£15 an hour is £29,250 a year at 37.5 hours a week, or £31,200 a year at 40 hours a week before tax. At 37.5 hours, that is about £2,438 a month, £563 a week and £120.00 a day.
Estimated take-home pay at 37.5 hours is £24,580 a year after income tax and National Insurance.
Standard UK: 37.5 or 40 hours
Use 52 for paid leave/bank holidays
Hourly Rate
£15.38
per hour
Day Rate
£123.08
per day (8 hrs)
Weekly
£576.92
per week
Monthly
£2,500
per month
Search hourly rates from £8 to £100 and click any row to update the calculator instantly.
| Hourly Rate | Annual Salary (37.5h) | Annual Salary (40h) | Monthly Salary | Weekly Salary | Daily Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £15,600 | £16,640 | £1,300 | £300 | £64.00 | |
| £17,550 | £18,720 | £1,463 | £338 | £72.00 | |
| £19,500 | £20,800 | £1,625 | £375 | £80.00 | |
| £21,450 | £22,880 | £1,788 | £413 | £88.00 | |
| £23,400 | £24,960 | £1,950 | £450 | £96.00 | |
| £25,350 | £27,040 | £2,113 | £488 | £104.00 | |
| £27,300 | £29,120 | £2,275 | £525 | £112.00 | |
| £29,250 | £31,200 | £2,438 | £563 | £120.00 | |
| £31,200 | £33,280 | £2,600 | £600 | £128.00 | |
| £33,150 | £35,360 | £2,763 | £638 | £136.00 | |
| £35,100 | £37,440 | £2,925 | £675 | £144.00 | |
| £37,050 | £39,520 | £3,088 | £713 | £152.00 | |
| £39,000 | £41,600 | £3,250 | £750 | £160.00 | |
| £40,950 | £43,680 | £3,413 | £788 | £168.00 | |
| £42,900 | £45,760 | £3,575 | £825 | £176.00 | |
| £44,850 | £47,840 | £3,738 | £863 | £184.00 | |
| £46,800 | £49,920 | £3,900 | £900 | £192.00 | |
| £48,750 | £52,000 | £4,063 | £938 | £200.00 | |
| £50,700 | £54,080 | £4,225 | £975 | £208.00 | |
| £52,650 | £56,160 | £4,388 | £1,013 | £216.00 | |
| £54,600 | £58,240 | £4,550 | £1,050 | £224.00 | |
| £56,550 | £60,320 | £4,713 | £1,088 | £232.00 | |
| £58,500 | £62,400 | £4,875 | £1,125 | £240.00 | |
| £60,450 | £64,480 | £5,038 | £1,163 | £248.00 | |
| £62,400 | £66,560 | £5,200 | £1,200 | £256.00 | |
| £64,350 | £68,640 | £5,363 | £1,238 | £264.00 | |
| £66,300 | £70,720 | £5,525 | £1,275 | £272.00 | |
| £68,250 | £72,800 | £5,688 | £1,313 | £280.00 | |
| £70,200 | £74,880 | £5,850 | £1,350 | £288.00 | |
| £72,150 | £76,960 | £6,013 | £1,388 | £296.00 | |
| £74,100 | £79,040 | £6,175 | £1,425 | £304.00 | |
| £76,050 | £81,120 | £6,338 | £1,463 | £312.00 | |
| £78,000 | £83,200 | £6,500 | £1,500 | £320.00 | |
| £79,950 | £85,280 | £6,663 | £1,538 | £328.00 | |
| £81,900 | £87,360 | £6,825 | £1,575 | £336.00 | |
| £83,850 | £89,440 | £6,988 | £1,613 | £344.00 | |
| £85,800 | £91,520 | £7,150 | £1,650 | £352.00 | |
| £87,750 | £93,600 | £7,313 | £1,688 | £360.00 | |
| £89,700 | £95,680 | £7,475 | £1,725 | £368.00 | |
| £91,650 | £97,760 | £7,638 | £1,763 | £376.00 | |
| £93,600 | £99,840 | £7,800 | £1,800 | £384.00 | |
| £95,550 | £101,920 | £7,963 | £1,838 | £392.00 | |
| £97,500 | £104,000 | £8,125 | £1,875 | £400.00 | |
