£21 an hour by hours worked
What the same hourly rate pays at different weekly schedules (overtime premium not included).
| Hours per week | Per week | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 h | £336.00 | £1,456.00 | £17,472 |
| 20 h | £420.00 | £1,820.00 | £21,840 |
| 25 h | £525.00 | £2,275.00 | £27,300 |
| 30 h | £630.00 | £2,730.00 | £32,760 |
| 35 h | £735.00 | £3,185.00 | £38,220 |
| 37.5 h | £787.50 | £3,412.50 | £40,950 |
| 38 h | £798.00 | £3,458.00 | £41,496 |
| 40 h | £840.00 | £3,640.00 | £43,680 |
| 45 h | £945.00 | £4,095.00 | £49,140 |
What £21 an hour adds up to
- A £1,000 pay rise would add £720 to your take-home pay at this salary.
- You are a basic-rate taxpayer. If your spouse or civil partner earns less than the Personal Allowance, they could transfer part of theirs to you through the Marriage Allowance and cut your tax by up to about £250 a year.
- With a student loan, you would repay at this salary on: Plan 1, Plan 2, Plan 4 (Scotland), Plan 5, Postgraduate.
- In Scotland, the same salary would leave £75 less in take-home pay each year.
£21 an hour after tax by pay period
Your payslip depends on how often you are paid. Here is the same annual salary broken down by pay period.
| Pay period | Gross pay | Deductions | Take-home pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly | £40,950 | £7,946 | £33,004 |
| Monthly | £3,412.50 | £662.20 | £2,750.30 |
| Weekly | £787.50 | £152.82 | £634.68 |
| Daily | £157.50 | £30.56 | £126.94 |
| Hourly | £21.00 | £4.08 | £16.92 |
England vs Scotland
At this salary, you take home £75 a year more in England, Wales and Northern Ireland than in Scotland.
| England, Wales & NI | Scotland | |
|---|---|---|
| Income Tax | £5,676 | £5,751 |
| National Insurance | £2,270 | £2,270 |
| Take-home pay | £33,004 | £32,929 |
| Per month | £2,750 | £2,744 |
Where your money goes
- Take-home pay£33,00480.6%
- Income Tax£5,67613.9%
- National Insurance£2,2705.5%
- Income Tax (£5,676). Collected through PAYE on £28,380 of income above your Personal Allowance.
- National Insurance (£2,270). Worked out on each payslip, at 8% up to £50,270 and 2% beyond.
Frequently asked questions
£21 an hour is how much a year?
£40,950 a year before tax, based on 37.5 hours a week and 52 weeks.
£21 an hour is how much a month?
About £3,412.50 per month before tax.
£21 an hour is how much a week?
£787.50 per week before tax for 37.5 hours.
How much is £21 an hour after tax?
About £33,004 a year, or £16.92 per hour.
Is £21 an hour above the minimum wage?
Yes. The minimum wage is £12.71 an hour.
Figures use HMRC 2026/27 Income Tax bands (including Scottish rates), Class 1 National Insurance and student loan thresholds for an employee paid through PAYE. Read our methodology. Last updated September 25, 2026. Estimates for information only, not tax advice.