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Salary Guide5 min read

£30,000 Salary Take-Home Pay in 2025/26

Complete breakdown of what you'll actually receive from a £30k salary after income tax and National Insurance

Quick Summary: £30,000 Salary

Annual Take-Home

£25,120

Monthly Take-Home

£2,093

Weekly Take-Home

£483

If you're earning £30,000 a year in the UK, you're earning slightly above the national median salary. But how much of that actually ends up in your bank account?

After income tax and National Insurance, you'll take home approximately £25,120 per year, or £2,093 per month. That means you're keeping about 83.7% of your gross salary.

Full Tax Breakdown for £30,000

DescriptionAnnualMonthly
Gross Salary£30,000£2,500
Personal Allowance£12,570£1,048
Taxable Income£17,430£1,453
Income Tax (20%)-£3,486-£291
National Insurance (8%)-£1,394-£116
Take-Home Pay£25,120£2,093

How Your Tax is Calculated

Step 1: Personal Allowance

The first £12,570 of your income is tax-free. This is your Personal Allowance for 2025/26.

Step 2: Income Tax

Everything above your Personal Allowance is taxed at 20% (the basic rate).

£30,000 - £12,570 = £17,430 taxable
£17,430 × 20% = £3,486 income tax

Step 3: National Insurance

You pay 8% National Insurance on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270.

£17,430 × 8% = £1,394 National Insurance

Which Tax Band Are You In?

At £30,000, you're a basic rate taxpayer. Your entire taxable income falls within the 20% tax band.

Good news: You're well below the higher rate threshold of £50,270. You'd need a pay rise of over £20,000 before any of your income gets taxed at 40%.

£30k with Student Loan

If you have a student loan, your take-home pay will be lower. Here's how much you'd repay on each plan:

Plan 1 (Pre-2012)

Threshold: £26,065

Annual repayment: £354

Take-home: £24,766/year

Plan 2 (Post-2012)

Threshold: £28,470

Annual repayment: £138

Take-home: £24,982/year

Plan 4 (Scotland)

Threshold: £31,395

Annual repayment: £0

Take-home: £25,120/year

Plan 5 (Post-2023)

Threshold: £25,000

Annual repayment: £450

Take-home: £24,670/year

How Does £30k Compare?

At £30,000, you're earning:

  • About the UK median salary (around £29,000)
  • • More than 50% of UK workers
  • • An effective tax rate of just 16.3%

Salary Comparisons

£25,000 take-home:

£21,330/year

£35,000 take-home:

£28,910/year

Tips to Maximise Your Take-Home Pay

1

Check your tax code

Make sure you're on 1257L. A wrong tax code could mean you're overpaying.

2

Salary sacrifice schemes

Cycle to work, electric car schemes, or extra pension contributions can reduce your tax bill.

3

Marriage Allowance

If your partner earns under £12,570, they can transfer £1,260 of their allowance to you, saving up to £252 per year.

Calculate Your Exact Take-Home Pay

Get a personalised breakdown including pension, student loans, and more.

Try Take Home Pay Calculator →