S
SalarySorted

Your details

£/hr

= £33,280 per year

40h
1h40h standard80h
0%
0%30%

For public sector workers (NHS, teachers, civil servants) making additional pension contributions on top of your workplace pension.

The standard code for most UK employees. You receive the full £12,570 personal allowance tax-free.

Only relevant if you or your partner earns over £60,000 and claims Child Benefit

Your breakdown

Annual gross

£33,280

Annual take-home

£27,481

Monthly take-home

£2,290

Weekly take-home

£528

Effective rate17.4%
Marginal rate28%
Tax bandBasic rate
Take-homeIncome TaxNI

Based on your inputs. Actual pay may vary depending on your holiday entitlement, contract terms and employer. For guidance only.

Gross salary
£33,280
Income TaxBasic rate
-£4,142
National Insurance
-£1,657
Take-home pay
£27,481

In plain English

At £16.00 per hour for 40 hours over 52 weeks, your gross annual salary is £33,280 in England and Wales. You are in the Basic rate band (20% income tax). After paying £4,142 in income tax and £1,657 in National Insurance, you take home £27,481 per year — £2,290 per month or £528 per week. Your effective deduction rate is 17.4%. Every extra pound you earn above this is taxed at 28p in the pound.

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What if...

£16 an hour after tax -- 2026/27 breakdown

Hourly rate

£16

Annual take-home

£27,481

Monthly take-home

£2,290

Weekly take-home

£528

Deductions at a glance

Gross annual£33,280
Income Tax (20%)-£4,142
National Insurance (8%)-£1,657
Take-home pay£27,481

£16 an hour equates to £33,280 a year, which is around the UK median full-time salary. This hourly rate is common in skilled administration, IT first-line support, junior accounting roles, experienced trades and many public-sector positions. It is a rate where careful financial planning -- particularly around pension contributions -- makes a meaningful difference to long-term outcomes.

Working 40 hours a week for 52 weeks a year at £16 an hour, your take-home pay after income tax and National Insurance is £27,481 per year -- that is £2,290 per month or £528 per week. All taxable income falls within the basic rate band, so every pound of taxable earnings above your personal allowance is taxed at 20%. Based on 40 hours per week, 52 weeks per year. Use our hourly pay calculator to adjust for your hours.

Even at this hourly rate, auto-enrolment pension contributions are worth taking seriously. If your employer offers salary sacrifice, contributions come out before tax and National Insurance are calculated, so the real cost to your take-home is lower than the headline figure suggests. Starting early and increasing contributions whenever you receive a pay rise can make a significant difference over a working lifetime.

Frequently asked questions

How much is £16 an hour after tax per month?

At £16 an hour working 40 hours a week and 52 weeks a year, your monthly take-home pay in 2026/27 is £2,290. Your annual take-home is £27,481 and your weekly take-home is £528. These figures are for England and Wales using the standard 1257L tax code with no pension contributions or student loan.

How much income tax do I pay on £16 an hour?

On a gross annual salary of £33,280 (£16 for 40 hours over 52 weeks), you pay no income tax on the first £12,570 (your personal allowance). The remaining £20,710 is taxed at the basic rate of 20%, giving an income tax bill of £4,142 per year.

How much National Insurance do I pay on £16 an hour?

National Insurance is charged at 8% on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270. On a gross annual salary of £33,280, you pay 8% of £20,710, coming to £1,657 per year. There are no NI contributions on income below £12,570.

Is £16 an hour a good wage in the UK?

£16 an hour equates to £33,280 a year -- below the UK median full-time salary of approximately £35,000. With a monthly take-home of £2,290, this provides a comfortable income across most parts of the UK, though the cost of living varies significantly between regions.

How can pension contributions affect my take-home on £16 an hour?

Salary sacrifice pension contributions reduce your gross income before income tax and National Insurance are applied. At £16 an hour, each pound contributed to your pension saves you approximately 28p (20p income tax plus 8p National Insurance) compared with taking it as pay. A 5% contribution on £33,280 would cost you £1,664 gross but considerably less in actual take-home pay. Use the calculator above to model the impact.