| £99,450 | £106,080 | £8,288 | £1,913 | £408.00 | |
| £101,400 | £108,160 | £8,450 | £1,950 | £416.00 | |
| £103,350 | £110,240 | £8,613 | £1,988 | £424.00 | |
| £105,300 | £112,320 | £8,775 | £2,025 | £432.00 | |
| £107,250 | £114,400 | £8,938 | £2,063 | £440.00 | |
| £109,200 | £116,480 | £9,100 | £2,100 | £448.00 | |
| £111,150 | £118,560 | £9,263 | £2,138 | £456.00 | |
| £113,100 | £120,640 | £9,425 | £2,175 | £464.00 | |
| £115,050 | £122,720 | £9,588 | £2,213 | £472.00 | |
| £117,000 | £124,800 | £9,750 | £2,250 | £480.00 | |
| £118,950 | £126,880 | £9,913 | £2,288 | £488.00 | |
| £120,900 | £128,960 | £10,075 | £2,325 | £496.00 | |
| £122,850 | £131,040 | £10,238 | £2,363 | £504.00 | |
| £124,800 | £133,120 | £10,400 | £2,400 | £512.00 | |
| £126,750 | £135,200 | £10,563 | £2,438 | £520.00 | |
| £128,700 | £137,280 | £10,725 | £2,475 | £528.00 | |
| £130,650 | £139,360 | £10,888 | £2,513 | £536.00 | |
| £132,600 | £141,440 | £11,050 | £2,550 | £544.00 | |
| £134,550 | £143,520 | £11,213 | £2,588 | £552.00 | |
| £136,500 | £145,600 | £11,375 | £2,625 | £560.00 | |
| £138,450 | £147,680 | £11,538 | £2,663 | £568.00 | |
| £140,400 | £149,760 | £11,700 | £2,700 | £576.00 | |
| £142,350 | £151,840 | £11,863 | £2,738 | £584.00 | |
| £144,300 | £153,920 | £12,025 | £2,775 | £592.00 | |
| £146,250 | £156,000 | £12,188 | £2,813 | £600.00 | |
| £148,200 | £158,080 | £12,350 | £2,850 | £608.00 | |
| £150,150 | £160,160 | £12,513 | £2,888 | £616.00 | |
| £152,100 | £162,240 | £12,675 | £2,925 | £624.00 | |
| £154,050 | £164,320 | £12,838 | £2,963 | £632.00 | |
| £156,000 | £166,400 | £13,000 | £3,000 | £640.00 | |
| £157,950 | £168,480 | £13,163 | £3,038 | £648.00 | |
| £159,900 | £170,560 | £13,325 | £3,075 | £656.00 | |
| £161,850 | £172,640 | £13,488 | £3,113 | £664.00 | |
| £163,800 | £174,720 | £13,650 | £3,150 | £672.00 | |
| £165,750 | £176,800 | £13,813 | £3,188 | £680.00 | |
| £167,700 | £178,880 | £13,975 | £3,225 | £688.00 | |
| £169,650 | £180,960 | £14,138 | £3,263 | £696.00 | |
| £171,600 | £183,040 | £14,300 | £3,300 | £704.00 | |
| £173,550 | £185,120 | £14,463 | £3,338 | £712.00 | |
| £175,500 | £187,200 | £14,625 | £3,375 | £720.00 | |
| £177,450 | £189,280 | £14,788 | £3,413 | £728.00 | |
| £179,400 | £191,360 | £14,950 | £3,450 | £736.00 | |
| £181,350 | £193,440 | £15,113 | £3,488 | £744.00 | |
| £183,300 | £195,520 | £15,275 | £3,525 | £752.00 | |
| £185,250 | £197,600 | £15,438 | £3,563 | £760.00 | |
| £187,200 | £199,680 | £15,600 | £3,600 | £768.00 | |
| £189,150 | £201,760 | £15,763 | £3,638 | £776.00 | |
| £191,100 | £203,840 | £15,925 | £3,675 | £784.00 | |
| £193,050 | £205,920 | £16,088 | £3,713 | £792.00 | |
| £195,000 | £208,000 | £16,250 | £3,750 | £800.00 |
Monthly and weekly figures use 37.5 hours per week and 52 paid weeks. Annual 40-hour figures are shown separately for comparison.
