£18,000 after tax
In 2026/27, a £18,000 salary with the standard tax code in England, Wales or Northern Ireland leaves £16,480 a year after income tax and National Insurance, £1,373 a month, £317 a week, or £8.45 an hour at 37.5 hours a week.
£18,000 sits in the basic-rate band. The first £12,570 is tax-free; the remaining £5,430 is taxed at 20%, and you pay 8% National Insurance on earnings above £12,570. Together they take 8.5% of the salary, and every extra £1 you earn up to £50,270 is deducted at 28%.
Take-home · 2026/27
£16,480
- Monthly
- £1,373
- Weekly
- £317
- Daily
- £63
- Hourly
- £8.45
Watch it explained
About a minute, with sound. The same numbers as this page, worked through step by step.
The deductions
| Year | Month | |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | £18,000 | £1,500 |
| Income tax | −£1,086 | −£91 |
| National Insurance | −£434 | −£36 |
| Take-home pay | £16,480 | £1,373 |
8.5%
effective deduction rate
28%
marginal rate
How the income tax is worked out
| Personal allowance | £12,570 tax-free |
|---|---|
| Basic rate · 20% of £5,430 | £1,086.00 |
| Total income tax | £1,086.00 |
National Insurance: 8% of pay between £12,570 and £50,270, 2% above. Your employer also pays £1,950 in employer’s NI that never appears on your payslip.
How £18,000 compares across the UK
The UK median full-time salary is £39,039 (ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional), so £18,000 sits £21,039 below the middle of the national pay distribution. It is at or above the local full-time median in 0 of 348 reported local authorities.
| Where | Median full-time salary | £18,000 vs the median |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | £39,039 | £21,039 below |
| London | £46,414 | £28,414 below |
| South East | £41,618 | £23,618 below |
| East of England | £40,863 | £22,863 below |
| South West | £37,543 | £19,543 below |
| West Midlands Region | £37,048 | £19,048 below |
| East Midlands | £36,194 | £18,194 below |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | £35,990 | £17,990 below |
| North West | £37,445 | £19,445 below |
| North East | £34,833 | £16,833 below |
| Scotland | £39,905 | £21,905 below |
| Wales | £36,354 | £18,354 below |
| Northern Ireland | £37,129 | £19,129 below |
Medians are gross pay for full-time employees by place of residence. Comparing gross to gross; your take-home from £18,000 is £16,480.
Where £18,000 sits among all UK taxpayers
On £18,000 you are earning more than 17% of UK taxpayers.
With a student loan
Student-loan repayments come off through payroll on income above your plan’s threshold, at £18,000 you are below every plan's threshold, so nothing is repaid.
| Plan | Repaid / year | Take-home / year | Take-home / month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan 1 | £0 | £16,480 | £1,373 |
| Plan 2 | £0 | £16,480 | £1,373 |
| Plan 4 (Scotland) | £0 | £16,480 | £1,373 |
| Plan 5 | £0 | £16,480 | £1,373 |
| Postgraduate Loan | £0 | £16,480 | £1,373 |
With a pension
Contributing through a workplace (net-pay) scheme reduces your taxable pay:
| You contribute | Into pension | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| 3% | £540 | £16,048 |
| 5% | £900 | £15,760 |
| 8% | £1,440 | £15,328 |
In Scotland
Scotland sets its own income-tax bands; National Insurance stays UK-wide.
£16,519
take-home in Scotland , £40 more than in England.
Income tax: £1,046.33 across 2 Scottish bands.
£18,000 after tax, common questions
Is £18,000 above the UK median salary?
The UK median full-time salary is £39,039 (ONS ASHE, 2025 provisional), so £18,000 is £21,039 below it. It is at or above the local full-time median in 0 of 348 reported UK local authorities.
How much is £18,000 a month after tax?
£1,373 a month in 2026/27, after income tax and National Insurance, with the standard tax code in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. That is £317 a week.
How much tax do you pay on £18,000?
£1,086.00 income tax and £434.40 National Insurance a year, £1,520 in total, which is 8.5% of the salary.
What is £18,000 after tax with a Plan 2 student loan?
£16,480 a year (£1,373 a month), repaying £0 a year on the loan.
Is £18,000 different after tax in Scotland?
Yes. In Scotland take-home is £16,519, £40 more than in England, because Scotland sets its own income-tax bands (National Insurance is UK-wide).
Nearby salaries
Estimates for the 2026/27 tax year with the standard tax code, one employment, category A National Insurance. Not tax, financial or legal advice, rates verified against GOV.UK sources.