How £30,000 is taxed
The first £12,570 is your tax-free Personal Allowance, leaving £17,430 of taxable income. At £30,000 your top slice of pay falls in the basic rate, so each extra £100 of salary is worth about £72 after Income Tax and National Insurance.
- £3,486.00 at 20% on £17,430 (basic rate)
- £1,393.92 National Insurance: 8% on monthly earnings between £1,048 and £4,189
With a student loan, a pension or in Scotland
| £30,000 salary | Take-home / year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Standard (England, Wales, NI) | £25,120 | £2,093 |
| Living in Scotland | £25,155 | £2,096 |
| With a Plan 2 student loan | £25,072 | £2,089 |
| With a Plan 5 student loan | £24,676 | £2,056 |
| Paying 5% into a pension | £23,920 | £1,993 |
A Scottish taxpayer on £30,000 takes home £35 more a year, thanks to the 19% starter rate. A Plan 2 student loan takes £48 a year (9% above £29,385). A 5% relief-at-source pension puts £1,500 into your pot for £1,200 of take-home pay.
Compared with nearby salaries
£29,000 takes home £24,400 (£2,033 a month). £31,000 takes home £25,840, so the extra £1,000 of salary is worth £720 after tax. You are £20,270 below the higher-rate threshold (40%).
What £30,000 could borrow for a mortgage
At a typical 4.5× income multiple a single applicant on £30,000 might borrow about £135,000. Over 25 years at the average 5-year fixed rate of 4.98%, that costs £788 a month — 37.6% of take-home pay. Lenders also check affordability, so debts and childcare can reduce it. See the mortgage affordability calculator for your own figures.
£30,000 as an hourly rate
For a 37.5-hour week over 52 weeks, £30,000 is £15.38 an hour before tax and £12.88 after tax. Compare with an hourly job in the hourly to salary calculator.
Figures assume a normal 2026/27 tax year, tax code 1257L, monthly pay and no other income or benefits. Use the take-home pay calculator to add your tax code, pension, bonus or student loan.