Popular UK hourly rates converted to yearly, monthly, weekly, daily and estimated after-tax pay.
£8 an hour is £15,600 a year at 37.5 hours a week, or £16,640 a year at 40 hours a week before tax.
Monthly salary
£1,300
Weekly salary
£300
Daily salary
£64.00
Hourly salary
£8/hr
Estimated after tax at 37.5 hours: £14,752 a year, or £1,229 a month. This includes about £606 income tax and £242 National Insurance.
Example calculation: £8 × 37.5 hours × 52 weeks = £15,600 gross annual salary.
£10.85 an hour is £21,158 a year at 37.5 hours a week, or £22,568 a year at 40 hours a week before tax.
Monthly salary
£1,763
Weekly salary
£407
Daily salary
£86.80
Hourly salary
£10.85/hr
Estimated after tax at 37.5 hours: £18,753 a year, or £1,563 a month. This includes about £1,718 income tax and £687 National Insurance.
Example calculation: £10.85 × 37.5 hours × 52 weeks = £21,158 gross annual salary.
£12.71 an hour is £24,785 a year at 37.5 hours a week, or £26,437 a year at 40 hours a week before tax.
Monthly salary
£2,065
Weekly salary
£477
Daily salary
£101.68
Hourly salary
£12.71/hr
Estimated after tax at 37.5 hours: £21,364 a year, or £1,780 a month. This includes about £2,443 income tax and £977 National Insurance.
Example calculation: £12.71 × 37.5 hours × 52 weeks = £24,785 gross annual salary.
£13 an hour is £25,350 a year at 37.5 hours a week, or £27,040 a year at 40 hours a week before tax.
Monthly salary
£2,113
Weekly salary
£488
Daily salary
£104.00
Hourly salary
£13/hr
Estimated after tax at 37.5 hours: £21,772 a year, or £1,814 a month. This includes about £2,556 income tax and £1,022 National Insurance.
Example calculation: £13 × 37.5 hours × 52 weeks = £25,350 gross annual salary.
£14 an hour is £27,300 a year at 37.5 hours a week, or £29,120 a year at 40 hours a week before tax.
Monthly salary
£2,275
Weekly salary
£525
Daily salary
£112.00
Hourly salary
£14/hr
Estimated after tax at 37.5 hours: £23,176 a year, or £1,931 a month. This includes about £2,946 income tax and £1,178 National Insurance.
Example calculation: £14 × 37.5 hours × 52 weeks = £27,300 gross annual salary.
£15 an hour is £29,250 a year at 37.5 hours a week, or £31,200 a year at 40 hours a week before tax.
Monthly salary
£2,438
Weekly salary
£563
Daily salary
£120.00
Hourly salary
£15/hr
Estimated after tax at 37.5 hours: £24,580 a year, or £2,048 a month. This includes about £3,336 income tax and £1,334 National Insurance.
Example calculation: £15 × 37.5 hours × 52 weeks = £29,250 gross annual salary.
£16 an hour is £31,200 a year at 37.5 hours a week, or £33,280 a year at 40 hours a week before tax.
Monthly salary
£2,600
Weekly salary
£600
Daily salary
£128.00
Hourly salary
£16/hr
Estimated after tax at 37.5 hours: £25,984 a year, or £2,165 a month. This includes about £3,726 income tax and £1,490 National Insurance.
Example calculation: £16 × 37.5 hours × 52 weeks = £31,200 gross annual salary.
£17 an hour is £33,150 a year at 37.5 hours a week, or £35,360 a year at 40 hours a week before tax.
Monthly salary
£2,763
Weekly salary
£638
Daily salary
£136.00
Hourly salary
£17/hr
Estimated after tax at 37.5 hours: £27,388 a year, or £2,282 a month. This includes about £4,116 income tax and £1,646 National Insurance.
