Is £43,000 a good salary in the UK?

The full-time median salary in the UK is around £37,430 (ONS ASHE 2024, full-time employees). £43,000 is roughly 15% above that figure.

How much is £43,000 per hour?

Around £22.05 per hour gross, or £17.68 per hour after tax, assuming a 37.5-hour week.

How much tax do I pay on £43,000?

On £43,000 in the UK, you pay approximately £6,086 in income tax and £2,434 in National Insurance.

£43,000 After Tax in the UK (2026/27)

If you earn £43,000 per year in the UK, your take-home pay is £34,480 per year — £2,873 per month, £663 per week, or £17.68 per hour after Income Tax and NI.

Net pay per month

£2,873

80.2% of gross — £34,480 per year

Income Tax

£6,086

14.2%

National Insurance

£2,434

5.7%

Effective rate

19.8%

of gross

Marginal rate

20%

on next £1

£43,000 after tax by pay period

Period	Gross	Tax	NI	Take-home
Yearly	£43,000	£6,086	£2,434	£34,480
Monthly	£3,583	£507	£203	£2,873
Weekly	£827	£117	£47	£663
Daily (260 days)	£165	£23	£9	£133
Hourly (37.5h week)	£22.05	£3.12	£1.25	£17.68

Daily assumes 260 working days. Hourly assumes a 37.5-hour week.

How your tax is calculated

£12,570 is tax-free (personal allowance). £12,571–£50,270 is taxed at the 20% basic rate. National Insurance is 8% between £12,570 and £50,270, then 2% above. Your marginal rate is 20% — every additional £1 you earn keeps roughly £0.72 after tax and NI.

What if…

£43,500 instead? Your take-home rises by roughly £60/month — see £43,500 after tax.
With a 5% pension contribution, your monthly take-home would be £2,730 but you'd save around £430 in income tax over the year.
10 hours of overtime a month at time-and-a-half would add about £265 to your monthly take-home.

Frequently asked questions

Is £43,000 a good salary in the UK?: The full-time median salary in the UK is around £37,430 (ONS ASHE 2024, full-time employees). £43,000 is roughly 15% above that figure.
How much is £43,000 per hour?: Assuming a 37.5-hour week over 260 working days, £43,000 a year is around £22.05 per hour gross, or £17.68 per hour after tax.
How much tax do I pay on £43,000?: On £43,000 a year in the UK, you would pay approximately £6,086 in income tax and £2,434 in National Insurance — an effective rate of 19.8%.