How £31,000 is taxed
The first £12,570 is your tax-free Personal Allowance, leaving £18,430 of taxable income. At £31,000 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.
- £3,686.00 at 20% on £18,430 (basic rate)
- £1,473.96 National Insurance: 8% on monthly earnings between £1,048 and £4,189
With a student loan, a pension or in Scotland
| £31,000 salary | Take-home / year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Standard (England, Wales, NI) | £25,840 | £2,153 |
| Living in Scotland | £25,865 | £2,155 |
| With a Plan 2 student loan | £25,696 | £2,141 |
| With a Plan 5 student loan | £25,312 | £2,109 |
| Paying 5% into a pension | £24,600 | £2,050 |
A Scottish taxpayer on £31,000 takes home £25 more a year, thanks to the 19% starter rate. A Plan 2 student loan takes £144 a year (9% above £29,385). A 5% relief-at-source pension puts £1,550 into your pot for £1,240 of take-home pay.
Compared with nearby salaries
£30,000 takes home £25,120 (£2,093 a month). £32,000 takes home £26,560, so the extra £1,000 of salary is worth £720 after tax. You are £19,270 below the higher-rate threshold (40%).
What £31,000 could borrow for a mortgage
At a typical 4.5× income multiple a single applicant on £31,000 might borrow about £139,500. Over 25 years at the average 5-year fixed rate of 4.98%, that costs £814 a month — 37.8% of take-home pay. Lenders also check affordability, so debts and childcare can reduce it. See the mortgage affordability calculator for your own figures.
£31,000 as an hourly rate
For a 37.5-hour week over 52 weeks, £31,000 is £15.90 an hour before tax and £13.25 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.