Example calculation: £17 × 37.5 hours × 52 weeks = £33,150 gross annual salary.
£18 an hour is £35,100 a year at 37.5 hours a week, or £37,440 a year at 40 hours a week before tax.
Monthly salary
£2,925
Weekly salary
£675
Daily salary
£144.00
Hourly salary
£18/hr
Estimated after tax at 37.5 hours: £28,792 a year, or £2,399 a month. This includes about £4,506 income tax and £1,802 National Insurance.
Example calculation: £18 × 37.5 hours × 52 weeks = £35,100 gross annual salary.
£19 an hour is £37,050 a year at 37.5 hours a week, or £39,520 a year at 40 hours a week before tax.
Monthly salary
£3,088
Weekly salary
£713
Daily salary
£152.00
Hourly salary
£19/hr
Estimated after tax at 37.5 hours: £30,196 a year, or £2,516 a month. This includes about £4,896 income tax and £1,958 National Insurance.
Example calculation: £19 × 37.5 hours × 52 weeks = £37,050 gross annual salary.
£20 an hour is £39,000 a year at 37.5 hours a week, or £41,600 a year at 40 hours a week before tax.
Monthly salary
£3,250
Weekly salary
£750
Daily salary
£160.00
Hourly salary
£20/hr
Estimated after tax at 37.5 hours: £31,600 a year, or £2,633 a month. This includes about £5,286 income tax and £2,114 National Insurance.
Example calculation: £20 × 37.5 hours × 52 weeks = £39,000 gross annual salary.
£22 an hour is £42,900 a year at 37.5 hours a week, or £45,760 a year at 40 hours a week before tax.
Monthly salary
£3,575
Weekly salary
£825
Daily salary
£176.00
Hourly salary
£22/hr
Estimated after tax at 37.5 hours: £34,408 a year, or £2,867 a month. This includes about £6,066 income tax and £2,426 National Insurance.
Example calculation: £22 × 37.5 hours × 52 weeks = £42,900 gross annual salary.
£25 an hour is £48,750 a year at 37.5 hours a week, or £52,000 a year at 40 hours a week before tax.
Monthly salary
£4,063
Weekly salary
£938
Daily salary
£200.00
Hourly salary
£25/hr
Estimated after tax at 37.5 hours: £38,620 a year, or £3,218 a month. This includes about £7,236 income tax and £2,894 National Insurance.
Example calculation: £25 × 37.5 hours × 52 weeks = £48,750 gross annual salary.
£30 an hour is £58,500 a year at 37.5 hours a week, or £62,400 a year at 40 hours a week before tax.
Monthly salary
£4,875
Weekly salary
£1,125
Daily salary
£240.00
Hourly salary
£30/hr
Estimated after tax at 37.5 hours: £44,487 a year, or £3,707 a month. This includes about £10,832 income tax and £3,181 National Insurance.
Example calculation: £30 × 37.5 hours × 52 weeks = £58,500 gross annual salary.
£35 an hour is £68,250 a year at 37.5 hours a week, or £72,800 a year at 40 hours a week before tax.
Monthly salary
£5,688
Weekly salary
£1,313
Daily salary
£280.00
Hourly salary
£35/hr
Estimated after tax at 37.5 hours: £50,142 a year, or £4,179 a month. This includes about £14,732 income tax and £3,376 National Insurance.
Example calculation: £35 × 37.5 hours × 52 weeks = £68,250 gross annual salary.
£40 an hour is £78,000 a year at 37.5 hours a week, or £83,200 a year at 40 hours a week before tax.
Monthly salary
£6,500
Weekly salary
£1,500
Daily salary
£320.00
Hourly salary
£40/hr
Estimated after tax at 37.5 hours: £55,797 a year, or £4,650 a month. This includes about £18,632 income tax and £3,571 National Insurance.
Example calculation: £40 × 37.5 hours × 52 weeks = £78,000 gross annual salary.
£45 an hour is £87,750 a year at 37.5 hours a week, or £93,600 a year at 40 hours a week before tax.
