£21,000 after tax
If you earn £21,000 a year in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, you take home £18,639.60 after Income Tax and National Insurance.
You take home
£1,553.30
a month, or £358.45 a week
Want to add a pension, student loan or live in Scotland?
Change the detailsYour breakdown
| Item | Year | Month |
|---|---|---|
| Pay before tax (gross) | £21,000.00 | £1,750.00 |
| Income Tax | £1,686.00 | £140.50 |
| National Insurance | £674.40 | £56.20 |
| Take-home pay | £18,639.60 | £1,553.30 |
Compare nearby salaries
| Salary | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| £16,000 after tax | £15,039.60 | £1,253.30 |
| £20,000 after tax | £17,919.60 | £1,493.30 |
| £22,000 after tax | £19,359.60 | £1,613.30 |
| £26,000 after tax | £22,239.60 | £1,853.30 |
Each extra £1,000 of salary adds £720 to your take-home pay at this level, because 28p in every pound goes on tax and National Insurance.
£21,000 at a glance
| Take-home a year | £18,639.60 |
|---|---|
| Take-home a month | £1,553.30 |
| Take-home a week | £358.45 |
| Take-home a day (5-day week) | £71.69 |
| Take-home an hour (37.5 hours a week) | £9.56 |
| Gross pay an hour (37.5 hours a week) | £10.77 |
| Share lost to Income Tax and NI | 11.2% |
Good to know at £21,000
- You are £29,270 below the higher rate threshold of £50,270. Every pound up to there is taxed at 20%.
- At 37.5 hours a week, £21,000 is £10.77 an hour, below the National Living Wage of £12.71 an hour for workers aged 21 and over. As a full-time salary that is below the legal minimum for most adults; it fits part-time hours, or younger workers and apprentices, who have lower minimum rates.
- In Scotland you would take home £1,556.61 a month, £3.31 more than in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, because Scotland has its own Income Tax rates.
What £21,000 means in practice
- Your employer pays £2,400 a year of employer National Insurance on top of your £21,000, so employing you costs them about £23,400 before any pension contribution.
- UK pay grew by 3.7% in the year to August 2026. A rise of that size would take you to £21,777, or £46.62 a month more after tax.
- Prices rose by 3.5% in the year to September 2026 (CPI). If your pay stays at £21,000, your £1,553.30 a month will buy about what £1,500.77 buys today in a year's time.
With a pension or student loan
| On £21,000 | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| No pension or student loan | £18,639.60 | £1,553.30 |
| Paying 5% into a pension | £17,799.60 | £1,483.30 |
| Repaying a Plan 2 student loan | £18,639.60 | £1,553.30 |
A 5% pension puts £1,050 a year into your pot but only lowers your take-home pay by £840, because it comes off before Income Tax. You earn under the Plan 2 threshold of £29,385, so you would repay nothing.
How £21,000 after tax is worked out
You pay no Income Tax on the first £12,570, your Personal Allowance. The remaining £8,430 is taxed at 20%, which is £1,686 a year.
National Insurance is 8% of the £8,430 you earn above £12,570, which is £674.40. Take both away from £21,000 and you are left with £18,639.60.
Common questions
How much is £21,000 a month after tax?
£1,553.30 a month, or £358.45 a week, in 2026/27 with the standard tax code and no pension or student loan.
How much tax do I pay on £21,000?
£1,686.00 of Income Tax and £674.40 of National Insurance a year: 11.2% of your salary.
What is £21,000 a year as an hourly rate?
£10.77 an hour before tax and £9.56 after tax, for 37.5 hours a week, 52 weeks a year.
Was this calculator helpful?
Report a wrong figureGuides and help
Our guides
Official services and free advice
Sources
Each source was last checked on .
These results are an estimate, not financial advice. They use the 2026/27 rates in force on 24 October 2026 and the inputs shown, so your actual tax, pay or costs may differ. Before making a decision about your money, check the figures with HMRC or your provider, or speak to a regulated financial adviser. Free, impartial guidance is available from MoneyHelper.
This page explains the rules using the 2026/27 rates in force on 24 October 2026. It is general information, not financial advice. For decisions about your own money, speak to a regulated financial adviser, or get free, impartial guidance from MoneyHelper.