | Earnings in Band | NI Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Below Primary Threshold (0%) | £12,570 | £0 |
| Primary Rate (8%) | £8,430 | £674 |
| Total NI | £674 |
On a £21,000 salary you take home £18,640 per year — that is £1,553 per month or £358 per week after income tax and National Insurance in 2026/27.
You pay £674 in National Insurance on a £21,000 salary. NI is charged at 8% on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270.
You pay £1,686 in income tax on a £21,000 salary in 2026/27. Your Personal Allowance covers the first £12,570 tax-free.
A £21,000 annual salary works out at approximately £10.10 per hour based on a standard 40-hour week. After tax your hourly take-home is around £8.96.
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 £21,000 salary is below this on a full-time basis.
The UK median salary is around £35,000. At £21,000, you are below the median but above the National Living Wage full-time equivalent of £26,400.