£21,000 after tax in the UK
In 2026/27, a £21,000 salary in England, Wales or Northern Ireland leaves £18,640 after income tax and National Insurance — £1,553.30 a month, £358.45 a week. No student loan, standard allowance; every variation is below.
£1,553.30 / month
£18,640 a year take-home · £358.45 a week
Of your next £1,000 pay rise, you'd keep £720.
- Income tax£1,686.00
- National Insurance£674.40
- Student loan£0.00
- Pension (your outlay)£0.00
How the tax on £21,000 is worked out
Your personal allowance is £12,570, leaving £8,430 taxable:
| Band (taxable income) | Amount in band | Rate | Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| £0 – £37,700 | £8,430 | 20% | £1,686.00 |
| Total income tax | £1,686.00 |
National Insurance adds £674.40: 8% of pay between £12,570 and £50,270, and 2% of anything above.
£21,000 by pay period
| Period | Take-home |
|---|---|
| Yearly | £18,640 |
| Monthly | £1,553.30 |
| Every 4 weeks | £1,433.82 |
| Weekly | £358.45 |
| Daily | £71.69 |
| Hourly | £9.56 |
£21,000 after tax in Scotland
On Scottish rates you'd take home £18,679 — £40 more per year than in the rest of the UK, because Scotland taxes this salary at £1,646.33 across its six bands.
| England, Wales & NI | Scotland | |
|---|---|---|
| Income tax | £1,686.00 | £1,646.33 |
| Take-home / year | £18,640 | £18,679 |
| Take-home / month | £1,553.30 | £1,556.61 |
£21,000 with a student loan
A £21,000 salary is below the Plan 2 repayment threshold (£29,385), so a Plan 2 graduate repays nothing and takes home the figures above. Plan 5's £25,000 threshold may still bite — check your plan in the live calculator.
Nearby salaries
Questions people ask
How much is £21,000 after tax in the UK?
£18,640 a year in 2026/27 — £1,553.30 a month or £358.45 a week in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, with a standard allowance and no student loan.
How much is £21,000 after tax in Scotland?
£18,679 a year — £1,556.61 a month. Scottish income tax on this salary is £1,646.33, against £1,686.00 in the rest of the UK.
What is £21,000 after tax with a Plan 2 student loan?
The same — £21,000 is below the £29,385 Plan 2 threshold, so nothing is repaid.