£20,000 after tax in the UK (2026/27)
If you earn £20,000 a year, your take-home pay is £17,920 a year, or £1,493 a month, after Income Tax and National Insurance.
£20,000 salary breakdown
| Year | Month | Week | Day (5-day week) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | £20,000 | £1,667 | £385 | £77 |
| Income Tax | £1,486 | £124 | £29 | £6 |
| National Insurance | £594 | £50 | £11 | £2 |
| Take-home pay | £17,920 | £1,493 | £345 | £69 |
Tax year 6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027. England, Wales and Northern Ireland rates, standard tax code 1257L, no pension or student loan.
Change the details in the full UK calculator →How the tax on £20,000 is worked out
All of your taxable income (£7,430) falls in the 20% basic-rate band, so you are a basic-rate taxpayer. You still have £30,270 of basic-rate band left before the 40% higher rate starts at £50,270.
Income Tax: £1,486
The first £12,570 is your tax-free Personal Allowance. The remaining £7,430 is taxed in bands:
| Band | Income in band | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| Personal Allowance (0%) | £12,570 | £0 |
| Basic rate (20%) | £7,430 | £1,486 |
| Total Income Tax | £7,430 taxable | £1,486 |
National Insurance: £594
Employees pay Class 1 National Insurance at 8% on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270 and 2% above that. On £20,000 that is 8% of £7,430.
Your marginal rate
If you earned an extra £1,000, you would keep about £720 of it, because your combined marginal rate of tax and NI is 28%.
£20,000 with a 5% pension (salary sacrifice)
Paying 5% of your salary (£1,000 a year) into a workplace pension through salary sacrifice lowers both your tax and NI. Your take-home pay would be £17,200 a year (£1,433 a month). That is £720 less in your pocket, but £1,000 goes into your pension, so you are £280 better off overall once tax relief is counted. Your employer may add more on top.
Compare nearby salaries
| Salary | Take-home / year | Per month | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| £15,000 | £14,320 | £1,193 | 4.5% |
| £18,000 | £16,480 | £1,373 | 8.4% |
| £20,000 | £17,920 | £1,493 | 10.4% |
| £22,000 | £19,360 | £1,613 | 12.0% |
| £24,000 | £20,800 | £1,733 | 13.3% |
| £25,000 | £21,520 | £1,793 | 13.9% |
← £18,000 after tax · £22,000 after tax →
Common questions
How much is £20,000 a year after tax in the UK?
In the 2026/27 tax year, £20,000 a year is £17,920 after tax and National Insurance in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. That is £1,493 a month or £345 a week.
How much tax do I pay on £20,000?
You pay £1,486 Income Tax and £594 National Insurance, a total of £2,080. Your effective tax rate is 10.4%.
What is £20,000 a year per hour?
Based on 37.5 hours a week, £20,000 is about £10.26 an hour before tax and £9.19 an hour after tax.
Does this apply in Scotland?
No. Scotland has its own Income Tax bands, so Scottish taxpayers will see a slightly different result. National Insurance is the same across the UK.
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See every salary in one table · UK bonus tax calculator · Full UK tax calculator
Figures are estimates for guidance only and are not tax advice. Your payslip can differ if you have a different tax code, benefits in kind, student loan repayments or other deductions.