What is a good salary in the UK?
The short answer: a good benchmark is the full-time median: £40,911 in April 2026, according to the ONS. Earn more than that and you are paid more than half of full-time workers. But "good" depends far more on your rent or mortgage, where you live and who you support than on any national figure.
The official figures
| Measure (ONS, April 2026) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Median full-time salary | £40,911 |
| Median full-time pay a week | £811.20 |
| Median full-time hourly rate, excluding overtime | £20.81 |
| Full-time on the National Living Wage (2026/27) | £24,785 |
The median is the middle salary: half earn more and half earn less. It is a better guide than the mean average, which a small number of very high earners push up.
What common salaries leave you
| Salary | Where it sits | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|
| £24,785 | Full-time on the National Living Wage | £1,780 |
| £25,000 | Common starting salary | £1,793 |
| £30,000 | Below the full-time middle | £2,093 |
| £40,911 | Full-time median (the middle) | £2,748 |
| £50,000 | Just under the 40% tax line | £3,293 |
| £60,000 | Comfortably above the middle | £3,780 |
| £100,000 | High earner; allowance starts to go | £5,713 |
Going from £40,911 to £60,000 adds about £1,032 a month, not the £1,591 it looks like on paper, because much of it is taxed at 40%.
Why location matters so much
Pay is highest in London, but so are housing costs. Rent outside London is often £700 to £1,000 a month for a one-bed flat; in London it is commonly £1,500 or more. A £35,000 salary in the North East can leave more spare each month than £45,000 in London. When you compare jobs, compare what is left after housing, not the headline salary.
A good salary by life stage
- Starting out: £25,000 to £30,000 is common for graduates and entry-level roles. Progression matters more than the starting figure.
- Single, renting: from around £35,000 most people outside London can cover costs and save something.
- Couple or family: household income is what counts. Two incomes near the median, about £82,000 together, usually feel comfortable outside London.
- Buying a home: lenders lend about 4 to 4.5 times income, so £40,911 borrows about £184,100. See how much mortgage on your salary.
A different test: does it cover the basics plus saving?
A useful personal test is whether your take-home covers housing, bills, food and travel with at least 10% to 20% left over for saving and emergencies. If it does, your salary is doing its job, whatever the national figures say. If it does not, the fix might be pay, housing costs or both.
How to compare your salary properly
- Your job, not the whole country: the ONS publishes medians by occupation and region. Job sites and recruiter salary guides show current offers.
- Total package: a generous pension, more holiday or a shorter week can be worth thousands. See pay rise or more pension.
- Hourly rate: £40,000 for 45 hours a week is less per hour than £36,000 for 37.5.
- Public sector pay: our pay scale guides show exactly what each grade earns, such as the NHS pay bands.
If you think you are underpaid
Gather evidence of what similar roles pay, then make your case. Our guide on how to ask for a pay rise covers how much to ask for and what to say.
The salary you need for common goals
| Goal | Salary needed |
|---|---|
| Rent £800 at 30% of take-home | £39,560 |
| Rent £1,200 at 30% of take-home | £64,560 |
| Buy a £200,000 home with 10% deposit | £40,000 |
| Buy a £300,000 home with 10% deposit | £60,000 |
Spending no more than about 30% of take-home on rent is a common rule of thumb. For buying, the figure assumes a single buyer borrowing 4.5 times their salary, with no other debts.
Quick answers: is my salary good?
- £25,000: below the full-time median, about £1,793 a month after tax.
- £35,000: below the full-time median, about £2,393 a month after tax.
- £40,000: below the full-time median, about £2,693 a month after tax.
- £45,000: above the full-time median, about £2,993 a month after tax.
- £70,000: above the full-time median, about £4,263 a month after tax.
A good hourly rate
The median full-time hourly rate, excluding overtime, was £20.81 in April 2026. The National Living Wage for those aged 21 and over is £12.71 an hour, rising to £13.21 in April 2027. If your hourly rate is well above £20.81, you are paid more than most full-time workers per hour worked.
This is general information, not financial advice. Earnings figures are from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2026, published 22 October 2026 (provisional). Take-home figures use 2026/27 rates.
Common questions
What is the average salary in the UK?
The median full-time salary was £40,911 in April 2026, according to the ONS, up 4.5% on a year earlier. That is about £811 a week.
Is £30,000 a good salary in the UK?
It is below the full-time median of £40,911, but well above the minimum wage. After tax you keep about £2,093 a month, which is comfortable for a single person in many areas outside London.
Is £50,000 a good salary in the UK?
Yes. It is well above the full-time median and leaves about £3,293 a month after tax. In London, high rents mean it can still feel stretched for a family.
What salary do you need to live comfortably in the UK?
It depends on your housing costs, where you live and whether you support others. A single person renting outside London might feel comfortable from around £35,000; a family with one earner in the South East may need far more.
Is £40,000 a good salary in the UK?
Yes. It is just below the full-time median of £40,911, so close to the middle, and leaves about £2,693 a month after tax.