What is a Good Salary in the UK? (2026/27)
Whether you're negotiating a pay rise, comparing job offers, or just wondering where you stand, here's a clear breakdown of UK salaries, take-home pay, and what different earnings actually buy you in 2026/27.
The UK median salary in 2026
The median full-time salary in the UK is around £37,430 per year, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. This is the midpoint: half of full-time workers earn more, half earn less.
The mean average is higher at around £42,500, pulled upward by a relatively small number of very high earners. For most practical purposes the median is the more useful benchmark.
Part-time workers bring the overall median down significantly. Including part-time work, the median drops to around £25,000. When people ask "what is the average salary in the UK" they usually mean the full-time figure.
Take-home pay at different salary levels
Gross salary is only part of the picture. After income tax and National Insurance, your actual take-home pay in 2026/27 looks like this:
| Gross salary | Take-home (year) | Take-home (month) | Top earner % |
|---|---|---|---|
| £25,000 | ~£21,100 | ~£1,758 | Top 55% |
| £30,000 | ~£24,700 | ~£2,058 | Top 45% |
| £37,430 (median) | ~£29,900 | ~£2,492 | Top 50% |
| £40,000 | ~£31,400 | ~£2,617 | Top 40% |
| £50,000 | ~£37,700 | ~£3,142 | Top 18% |
| £60,000 | ~£43,200 | ~£3,600 | Top 10% |
| £80,000 | ~£54,400 | ~£4,533 | Top 5% |
| £100,000 | ~£65,600 | ~£5,467 | Top 2% |
Take-home figures are estimates after income tax and National Insurance for 2026/27. Standard personal allowance assumed, no pension deductions.
So what counts as a "good" salary?
"Good" is relative. It depends heavily on where you live, your lifestyle, family size, and whether you rent or own. As a rough guide:
Around £30,000: modest but manageable outside London
Above minimum wage, roughly the bottom third of full-time earners. Liveable in lower-cost areas but tight in major cities. Take-home around £2,050/month.
£35,000 to £50,000: comfortable for most of the UK
Above or around the median. Enough to save, rent or buy in many areas, and build a pension. Most people would consider this a solid salary outside London.
£50,000 to £80,000: high earner
Top 10-18% of UK earners. At this level you're firmly in higher-rate tax territory (40% above £50,270). Comfortable lifestyle in most of the UK including London.
£100,000+: very high earner
Top 2% of the UK. Be aware of the personal allowance taper between £100,000 and £125,140. The effective marginal tax rate reaches 60% in this band.
Regional salary differences
London salaries average around £44,000; the North East averages around £33,000. The same job in a different city can pay 20% less, but costs less too. The table below shows approximate median full-time salaries by region:
| Region | Median salary |
|---|---|
| London | ~£44,370 |
| South East | ~£38,700 |
| East of England | ~£37,200 |
| Scotland | ~£36,800 |
| East Midlands | ~£34,900 |
| West Midlands | ~£34,500 |
| Yorkshire & Humber | ~£33,900 |
| Wales | ~£33,100 |
| North East | ~£32,800 |
Source: ONS ASHE 2024. Figures are approximate and refer to full-time employees.
Typical salaries by age
Earnings tend to grow through your 20s and 30s, peak in the 40s, and plateau or decline slightly toward retirement. Here are approximate median full-time earnings by age group:
| Age group | Median salary |
|---|---|
| 22-29 | ~£28,000 |
| 30-39 | ~£37,000 |
| 40-49 | ~£41,000 |
| 50-59 | ~£39,500 |
| 60-65 | ~£36,000 |
National Living Wage vs a comfortable salary
The National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over is £12.21 per hour from April 2025, rising to £12.60 from April 2026. Working full-time (37.5 hours/week) at National Living Wage gives a gross annual salary of around £24,600.
The Real Living Wage, set independently by the Living Wage Foundation, is currently £13.85/hour outside London and £15.95/hour in London, reflecting actual living costs rather than the legal minimum.
Salary levels that change your tax position
Several salary points trigger meaningful changes to how much tax you pay. Being aware of these can inform salary negotiations, pension contribution decisions, and how you structure your income.
£12,570 — Personal Allowance threshold
Below this, no income tax is due (though NI starts at the same point). The National Living Wage full-time equivalent of ~£24,600 is well above this.
£50,270 — Higher rate threshold
Earnings above this are taxed at 40% (income tax) plus 2% NI. A salary just over this threshold sees a combined marginal rate of 42p in every extra £1. Pension contributions can keep you below this level.
£60,000 — Child Benefit taper starts
The High Income Child Benefit Charge begins here if you or your partner claims Child Benefit. You lose 1% of the benefit for every £200 above £60,000. At £80,000 the entire benefit is clawed back.
£100,000 — Personal Allowance taper
Your £12,570 personal allowance reduces by £1 for every £2 above £100,000. By £125,140 it is gone entirely. This creates an effective 60% marginal rate on income between £100,000 and £125,140.
£125,140 — Additional rate threshold
Above this, the additional rate of 45% applies. The personal allowance has been fully tapered away at this point, so every additional pound is taxed at 45% with no allowance offset.
See your exact take-home pay
Use our free calculator to see exactly what you'll take home after tax, NI, pension, and student loan deductions for any salary.
Calculate my take-home pay