Monthly salary
£7,313
Weekly salary
£1,688
Daily salary
£360.00
Hourly salary
£45/hr
Estimated after tax at 37.5 hours: £61,452 a year, or £5,121 a month. This includes about £22,532 income tax and £3,766 National Insurance.
Example calculation: £45 × 37.5 hours × 52 weeks = £87,750 gross annual salary.
£50 an hour is £97,500 a year at 37.5 hours a week, or £104,000 a year at 40 hours a week before tax.
Monthly salary
£8,125
Weekly salary
£1,875
Daily salary
£400.00
Hourly salary
£50/hr
Estimated after tax at 37.5 hours: £67,107 a year, or £5,592 a month. This includes about £26,432 income tax and £3,961 National Insurance.
Example calculation: £50 × 37.5 hours × 52 weeks = £97,500 gross annual salary.
£60 an hour is £117,000 a year at 37.5 hours a week, or £124,800 a year at 40 hours a week before tax.
Monthly salary
£9,750
Weekly salary
£2,250
Daily salary
£480.00
Hourly salary
£60/hr
Estimated after tax at 37.5 hours: £78,417 a year, or £6,535 a month. This includes about £34,232 income tax and £4,351 National Insurance.
Example calculation: £60 × 37.5 hours × 52 weeks = £117,000 gross annual salary.
£75 an hour is £146,250 a year at 37.5 hours a week, or £156,000 a year at 40 hours a week before tax.
Monthly salary
£12,188
Weekly salary
£2,813
Daily salary
£600.00
Hourly salary
£75/hr
Estimated after tax at 37.5 hours: £94,955 a year, or £7,913 a month. This includes about £46,359 income tax and £4,936 National Insurance.
Example calculation: £75 × 37.5 hours × 52 weeks = £146,250 gross annual salary.
£100 an hour is £195,000 a year at 37.5 hours a week, or £208,000 a year at 40 hours a week before tax.
Monthly salary
£16,250
Weekly salary
£3,750
Daily salary
£800.00
Hourly salary
£100/hr
Estimated after tax at 37.5 hours: £120,793 a year, or £10,066 a month. This includes about £68,297 income tax and £5,911 National Insurance.
Example calculation: £100 × 37.5 hours × 52 weeks = £195,000 gross annual salary.
Converting your annual salary to an hourly rate helps you compare job offers, understand contract vs permanent pay, or work out what you're really earning per hour. For a fuller walkthrough, read our guide on how to figure out hourly wage from salary. In the UK, the formula is straightforward:
Example — £30,000 salary, 37.5 hours per week:
£30,000 ÷ (37.5 × 52) = £30,000 ÷ 1,950 = £15.38 per hour
Example — £30,000 salary, 40 hours per week:
£30,000 ÷ (40 × 52) = £30,000 ÷ 2,080 = £14.42 per hour
The typical full-time working week in the UK is 37.5 to 40 hours, with 37.5 hours most common in professional and office-based roles. The legal maximum is 48 hours per week averaged over 17 weeks (Working Time Regulations 1998), though employees can opt out. Part-time workers typically work between 16–30 hours per week.
If you receive paid bank holidays and annual leave (as most UK employees do), use the full 52 weeks in your calculation. UK workers are entitled to at least 28 days paid leave per year (5.6 weeks), which includes the 8 bank holidays. This paid leave is factored into your annual salary — so you should use 52 weeks when dividing.
If any leave is unpaid (e.g. some contractors or casual workers), subtract those weeks. For example, if you take 2 weeks unpaid: use 50 weeks instead of 52.
