£38 an hour a year
On a 37.5-hour week, £38 an hour is £74,100 a year before tax and £4,461 a month after Income Tax and National Insurance.
Before tax
£74,100
a year · £6,175 a month · £1,425 a week
After tax
£4,461
a month · £53,535 a year · £1,030 a week
37.5 hours a week, paid for 52 weeks (paid holiday included). You keep about £27.45 of each hour.
£38 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 | £31,616 | £2,190 | £505 |
| 20 | £39,520 | £2,665 | £615 |
| 25 | £49,400 | £3,257 | £752 |
| 30 | £59,280 | £3,745 | £864 |
| 35 | £69,160 | £4,223 | £974 |
| 37.5 | £74,100 | £4,461 | £1,030 |
| 40 | £79,040 | £4,700 | £1,085 |
| 45 | £88,920 | £5,178 | £1,195 |
The tax on £38 an hour, full-time
- Income Tax: £17,072 a year, £1,423 a month, after the £12,570 Personal Allowance.
- National Insurance: £3,493 a year, 8% of earnings above £12,570 and 2% above £50,270.
- In Scotland, take-home pay is £4,292 a month — £2,032 a year less, because Scotland sets its own Income Tax bands.
£38 and the minimum wage
£38 is £25.29 an hour more than the National Living Wage of £12.71 — 199% above it, or £49,316 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 £38 an hour compares
£38 is more than about 89% 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 £38
Median hourly pay excluding overtime, full-time employees, ONS ASHE 2025-provisional.
Questions about £38 an hour
How much is £38 an hour a year?
On a 37.5-hour week, £38 an hour is £74,100 a year before tax (37.5 hours × 52 weeks), £6,175 a month or £1,425 a week.
How much is £38 an hour after tax?
About £53,535 a year, £4,461 a month or £1,030 a week in the 2026/27 tax year, after £17,072 Income Tax and £3,493 National Insurance — £27.45 for each hour worked. That assumes full-time hours, no pension contributions and no student loan, in England, Wales or Northern Ireland.
Is £38 an hour above the minimum wage?
£38 is £25.29 an hour more than the National Living Wage of £12.71 — 199% above it, or £49,316 a year on a 37.5-hour week.
How much is £38 an hour part-time?
On 20 hours a week it comes to £39,520 a year before tax and £2,665 a month after; on 30 hours, £59,280 a year and £3,745 a month.
Is £38 an hour a good wage in the UK?
£38 is more than about 89% 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.