£20,000 a Year After Tax in the UK (2026/27)
On a £20,000 salary you take home £17,920 a year (£1,493 a month, £345 a week) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, after £1,486 income tax and £594 National Insurance.
| Period | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Per year | £20,000 | £17,920 |
| Per month | £1,667 | £1,493 |
| Per 4 weeks | £1,538 | £1,378 |
| Per week | £384.62 | £344.61 |
| Per day (5-day week) | £76.92 | £68.92 |
| Per hour (37.5 hours) | £10.26 | £9.19 |
Adjust for pension, student loan or Scotland
How the tax on £20,000 is worked out
| Item | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | £20,000 | £1,667 |
| Tax-free Personal Allowance | £12,570 | £1,048 |
| Taxable income | £7,430 | £619 |
| Basic rate (20%) on £7,430 | £1,486 | £124 |
| Income tax | £1,486 | £124 |
| National Insurance | £594 | £50 |
| Take-home pay | £17,920 | £1,493 |
Altogether 10.4% of your gross pay goes in tax and National Insurance, and you keep 89.6%. This assumes the standard tax code (1257L), no pension and no student loan.
Your income is all taxed at the basic rate of 20% above the £12,570 Personal Allowance, with 8% National Insurance on top, so each extra £1 earned adds about 28p of deductions.
£20,000 after tax in Scotland
Scotland has its own income tax bands. On £20,000 a Scottish taxpayer pays £1,446 income tax and takes home £17,959 a year (£1,497 a month). That is £40 a year more than the rest of the UK.
£20,000 with a pension or student loan
Paying 5% of your salary into a pension (£1,000 a year) through net pay leaves you with £17,120 a year; through salary sacrifice, which also saves National Insurance, £17,200.
| Loan | Repaid per year | Take-home per year | Take-home per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan 1 | £0 | £17,920 | £1,493 |
| Plan 2 | £0 | £17,920 | £1,493 |
| Plan 4 (Scotland) | £0 | £17,920 | £1,493 |
| Plan 5 | £0 | £17,920 | £1,493 |
| Postgraduate loan | £0 | £17,920 | £1,493 |
Where £20,000 sits
- That is 0.81 times a full-time National Living Wage salary (£24,785 on 37.5 hours a week at £12.71 an hour).
- £12,570 of it (63%) is covered by your tax-free Personal Allowance.
- All of your taxable pay is taxed at the basic rate of 20%, because it is below the £50,270 higher-rate threshold.
- You pay 8% National Insurance on £7,430.
- Student loans: Plan 1: no repayments (threshold £26,900); Plan 2: no repayments (threshold £29,385); Plan 5: no repayments (threshold £25,000).
Nearby salaries
| Salary | Per year | Per month | Per week |
|---|---|---|---|
| £17,000 | £15,760 | £1,313 | £303 |
| £18,000 | £16,480 | £1,373 | £317 |
| £19,000 | £17,200 | £1,433 | £331 |
| £21,000 | £18,640 | £1,553 | £358 |
| £22,000 | £19,360 | £1,613 | £372 |
| £23,000 | £20,080 | £1,673 | £386 |
Related
- £12 an hour equivalent
- Take-home pay calculator
- Pay rise calculator
- Tax codes
- National Insurance
- Student loans
Figures assume 2026/27 rates for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, one job, and the standard tax code. Source: GOV.UK. Use the take-home pay calculator for your own situation.
Frequently asked questions
How much is £20,000 a month after tax?
A salary of £20,000 gives you £1,493 a month after income tax and National Insurance in 2026/27 (England, Wales and Northern Ireland). In Scotland it is £1,497 a month.
How much tax do I pay on £20,000?
You pay £1,486 income tax a year on £20,000, plus £594 National Insurance. That is 10.4% of your gross salary.
What is £20,000 a year per hour?
On a 37.5-hour week, £20,000 a year is £10.26 an hour before tax (£9.19 after tax). On a 40-hour week it is £9.62 an hour before tax.
How much is £20,000 a week after tax?
You take home about £344.61 a week from a £20,000 salary in 2026/27.
Does a pension change my take-home pay on £20,000?
Yes. Paying 5% into a workplace pension through net pay reduces your take-home pay to £17,120 a year, a fall of only £800 even though £1,000 goes into your pension. With salary sacrifice it is £17,200.