All figures use 52 weeks per year. The Net Hourly column shows take-home after income tax and National Insurance (basic rate, no student loan or pension).
| Annual Salary | Gross (37.5 hrs) | Gross (40 hrs) | Day Rate | Net/hr (after tax) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £20,000 | £10.26/hr | £9.62/hr | £76.92/day | £9.19/hr |
| £25,000 | £12.82/hr | £12.02/hr | £96.15/day | £11.04/hr |
| £26,000 | £13.33/hr | £12.50/hr | £100.00/day | £11.40/hr |
| £26,500 | £13.59/hr | £12.74/hr | £102.00/day | £11.59/hr |
| £27,000 | £13.85/hr | £12.98/hr | £103.85/day | £11.77/hr |
| £28,000 | £14.36/hr | £13.46/hr | £107.69/day | £12.14/hr |
| £29,000 | £14.87/hr | £13.94/hr | £111.54/day | £12.51/hr |
| £30,000 | £15.38/hr | £14.42/hr | £115.38/day | £12.88/hr |
| £31,000 | £15.90/hr | £14.90/hr | £119.23/day | £13.25/hr |
| £32,000 | £16.41/hr | £15.38/hr | £123.08/day | £13.62/hr |
| £32,500 | £16.67/hr | £15.63/hr | £125.00/day | £13.80/hr |
| £33,000 | £16.92/hr | £15.87/hr | £126.92/day | £13.99/hr |
| £35,000 | £17.95/hr | £16.83/hr | £134.62/day | £14.73/hr |
| £38,000 | £19.49/hr | £18.27/hr | £146.15/day | £15.84/hr |
| £40,000 | £20.51/hr | £19.23/hr | £153.85/day | £16.57/hr |
| £45,000 | £23.08/hr | £21.63/hr | £173.08/day | £18.42/hr |
| £50,000 | £25.64/hr | £24.04/hr | £192.31/day | £20.27/hr |
| £60,000 | £30.77/hr | £28.85/hr | £230.77/day | £23.26/hr |
| £70,000 | £35.90/hr | £33.65/hr | £269.23/day | £26.23/hr |
| £80,000 | £41.03/hr | £38.46/hr | £307.69/day | £29.21/hr |
Net hourly calculated on 37.5 hrs/week. Exact take-home varies with pension, student loans, and other deductions. Use our Income Tax Calculator for a precise figure.
Common UK hourly wages, their annual equivalent, and approximate net (after-tax) hourly rate.
| Hourly Rate | Annual (37.5 hrs) | Annual (40 hrs) | Net/hr (after tax) | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £10.00/hr | £19,500/yr | £20,800/yr | ~£9.00/hr | — |
| £12.71/hr | £24,785/yr | £26,437/yr | ~£10.96/hr | NLW (21+) |
| £13.00/hr | £25,350/yr | £27,040/yr | ~£11.16/hr | — |
| £14.00/hr | £27,300/yr | £29,120/yr | ~£11.88/hr | — |
| £15.00/hr | £29,250/yr | £31,200/yr | ~£12.60/hr | — |
| £18.00/hr | £35,100/yr | £37,440/yr | ~£14.76/hr | — |
| £20.00/hr | £39,000/yr | £41,600/yr | ~£16.20/hr | — |
| £21.00/hr | £40,950/yr | £43,680/yr | ~£16.92/hr | — |
| £25.00/hr | £48,750/yr | £52,000/yr | ~£19.80/hr | — |
| £26.00/hr | £50,700/yr | £54,080/yr | ~£20.49/hr | — |
| £30.00/hr | £58,500/yr | £62,400/yr | ~£22.81/hr | — |
| £40.00/hr | £78,000/yr | £83,200/yr | ~£28.61/hr | — |
| £50.00/hr | £97,500/yr | £104,000/yr | ~£34.41/hr | — |
Net hourly rates are approximate for a standard employee (no student loan or pension). Figures use 37.5 hrs/week. Use our Income Tax Calculator for a precise take-home figure for your salary.
Your day rate is simply your hourly rate multiplied by 8 (a standard working day). Knowing your day rate is useful for freelancers, contractors, and anyone comparing a contract role to a permanent position.
If you're considering moving from permanent employment to contracting, your day rate needs to be higher to cover costs that your employer previously paid on your behalf. A commonly used benchmark is the "1,000 rule": for every £1,000 of annual salary, you need roughly £1 of day rate. So a £50,000 salary would roughly equate to a £500/day contract rate.
However, this varies based on your situation. As a contractor through a limited company, you'll need to cover:
A good rule of thumb: your contractor day rate should be 25–40% higher than your equivalent permanent employee day rate. So if your employed day rate is £192/day (£50,000 salary), a competitive contractor rate would be £240–£270/day.
