Based on 37.5 hours per week, 52 weeks per year (1,950 working hours). Take-home figures use 2026/27 tax rates with no student loan or pension.
| Hourly rate | Annual gross | Annual take-home | Monthly take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| £10.00 | £19,500 | £17,496 | £1,458 |
| £12.00 | £23,400 | £20,454 | £1,705 |
| £15.00 | £29,250 | £24,515 | £2,043 |
| £18.00 | £35,100 | £28,068 | £2,339 |
| £20.00 | £39,000 | £30,516 | £2,543 |
| £25.00 | £48,750 | £37,149 | £3,096 |
| £30.00 | £58,500 | £43,116 | £3,593 |
| £40.00 | £78,000 | £55,547 | £4,629 |
| £50.00 | £97,500 | £65,067 | £5,422 |
The UK National Living Wage for workers aged 21+ is £12.21 per hour from April 2025. On a full-time contract (37.5 hours), that's £23,809 per year gross, or about £20,759 take-home (£1,730/month). The rate for 2026/27 hadn't been confirmed at time of writing but typically rises by 5-7% each April.
If you're earning the minimum wage and wondering whether overtime is worth it: at basic rate tax (20%) plus NI (8%), you keep 72p of every extra £1 earned. So an extra 5 hours at £12.21 puts roughly £43.96 in your pocket after deductions.
Two people on £35,000 can have very different hourly rates. Someone working 37.5 hours/week earns £17.95/hour gross. But someone doing 45 hours/week (common in salaried roles with unpaid overtime) is really earning £14.96/hour. That's a 17% difference for the same headline salary.
Our main salary calculator has a True Wage feature that factors in commute time and unpaid overtime. Try it if you want to see what your actual hourly rate looks like once you account for the full time you commit to work.
Not everyone works 37.5 hours. If you're part-time at 20 hours/week on £15/hour, your annual gross is £15,600 (below the tax-free allowance of £12,570, so you'd pay very little tax). At 30 hours/week, you're at £23,400 gross.
Contractors and freelancers often quote day rates. A £300/day rate at 5 days/week is £78,000 annual equivalent, but you won't work 52 weeks (holidays, gaps between contracts). A realistic 46 working weeks gives £69,000. Factor in no employer pension, no sick pay, and IR35 considerations.