Salary after tax in the UK, 2026/27
£12,000 after tax
On a £12,000 salary you take home £12,000.00 a year, or £1,000.00 a month, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland it is £1,000.00 a month.
Payments
Deductions
Checked 20 October 2026 against GOV.UK, Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027, and the Scottish Rate Resolution 2026-27. How we check.
Does not model benefits in kind, two jobs or directors' National Insurance. Monthly figures are the yearly amounts divided by 12. Payslips can differ by a few pounds a year.
These figures are estimates based on the information you entered and the 2026/27 rates and thresholds published by HMRC (and, for Scottish taxpayers, the Scottish Parliament). They are general information, not tax, financial or legal advice. Your actual take-home pay can differ, for example because of your tax code, pension arrangements, benefits, student loan plan or payroll timing. Check your payslip, or ask your employer or HMRC, before relying on these figures.
How £12,000 is taxed
All of £12,000 is within the Personal Allowance, so there is no income tax.
There is no National Insurance below £12,570 a year.
What a pay rise is worth
| Rise | New take-home a month | Extra a month | Kept of each £1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| +£1,000 to £13,000 | £1,073.30 | £73.30 | 88p |
| +£2,000 to £14,000 | £1,133.30 | £133.30 | 80p |
| +£5,000 to £17,000 | £1,313.30 | £313.30 | 75.2p |
£12,000 after tax in Scotland
Take-home pay is the same in Scotland at this salary. In Scotland this salary is taxed at no income tax.
| England, Wales & NI | Scotland | |
|---|---|---|
| Income tax | £0.00 | £0.00 |
| National Insurance | £0.00 | £0.00 |
| Take-home a year | £12,000.00 | £12,000.00 |
| Take-home a month | £1,000.00 | £1,000.00 |
Student loan repayments on £12,000
Repayments are 9% of pay above your plan's threshold (6% for a Postgraduate Loan), taken through payroll.
| Plan | Repayments start above | A month | A year | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plan 1 | £26,900 | Nothing | Nothing | £1,000.00 |
| Plan 2 | £29,385 | Nothing | Nothing | £1,000.00 |
| Plan 4 (Scotland) | £33,795 | Nothing | Nothing | £1,000.00 |
| Plan 5 | £25,000 | Nothing | Nothing | £1,000.00 |
| Postgraduate Loan | £21,000 | Nothing | Nothing | £1,000.00 |
Plan 4 is shown with Scottish income tax, as Plan 4 loans are for Scottish students. Which plan am I on?
Paying 5% into a pension
How a 5% contribution changes take-home pay depends on how your workplace scheme takes it.
| Method | Take-home a month | Into your pension a year | Net cost to you a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salary sacrifice | £950.00 | £600.00 | £600.00 |
| Net pay arrangement | £950.00 | £600.00 | £600.00 |
| Relief at source | £960.00 | £600.00 | £480.00 |
What £12,000 costs an employer
Assumes employer National Insurance category A (no under-21 or apprentice relief) and a worker eligible for auto-enrolment. Before any Employment Allowance, which reduces an eligible employer's National Insurance bill, not the cost of one employee.
Hourly, weekly and daily
At 37.5 hours a week, £12,000 works out at £6.15 an hour, which is below the £12.71 National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over. At the National Living Wage this salary is about 18.2 hours a week.
Compared with 2025/26
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland take-home pay on this salary is the same as in 2025/26, because the Personal Allowance, tax bands and National Insurance thresholds are frozen.
Why your payslip may differ
Payroll works month by month. On a monthly payroll the 1257L code gives £1,048.26 tax-free each month (£12,579.12 a year), and National Insurance is worked out each pay period, so your payslip can differ from these annual figures by a few pounds a year. Bonuses, a new tax code or starting part-way through the year make a bigger difference.
Nearby salaries
Sources
Sources: GOV.UK: Income Tax rates and Personal Allowances; GOV.UK: Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027; Scottish Parliament: Scottish Rate Resolution 2026-27 (motion S6M-20844); GOV.UK: Special rules for student loans; GOV.UK: High Income Child Benefit Charge. Rates checked 20 October 2026. Changelog.