IR35 note: If you're contracting inside IR35, you'll pay income tax and National Insurance as if employed, which significantly reduces your take-home. Make sure your day rate reflects this. Use our IR35 Calculator to compare inside vs outside IR35 take-home pay.
A pro-rata salary is a proportion of a full-time salary based on actual hours worked. It's used when you work part-time, start or leave mid-year, or take a career break.
Example: A role pays £36,000 full-time at 37.5 hours per week. You work 25 hours per week:
Pro-rata salary = (£36,000 ÷ 37.5) × 25 = £24,000 per year
If you start or leave mid-year, your salary is pro-rated by the number of days worked in the tax year (6 April to 5 April).
Example: starting 1 July on £30,000 — you'd earn £30,000 ÷ 365 × 280 days ≈ £23,014 for the tax year.
The National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage rates set the legal floor for hourly pay in the UK. All employers must pay at least these rates or face HMRC enforcement action.
| Worker Category | Hourly Rate (Apr 2026) | Annual Salary (37.5 hrs) | Annual Salary (40 hrs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Living Wage (21+) | £12.71/hr | £24,785/yr | £26,437/yr |
| 18–20 year olds | £10.85/hr | £21,158/yr | £22,568/yr |
| 16–17 year olds | £8.00/hr | £15,600/yr | £16,640/yr |
| Apprentices (under 19 or first year) | £8.00/hr | £15,600/yr | £16,640/yr |
The voluntary Living Wage is separate from the legal National Living Wage and can be higher, especially in London. See our 2026 National Living Wage guide for more detail on the April 2026 rates.
If you're self-employed, calculating your hourly rate is more complex than for employees because you pay different National Insurance and must cover your own costs. The formula is the same, but the deductions are different.
Self-employed workers in the UK pay Class 4 National Insurance instead of employee Class 1 NI. From 2026/27:
| Gross Income | Employee Net/hr | Self-Employed Net/hr | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| £25,000/yr | £11.04 | £11.16 | +£0.13 |
| £30,000/yr | £12.88 | £13.06 | +£0.18 |
| £40,000/yr | £16.57 | £16.86 | +£0.28 |
| £50,000/yr | £20.27 | £20.65 | +£0.38 |
| £60,000/yr | £23.26 | £23.65 | +£0.39 |
Self-employed workers often retain slightly more per hour than employees at the same income level, because Class 4 NI (6%) is lower than Class 1 employee NI (8%). However, self-employed workers must fund their own pension, holiday pay, sick pay, and equipment — so the overall financial picture is more complex.
Use our Self-Employed Tax Calculator to calculate your exact income tax and National Insurance as a sole trader, including your net take-home and effective tax rate.
Your PAYE hourly rate after tax is your gross hourly rate minus income tax and National Insurance deductions, divided by your working hours. This is your true earnings per hour — what lands in your bank account.
Example — £30,000 salary (37.5 hrs/wk):
Annual hours = 37.5 × 52 = 1,950
Income Tax = £3,486 | National Insurance = £1,394
Net annual = £30,000 − £3,486 − £1,394 = £25,120
Net hourly rate = £25,120 ÷ 1,950 = £12.88/hour
The "Net Hourly" column in the reference table above shows these figures for common salaries. For a fully personalised calculation including pension contributions, student loan repayments, and other deductions, use the PAYE Income Tax Calculator.
These calculations show your gross hourly rate — before HMRC deductions. Your actual take-home pay per hour will be lower after:
Example — £15.38/hour (£30,000/year): After income tax (£3,486) and National Insurance (£1,394), your take-home is approximately £25,120/year — or £12.88/hour net.
Use our Income Tax Calculator to see your exact take-home pay, or try the National Insurance Calculator to understand your NI contributions in detail.
Hourly and day-rate figures are easiest to judge when you compare them with employment tax and contractor deductions. use the income tax calculator to convert gross pay into take-home pay, use the National Insurance calculator to check employee NI deductions and use the self-employed tax calculator for freelance income estimates.