How to use the hourly wage calculator
- Enter your hourly rate and the hours per week in your contract.
- Choose paid weeks per year. Most employers pay 52 weeks, with your paid holiday included. Pick 52.14 if you want to count the extra day in a 365-day year.
- If you work overtime, add the extra hours you usually work each week and the rate they are paid at, such as time and a half.
- Select your age (or apprentice) to check your rate against the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage.
- Open Tax year, region, pension and student loans to choose 2026/27 or 2025/26, Scottish rates, a workplace pension and any student loan plans.
- Read your take-home pay at the top, switch between year, month and week, and check the table for every deduction.
How hourly pay becomes take-home pay
Your yearly gross pay is your hourly rate × hours per week × paid weeks per year, plus any overtime (overtime hours × hourly rate × overtime multiplier × weeks). At £15 an hour for 37.5 hours a week over 52 weeks, that is £29,250 a year, £2,437.50 a month or £562.50 a week.
The calculator then applies the same 2026/27 rules as our UK salary calculator. Income tax: a £12,570 Personal Allowance, then 20%, 40% and 45% in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or the six Scottish rates from 19% to 48%. National Insurance: 8% of earnings between £12,570 and £50,270 a year and 2% above. Student loans: 9% above your plan threshold and 6% above £21,000 for a Postgraduate Loan. Pension contributions are taken in the way your scheme works (salary sacrifice, net pay or relief at source).
Worked example: £15 an hour, 37.5 hours a week
£15 × 37.5 × 52 = £29,250 gross a year. Taxable income is £29,250 − £12,570 = £16,680, so income tax is 20% of that, £3,336. National Insurance is 8% of £16,680, £1,334.40. Take-home pay is £24,579.60 a year, £2,048.30 a month or £472.68 a week, which works out at about £12.60 for every hour worked. Add four hours of overtime a week at time and a half (£22.50 an hour) and gross pay rises by £4,680 a year to £33,930; the extra pay is taxed at 28% (20% tax plus 8% NI), so you keep £3,369.60 of it.
National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates
From 1 April 2026 the legal minimum hourly rates are £12.71 for workers aged 21 and over (the National Living Wage), £10.85 for 18 to 20 year olds, £8.00 for under-18s and £8.00 for apprentices. The apprentice rate applies if you are under 19, or 19 or over and in the first year of your apprenticeship; after that you get the rate for your age. From 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 the rates were £12.21, £10.00, £7.55 and £7.55.
The minimum wage is checked on your pay over each pay period. Unpaid time you are required to work, uniform or equipment costs you must pay for, and salary sacrifice are all counted, so they must not take your pay below the legal minimum even when your contract rate is above it.
Why your payslip might be different
- Hours that vary. If your hours change week to week, tax and NI are worked out on each payslip, so a busy week can include more NI than an average week.
- Holiday pay. Workers with irregular hours or who work only part of the year may have holiday pay added to each payslip instead of taking paid weeks off.
- Overtime paid a month late, unpaid breaks, a different tax code or other deductions such as union fees.
Working part-time in a salaried job? The pro rata salary calculator scales a full-time salary to your hours. If you have a second job, use the two jobs tax calculator, and to compare two offers, the salary comparison calculator. US visitors can use the salary to hourly calculator. Browse all salary and money calculators.
Frequently asked questions
How much is £15 an hour a year after tax in the UK?
At 37.5 hours a week for 52 weeks, £15 an hour is £29,250 a year before tax. In England, Wales or Northern Ireland in 2026/27 you take home about £24,580 a year, or £2,048 a month, with no pension or student loan.
What is the minimum wage in April 2026?
The National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over is £12.71 an hour from 1 April 2026. The rate is £10.85 for 18 to 20 year olds and £8.00 for under-18s and apprentices.
How do I work out my annual salary from an hourly rate?
Multiply your hourly rate by your weekly hours, then by 52. For example, £12.71 × 37.5 hours × 52 weeks = £24,784.50 a year. Divide by 12 for the monthly figure.
Is overtime taxed more?
No. Overtime is added to your pay and taxed at your normal rates. If it pushes your pay above a threshold, the part above it is taxed at the higher rate, and a large overtime month can mean more NI or a student loan repayment that month.
Should I use 52 or 52.14 weeks?
Use 52 weeks for most jobs: monthly salaries are usually 52 weeks of pay divided by 12. A year has 365 days, which is 52.14 weeks, so the larger number gives a slightly higher yearly figure if you are paid for every day of the year.
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