What is the take-home pay on £42,000?

A £42,000 salary gives you about £33,760 a year after tax and National Insurance — roughly £2,813 a month.

Is £42,000 a good salary in London?

London's median salary is higher, around £47,500, so £42,000 sits below the London median — and living costs there are higher too. Outside London it stretches considerably further.

Salary check · UK · 2026

Is £42,000 a good salary?

Is £42,000 a good salary in the UK?

£42,000 is a good salary in the UK. It puts you in roughly the 57th percentile — you earn more than about 57% of full-time workers, and it's £2,961 above the UK median of £39,039. Your take-home is about £2,813 a month.

Verified 12 August 2026

57th percentile You're above the UK median
You earn more than about 57% of full-time workers.

Individual vs household. As an individual salary this sits comfortably clear of low-income territory. Whether it's enough for a whole household depends on how many people it supports, your region, and housing costs — the UK's official poverty line is measured on household income after benefits, not a single salary.

What £42,000 actually means

The UK median full-time salary is £39,039 (ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) 2025). At £42,000 you're earning £2,961 more than the typical full-time worker.

Your take-home pay on £42,000

Gross salary	£42,000
Income tax	£5,886
National Insurance	£2,354
Take-home (year)	£33,760
Take-home (month)	£2,813

See the full breakdown → or adjust for pension and student loan.

Is it good for your age?

£42,000 is above the median for people aged 18–21, 22–29, 30–39, 60+. Pay peaks in the 40–49 band at £44,244.

Is it good where you live?

Location changes everything. London's median is £47,500 and the North East's is £35,100 — so £42,000 stretches much further in some regions than others. Outside London and the South East it goes considerably further.

Work it out for yourself
Where do you stand?See where your salary ranks in the UK.Take-home pay calculatorSee your exact pay after tax and NI.Monthly budget plannerWhere your take-home actually goes.What is a good UK salary?A more useful test than the average.