£21,000 After Tax in 2026/27
A £21,000 salary takes home £1,553 a month (£18,640 a year) in the UK in 2026/27, after income tax and National Insurance.
£18,640 / year take-home
8th percentile - a £21,000 salary sits around the 8th percentile of UK full-time earners. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2026, full-time employees (Open Government Licence v3.0).
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What £21,000 means in the UK
A £21,000 salary in the UK places you in roughly the bottom 8% of full-time earners (ONS ASHE 2026). After income tax and National Insurance for the 2026/27 tax year, your take-home is £18,640 per year - that's £1,553 monthly or £358 weekly. The portion of your pay above the £12,570 personal allowance is taxed at the basic rate of 20%, with Class 1 National Insurance of 8% on the same band. Keeping housing under 30% of net pay means a rent budget around £466 a month - achievable in most UK regions outside London.
Your £21,000 breakdown
| Personal Allowance | £12,570 |
|---|---|
| Taxable income | £8,430 |
| Income tax | £1,686 |
| National Insurance | £674 |
| Total deductions | £2,360 |
| Take-home pay | £18,640 |
Is £21,000 a good salary in the UK?
£21,000 is more than about 8% of UK full-time salaries (ONS ASHE 2026). The full-time median is £40,911, so £21,000 is £19,911 below it.
For someone aged 18 to 21 the median is £24,578.
Where £21,000 ranks among UK earners →Student loan plan (optional)
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Different circumstances?
- Living in Scotland? See the Scottish income-tax version.
- Self-employed? See the sole-trader version with Class 4 NI.
- Weighing up a pay rise? Browse the pay-rise comparisons.
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Frequently asked questions
How much is £21,000 after tax in the UK?
On a £21,000 salary in 2026/27, take-home pay is £18,640 per year (£1,553 per month) after income tax and National Insurance.
How much is £21,000 a month after tax?
£21,000 a year is £1,553 a month after income tax and National Insurance in 2026/27, spread over 12 equal monthly payments.
How much is £21,000 a week after tax?
£21,000 a year is £358 a week after income tax and National Insurance in 2026/27, spread over 52 weeks.
How much income tax do I pay on £21,000?
At £21,000 gross you owe £1,686 in income tax and £674 in National Insurance for the 2026/27 tax year.
How does £21,000 compare to the UK median salary?
The median UK full-time salary is £40,911 (ONS ASHE 2026), which takes home £2,748 a month. £21,000 takes home £1,195 a month less.
Is £21,000 a good salary in the UK?
£21,000 is more than about 8% of UK full-time salaries (ONS ASHE 2026). The full-time median is £40,911, so £21,000 is £19,911 below it. For someone aged 18 to 21 the median is £24,578.
What UK earning percentile is £21,000?
A £21,000 salary puts you at approximately the 8th percentile of UK full-time earners (ONS ASHE 2026).