Exactly how much you keep from a £22,000 salary in the UK for 2026-27. Income tax, National Insurance and monthly net pay breakdown.
| Component | Annual | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | £22,000 | £1,833 |
| Income Tax (20%) | −£1,666 | −£139 |
| National Insurance (8%) | −£754 | −£63 |
| Pension (5%) | −£1,100 | −£92 |
| Take-home pay | £18,480 | £1,540 |
With a 5% pension contribution (salary sacrifice), taxable income is £20,900. You pay 20% on £8,330 above the £12,570 personal allowance, giving £1,666 per year or £139 per month. You are well within the basic rate band — the 40% higher rate starts at £50,270.
NI is 8% on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270. On £22,000 that is 8% on £9,430, giving £754 per year or £63 per month. Your effective NI rate is 3.4% of gross salary.
At £22,000 you are below all student loan repayment thresholds: Plan 5 (£25,000), Plan 1 (£24,990), and Plan 2 (£27,295). No student loan deductions apply at this salary — your take-home is unaffected.
Scottish taxpayers on £22,000 pay slightly less income tax than in England. The 19% Starter Rate applies on income between £12,571 and £16,537, reducing overall income tax to approximately £1,626 versus £1,666 in England — about £40 per year less. Scottish take-home is approximately £18,520 per year.
What is take-home pay on £22,000 in the UK?
On a £22,000 salary with 5% pension and no student loan, take-home pay is £18,480 per year (£1,540 per month) after £1,666 income tax and £754 NI in 2026-27.
How much tax do you pay on £22,000?
On £22,000 with 5% pension (reducing taxable income to £20,900), you pay £1,666 income tax (20% on £8,330) and £754 NI (8% on £9,430). Combined effective tax rate is 10.9% of gross.
Is £22,000 a good salary in the UK?
£22,000 is below the UK median salary but above the National Living Wage full-time equivalent of £26,418. Take-home of £1,540/month means you keep 84.0% of your gross pay after tax, NI and 5% pension.
Free, accurate, 2026-27 rates. Scotland and tax code supported.