On a £21,000 salary you take home £18,639.60 a year in the 2026/27 tax year: £1,553.30 a month, or £358.45 a week. That is after £1,686.00 of Income Tax and £674.40 of National Insurance, for someone in England, Wales or Northern Ireland with no pension contributions or student loan.
£21,000 after tax: take-home pay per month
£1,553.30
- Per year
- £18,639.60
- Per week
- £358.45
- Tax and NI
- £2,360.40
- Share of pay taken
- 11.2%
£21,000 after tax per year, month, week and day
| Year | Month | Week | Working day | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | £21,000.00 | £1,750.00 | £403.85 | £80.77 |
| Income Tax | −£1,686.00 | −£140.50 | −£32.42 | −£6.48 |
| National Insurance | −£674.40 | −£56.20 | −£12.97 | −£2.59 |
| Take-home pay | £18,639.60 | £1,553.30 | £358.45 | £71.69 |
How the tax on £21,000 is worked out
The first £12,570 is your tax-free Personal Allowance, so Income Tax is charged on £8,430.
| Band | Income in band | Rate | Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic rate | £8,430 | 20% | £1,686.00 |
National Insurance is 8% of your pay above £12,570: 8% of £8,430 is £674.40. Of every extra £100 you earn at this salary, you keep about £72.00, so your combined marginal rate of tax and NI is 28%.
£21,000 take-home pay in other situations
| Situation | Take-home per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| England, Wales or NI, no pension or student loan | £18,639.60 | £1,553.30 |
| With a 5% workplace pension (net pay) | £17,799.60 | £1,483.30 |
| With a 5% pension through salary sacrifice | £17,883.60 | £1,490.30 |
| With a Plan 2 student loan | £18,639.60 | £1,553.30 |
| With a Plan 5 student loan | £18,639.60 | £1,553.30 |
| Living in Scotland | £18,679.27 | £1,556.61 |
Compare nearby salaries
| Salary | Take-home per month | Take-home per year |
|---|---|---|
| £18,000 | £1,373.30 | £16,479.60 |
| £19,000 | £1,433.30 | £17,199.60 |
| £20,000 | £1,493.30 | £17,919.60 |
| £21,000 | £1,553.30 | £18,639.60 |
| £22,000 | £1,613.30 | £19,359.60 |
| £23,000 | £1,673.30 | £20,079.60 |
| £24,000 | £1,733.30 | £20,799.60 |
Change the numbers
Add a pension, student loan or Scottish tax and your take-home pay updates straight away.
Frequently asked questions
How much is £21,000 a month after tax?
A £21,000 salary is £1,553.30 a month after Income Tax and National Insurance in 2026/27. With a 5% workplace pension it is about £1,483.30 a month.
What tax band is a £21,000 salary in?
A £21,000 salary falls in the basic rate band. You pay 20% Income Tax on £8,430 of it, the part above £12,570. Your overall Income Tax rate is 8.0%.
How much of a £1,000 pay rise would I keep on £21,000?
You would keep about £720.00 of a £1,000 rise, or £60.00 a month, after Income Tax and National Insurance.
Tax year 2026/27, tax code 1257L, using GOV.UK rates and thresholds. An estimate, not tax advice. Related: All UK salaries after tax · UK take-home pay calculator · UK pension calculator