What is a £20,000 salary after tax?
A £20,000 salary leaves you about £17,920 a year after tax, or £1,493 a month.
Worked out with the Modulas calculator, using HMRC rates for 2026/27. Rates checked against GOV.UK on 8 October 2026.
- Take-home a year
- £17,920
- Take-home a month
- £1,493
Change the figures in the calculator
Where the money goes
| Gross | £20,000 |
|---|---|
| Income tax | £1,486 |
| Employee National Insurance | £594 |
| Take-home a year | £17,920 |
Nearby salaries
£5,000 more a year adds about £3,600 to your take-home.
In Scotland
With Scotland's income tax: £17,959 a year, £1,497 a month.
How this is worked out
Your employer runs payroll: income tax and employee National Insurance come off your salary each month. Employer National Insurance is your employer's cost, on top of your salary.
Based on these assumptions
- A salary of £20,000 a year, paid monthly, with the tax code 1257L.
- Leaves out pension contributions, expenses and student loan. Tax is at the rates for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Sources
Rates checked against GOV.UK on 8 October 2026.
To quote this page
Modulas, 'What is a £20,000 salary after tax?', https://modulas.io/answers/20000-after-tax/. HMRC rates for 2026/27, checked against GOV.UK on 8 October 2026.