£21 an hour a year
On a 37.5-hour week, £21 an hour is £40,950 a year before tax and £2,750 a month after Income Tax and National Insurance.
Before tax
£40,950
a year · £3,413 a month · £788 a week
After tax
£2,750
a month · £33,004 a year · £635 a week
37.5 hours a week, paid for 52 weeks (paid holiday included). You keep about £16.92 of each hour.
£21 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 | £17,472 | £1,342 | £310 |
| 20 | £21,840 | £1,604 | £370 |
| 25 | £27,300 | £1,931 | £446 |
| 30 | £32,760 | £2,259 | £521 |
| 35 | £38,220 | £2,587 | £597 |
| 37.5 | £40,950 | £2,750 | £635 |
| 40 | £43,680 | £2,914 | £672 |
| 45 | £49,140 | £3,242 | £748 |
The tax on £21 an hour, full-time
- Income Tax: £5,676 a year, £473 a month, after the £12,570 Personal Allowance.
- National Insurance: £2,270 a year, 8% of earnings above £12,570.
- In Scotland, take-home pay is £2,744 a month — £75 a year less, because Scotland sets its own Income Tax bands.
£21 and the minimum wage
£21 is £8.29 an hour more than the National Living Wage of £12.71 — 65% above it, or £16,166 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 £21 an hour compares
£21 is more than about 55% 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 £21
Median hourly pay excluding overtime, full-time employees, ONS ASHE 2025-provisional.
Questions about £21 an hour
How much is £21 an hour a year?
On a 37.5-hour week, £21 an hour is £40,950 a year before tax (37.5 hours × 52 weeks), £3,413 a month or £788 a week.
How much is £21 an hour after tax?
About £33,004 a year, £2,750 a month or £635 a week in the 2026/27 tax year, after £5,676 Income Tax and £2,270 National Insurance — £16.92 for each hour worked. That assumes full-time hours, no pension contributions and no student loan, in England, Wales or Northern Ireland.
Is £21 an hour above the minimum wage?
£21 is £8.29 an hour more than the National Living Wage of £12.71 — 65% above it, or £16,166 a year on a 37.5-hour week.
How much is £21 an hour part-time?
On 20 hours a week it comes to £21,840 a year before tax and £1,604 a month after; on 30 hours, £32,760 a year and £2,259 a month.
Is £21 an hour a good wage in the UK?
£21 is more than about 55% 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.