What you actually take home on a 30,000 salary in the UK for 2026-27. Full breakdown of income tax, National Insurance and net monthly pay.
| Component | Annual | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | 30,000 | 2,500 |
| Income Tax (20%) | minus 3,486 | minus 291 |
| National Insurance (8%) | minus 1,394 | minus 116 |
| Pension (5%) | minus 1,500 | minus 125 |
| Take-home pay | 23,620 | 1,968 |
On 30,000 you pay no tax on the first 12,570 (personal allowance) and 20% on the remaining 17,430. That is 3,486 per year in income tax or about 291 per month. You are well within the basic rate band and will not pay 40% tax until earnings exceed 50,270.
NI is charged at 8% on earnings between 12,570 and 50,270. On 30,000 that is 8% on 17,430, giving 1,394 per year or 116 per month. Your effective NI rate is 4.6% of gross salary.
Plan 1 threshold is 24,990 so on 30,000 with Plan 1 you pay 9% on 5,010 which is 451/year. Plan 2 threshold is 27,295 so you pay 9% on 2,705 which is 243/year. Plan 5 threshold is 25,000 so you pay 9% on 5,000 which is 450/year. Enter your plan in the calculator for exact figures.
Scottish taxpayers on 30,000 pay slightly more income tax than in England due to the 21% Intermediate rate on income between 29,526 and 43,662. On 30,000 the difference is small — approximately 100 per year more in Scotland.
What is take-home pay on 30,000 in the UK?
On a 30,000 salary with 5% pension and no student loan, your take-home pay is approximately 23,620 per year or 1,968 per month in 2026-27.
How much income tax on 30,000?
On 30,000 you pay 3,486 in income tax for 2026-27 — that is 20% on 17,430 (the amount above your 12,570 personal allowance).
Is 30,000 above or below average UK salary?
The median UK salary is approximately 35,000, so 30,000 is below the median. Take-home of 1,968 per month means you keep 78.1% of your gross pay.
Free, accurate, 2026-27 rates. Scotland and tax code supported.