How much is £20,000 a year after tax?
On £20,000 you take home about £17,920 a year, or £1,493 a month, in the 2026/27 tax year. Here is where the rest goes.
The short answer
For someone in England, Wales or Northern Ireland with no student loan and no pension contribution, a £20,000 salary leaves about £17,920 a year. That is about £1,493 a month or £345 a week, in the 2026/27 tax year. Use the take-home pay calculator for your own details.
Where the money goes
- Income tax: £1,486.
- National Insurance: £594.
- Take-home pay: £17,920. That is £20,000 less the tax and National Insurance above.
You pay 20% tax on everything above the £12,570 Personal Allowance, and 8% National Insurance on earnings above £12,570. You are in the basic rate band. In total about 10.4% of your gross pay goes in tax and National Insurance.
Per month, week and hour
| Period | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Year | £20,000 | £17,920 |
| Month | £1,667 | £1,493 |
| Week | £385 | £345 |
| Hour (37.5 hours a week) | £10.26 | £9.19 |
If your situation is different
| Situation | Take-home |
|---|---|
| Standard (England, Wales, NI) | £17,920 |
| Scotland | £17,959 |
| 5% pension, taken before tax | £17,120 |
| Student loan Plan 1 | £17,920 |
| Student loan Plan 2 | £17,920 |
| Student loan Plan 5 | £17,920 |
Each row changes one thing from the standard case. Scottish income tax has its own bands, see mygov.scot. Student loan repayments are 9% of earnings above your plan's threshold, see GOV.UK. A pension contribution lowers take-home pay but also saves for retirement.
Where to learn more
These figures are estimates for the 2026/27 tax year. Your payslip is the final word.