£16 an hour after tax

Working at £16 an hour (40 hours a week over 52 weeks) is £33,280 a year gross. That leaves about £27,482 take-home a year, or £2,290 a month, in 2026/27. It falls in the basic rate (20%) band. Nationally that ranks at about the 51st percentile of UK employees by pay.

UK rank (all employees)top 49%
Take-home / hour£13.21
Gross / hour£16.00
Take-home / year£27,482
Take-home / month£2,290

Where the money goes

Annual deductions
Gross salary£33,280
Income tax−£4,142
National Insurance−£1,656
Take-home pay£27,482

Equivalent to £33,280 a year, rest-of-UK tax rules, 2026/27 rates, no pension or student loan. See £33,280 in the full calculator →

Income tax on £33,280 a year

BandRateOnTax
Personal allowance0%£12,570£0
Basic rate20%£20,710£4,142

How £16 an hour compares

By gross pay this salary sits at about the 36th percentile of full-time employees, and the 51st percentile of all employees (ONS ASHE via Nomis).

£16 an hour after tax — FAQ

£16 an hour is how much a year?
At 40 hours a week over 52 weeks, £16 an hour is £33,280 a year gross, or about £27,482 a year after tax.
How much is £16 an hour after tax?
About £27,482 a year take-home, or £2,290 a month, after £4,142 income tax and £1,656 National Insurance (2026/27).
Is £16 an hour a good wage in the UK?
It works out at £33,280 a year, which sits at about the 51st percentile of UK employees by pay — around the UK median. What counts as 'good' depends on your hours, location and outgoings.

Open the full calculator →