£18.50 an hour a year
On a 37.5-hour week, £18.50 an hour is £36,075 a year before tax and £2,458 a month after Income Tax and National Insurance.
Before tax
£36,075
a year · £3,006 a month · £694 a week
After tax
£2,458
a month · £29,494 a year · £567 a week
37.5 hours a week, paid for 52 weeks (paid holiday included). You keep about £15.12 of each hour.
£18.50 an hour at different hours
England, Wales and Northern Ireland rates, no pension or student loan.
| Hours a week | A year before tax | A month after tax | A week after tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | £15,392 | £1,217 | £281 |
| 20 | £19,240 | £1,448 | £334 |
| 25 | £24,050 | £1,736 | £401 |
| 30 | £28,860 | £2,025 | £467 |
| 35 | £33,670 | £2,314 | £534 |
| 37.5 | £36,075 | £2,458 | £567 |
| 40 | £38,480 | £2,602 | £600 |
| 45 | £43,290 | £2,891 | £667 |
The tax on £18.50 an hour, full-time
- Income Tax: £4,701 a year, £392 a month, after the £12,570 Personal Allowance.
- National Insurance: £1,880 a year, 8% of earnings above £12,570.
- In Scotland, take-home pay is £2,456 a month — £26 a year less, because Scotland sets its own Income Tax bands.
£18.50 and the minimum wage
£18.50 is £5.79 an hour more than the National Living Wage of £12.71 — 46% above it, or £11,291 a year on a 37.5-hour week.
| Legal minimum from April 2026 | An hour | A year, 37.5 h/week |
|---|---|---|
| National Living Wage (21 and over) | £12.71 | £24,785 |
| 18 to 20 | £10.85 | £21,158 |
| Under 18 and apprentices | £8.00 | £15,600 |
Source: GOV.UK, National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates.
How £18.50 an hour compares
£18.50 is more than about 45% of full-time employees in the UK earn an hour, excluding overtime. The full-time median is £19.67 an hour. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025-provisional.
Jobs where the typical full-time hourly rate is close to £18.50
Median hourly pay excluding overtime, full-time employees, ONS ASHE 2025-provisional.
Questions about £18.50 an hour
How much is £18.50 an hour a year?
On a 37.5-hour week, £18.50 an hour is £36,075 a year before tax (37.5 hours × 52 weeks), £3,006 a month or £694 a week.
How much is £18.50 an hour after tax?
About £29,494 a year, £2,458 a month or £567 a week in the 2026/27 tax year, after £4,701 Income Tax and £1,880 National Insurance — £15.12 for each hour worked. That assumes full-time hours, no pension contributions and no student loan, in England, Wales or Northern Ireland.
Is £18.50 an hour above the minimum wage?
£18.50 is £5.79 an hour more than the National Living Wage of £12.71 — 46% above it, or £11,291 a year on a 37.5-hour week.
How much is £18.50 an hour part-time?
On 20 hours a week it comes to £19,240 a year before tax and £1,448 a month after; on 30 hours, £28,860 a year and £2,025 a month.
Is £18.50 an hour a good wage in the UK?
£18.50 is more than about 45% of full-time employees in the UK earn an hour, excluding overtime. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (2025-provisional). The full-time median is £19.67 an hour.