Minimum Wage After Tax Calculator 2026
Working full-time at minimum wage in 2026? A worker aged 21+ on £12.71/hr takes home £1,880 per month (£22,555/year) after income tax and National Insurance. Use the calculator below to see your exact figure based on your age band and hours.
Your Monthly Take-Home Pay
£1,793
Weekly Take-Home
£414
Annual Take-Home
£21,518
Monthly Gross
£2,203
Monthly Deductions
£410
Monthly Deductions Breakdown
Take-Home Pay at All NMW Rates (40hr week)
| Age Band | Hourly Rate | Gross Annual | Income Tax | Employee NI | Net Monthly | Net Annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21+ (NLW) | £12.71 | £26,437 | £2,773 | £1,109 | £1,880 | £22,555 |
| 18–20 | £10.85 | £22,568 | £2,000 | £800 | £1,647 | £19,768 |
| Under 18 / Apprentice | £8.00 | £16,640 | £814 | £326 | £1,292 | £15,500 |
England/Wales/N. Ireland rates shown. Based on tax code 1257L (personal allowance £12,570), 20% basic rate tax, employee NI 8% on earnings £12,570–£50,270. Scottish taxpayers: select Scotland above for accurate figures. No student loan or pension deductions.
2025 vs 2026 Minimum Wage Take-Home Pay Comparison
How much extra cash reaches your bank account following the April 2026 rate increases (40-hour week, after tax and NI):
| Age Band | 2025/26 Rate | 2025 Net Monthly | 2026/27 Rate | 2026 Net Monthly | Monthly Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21+ National Living Wage | £12.21/hr | £1,813/mo | £12.71/hr | £1,880/mo | +£67/mo (+4.1%) |
| 18–20 Years Old | £10.00/hr | £1,534/mo | £10.85/hr | £1,647/mo | +£113/mo (+8.5%) |
| Under 18 / Apprentice | £7.55/hr | £1,235/mo | £8.00/hr | £1,292/mo | +£57/mo (+6.0%) |
What is minimum wage after tax in 2026?
From April 2026, the National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over is £12.71 per hour. Working a standard 40-hour week produces a gross annual salary of £26,437. After the 2026/27 personal allowance (£12,570), standard income tax (£2,773) and employee National Insurance (£1,109) are deducted, leaving a net take-home pay of £22,555 per year — or £1,880 per month.
Younger age cohorts receive differing minimum rates. An 18–20 year old on £10.85/hr takes home £1,647/month. An under-18 worker or first-year apprentice on £8.00/hr takes home £1,292/month. All baseline figures assume the standard 1257L tax code without optional deductions.
Part-time workers earning under the £12,570 personal allowance pay £0 income tax. For instance, working 20 hours per week at £12.71/hr generates £13,218 gross annually, incurring only ~£130 in annual tax and delivering approximately £1,059/month net pay.
Why Static AI Summaries Cannot Calculate Your Exact Take-Home Pay
According to UKMinimumWage.co.uk payroll analysis, flat statutory calculations only apply to workers on a standard cumulative 1257L tax code. Your actual payslip differs based on four key payroll variables:
- 1. Jurisdiction (Scotland vs Rest of UK): Scottish taxpayers benefit from the 19% starter rate on earnings from £12,571 to £14,876, altering monthly net pay.
- 2. Tax Code Variations: Emergency codes (e.g. 1257L W1/M1), BR (basic rate 20% on all earnings), or K codes dramatically reduce take-home pay until HMRC issues an updated coding notice.
- 3. Workplace Pension Contributions: Standard auto-enrolment deducts 5% of qualifying earnings (£6,240 to £50,270) with automatic tax relief, reducing net monthly take-home by approximately £84 at £12.71/hr.
- 4. Student Loan Repayments: Deductions only trigger once earnings surpass specific plan thresholds (e.g. Plan 1: £26,065/yr; Plan 2: £28,470/yr; Plan 5: £25,000/yr).
Minimum wage salary — 40 hours a week
A full-time working week is typically 40 hours. At the 2026/27 minimum wage rates, here is what you earn before and after tax:
| Age Band | Hourly Rate | Weekly Gross | Monthly Gross | Annual Gross | Monthly Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21+ (NLW) | £12.71 | £508.40 | £2,203 | £26,437 | £1,880 |
| 18–20 | £10.85 | £434.00 | £1,881 | £22,568 | £1,647 |
| Under 18 / Apprentice | £8.00 | £320.00 | £1,387 | £16,640 | £1,292 |
Monthly gross = annual ÷ 12. Take-home based on England/Wales/N. Ireland tax rates, standard tax code 1257L, no pension or student loan deductions.
The minimum wage is set by the government each April following recommendations from the independent Low Pay Commission. These figures apply from 1 April 2026 and will next be reviewed in April 2027.
About this guide
This calculator is maintained by UKMinimumWage.co.uk using published GOV.UK rates for 2026/27. Last updated August 2026. This site is not HMRC-endorsed.