£20,000 After Tax UK 2026/27
On a £20,000 salary you take home £17,919.60 a year, or £1,493.30 a month, in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. In Scotland it's £17,959.27 a year (£1,496.61 a month).
2026/27 rates · verified 11 October 2026
£20,000 salary breakdown: England, Wales and NI
| Year | Month | Week | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | £20,000.00 | £1,666.67 | £384.62 |
| Income Tax | £1,486.00 | £123.83 | £28.58 |
| National Insurance | £594.40 | £49.53 | £11.43 |
| Take-home pay | £17,919.60 | £1,493.30 | £344.61 |
£20,000 salary breakdown: Scotland
| Year | Month | Week | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | £20,000.00 | £1,666.67 | £384.62 |
| Income Tax | £1,446.33 | £120.53 | £27.81 |
| National Insurance | £594.40 | £49.53 | £11.43 |
| Take-home pay | £17,959.27 | £1,496.61 | £345.37 |
How the tax on £20,000 is worked out
- Personal Allowance: the first £12,570 is tax free.
- Basic rate: 20% on £7,430 = £1,486.00
- National Insurance: 8% on earnings from £12,570 to £20,000 = £594.40.
Close to the minimum wage
A full-time job at the National Living Wage of £12.71 an hour for 37.5 hours a week pays about £24,785 a year, so £20,000 is typical of part-time or entry-level work. At this level all your taxable income falls in the 20% basic rate band (19% and 20% in Scotland), and you're below every student loan threshold, so nothing is repaid.
With a pension or student loan
| Situation (England, Wales, NI) | Take-home a year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| No pension or student loan | £17,919.60 | £1,493.30 |
| 5% workplace pension (net pay) | £17,119.60 | £1,426.63 |
| Plan 2 student loan | £17,919.60 | £1,493.30 |
Change the options in the calculator below to match your own pension, student loan and tax code.
Pension, student loan and tax code options
Auto-enrolment minimum is 5% from you (including tax relief), usually on qualifying earnings.
Estimate for the whole 2026/27 tax year (6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027). Monthly and weekly figures are the yearly amount divided by 12 and 52.
Nearby salaries
| Salary | Take-home (rUK) | Per month | Take-home (Scotland) | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £15,000 | £14,320 | £1,193 | £14,344 | £1,195 |
| £25,000 | £21,520 | £1,793 | £21,559 | £1,797 |
| £28,000 | £23,680 | £1,973 | £23,719 | £1,977 |
| £30,000 | £25,120 | £2,093 | £25,155 | £2,096 |
| £32,000 | £26,560 | £2,213 | £26,575 | £2,215 |
| £35,000 | £28,720 | £2,393 | £28,705 | £2,392 |
Frequently asked questions
How much is £20,000 a year after tax per month?
£1,493.30 a month in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, and £1,496.61 in Scotland, with a standard tax code and no pension or student loan.
How much tax do I pay on £20,000?
£1,486.00 Income Tax and £594.40 National Insurance in 2026/27 (England, Wales, NI). In Scotland, Income Tax is £1,446.33.
What is £20,000 a year per hour?
About £10.26 an hour before tax for a 37.5-hour week, or £9.19 an hour after tax and National Insurance.
What is my marginal tax rate on £20,000?
28% (Income Tax plus National Insurance) on your next pound in England, Wales or NI, and 28% in Scotland.
All rates, thresholds and dates on this page come from official sources, including GOV.UK, HM Revenue and Customs, the Scottish Government, Revenue Scotland and the Welsh Government. Last verified 11 October 2026.