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Hourly to Salary Calculator UK

Convert hourly wage to annual salary equivalent. Standard UK full-time: 37.5 hours × 52 weeks. £15/hour ≈ £29,250/year. Useful for comparing job offers across hourly and salaried roles.

Last verified: 25 April 2026 Source: GOV.UK — National Minimum Wage rates Next review: 25 October 2026
Inputs
Standard UK full-time: 37.5 hrs. Some industries use 40 hrs.
52 = full-year. Reduce for unpaid leave or sabbaticals.
Equivalent —
Annual salary —
Weekly pay —
Monthly pay —
Detail —
Standard UK full-time at £15/hour
£15/hour · 37.5 hrs/week · 52 weeks

£15 × 37.5 × 52 = £29,250 annual gross. Take-home after tax + NI ≈ £24,400/year.

40-hour week at £20
£20/hour · 40 hrs/week · 52 weeks

£20 × 40 × 52 = £41,600. Just under the £50,270 higher-rate threshold.

Part-time £18/hour
£18/hour · 25 hrs/week · 52 weeks

£18 × 25 × 52 = £23,400. Below the £29k median UK salary but typical for part-time.

Convert your hourly wage into the equivalent annual salary. Useful for:

  • Comparing job offers — one role pays £15/hour, another £30,000/year salary
  • Negotiating — knowing your hourly worth helps when discussing day-rates
  • Planning — understanding monthly/weekly take-home from an hourly role

How the maths works

Gross annual salary = Hourly rate × Hours per week × Weeks worked per year

Standard UK full-time: - Hours per week: 37.5 (office) or 40 (industrial) - Weeks per year: 52 (paid statutory leave is included)

For £15/hour × 37.5 hours × 52 weeks: £29,250 annual gross.

When to use 48 vs 52 weeks

Use 52 if you have: - Permanent UK employment with paid statutory leave (28+ days) - Salaried role where holidays don’t reduce annual pay

Use fewer weeks if: - Zero-hours contract (only paid for hours worked) - Significant unpaid leave (sabbaticals, family leave) - Seasonal or contract work

What this calculator doesn’t include

  • Income tax and National Insurance — output is gross. Run the result through the Take Home Pay calculator for net.
  • Pension contributions — auto-enrolment typically takes 5% from salary (pre-tax in salary-sacrifice arrangements).
  • Overtime, shift premia, bonuses — variable additions to the base hourly rate.
  • Benefits in kind — private healthcare, gym membership, company car (these have tax implications).

UK hourly rate context

  • National Living Wage (21+, April 2025): £12.21/hour → £23,810/year full-time
  • UK median wage (full-time): ~£18/hour → £35,100/year
  • Higher-rate threshold (£50,270): requires ~£25.78/hour at 37.5 hrs/week
  • £100k personal allowance taper: requires ~£51.30/hour at 37.5 hrs/week

Reverse calculation

If you know the salary and want the equivalent hourly rate, swap the inputs in the Salary to Hourly (use this same calculator with mode reversed by swapping inputs).

Common mistakes
  • Forgetting unpaid leave. If you take 4 weeks off unpaid each year, you should use 48 weeks not 52. Standard UK contracts include 5.6 weeks paid statutory leave (28 days for full-time), so 52 is correct for permanent employees with paid holiday.
  • Confusing gross hourly rate with take-home. Calculator shows GROSS salary equivalent. After income tax and Class 1 NI, take-home is typically 75-80% of gross at basic-rate level. £15/hr → £29,250 gross → ~£24,400 take-home.
  • Using 40 hours when contract says 37.5. Standard UK full-time is 37.5 hours (typical office) but some industries use 40 (manufacturing, retail). Check your contract — the difference is £1,950/year at £15/hour.
  • Mixing up hourly contractor rate with salaried equivalent. Contractor rates include compensation for no holiday pay, no pension, no sick pay, no employment rights. Equivalent permanent salary is typically 60-70% of contractor day-rate × working days.
  • Ignoring overtime in the comparison. Salaried roles often have non-paid overtime expectations. Hourly roles pay for every hour worked. £15/hr × 50 hours/week (with 12.5 OT at 1.5×) ≠ £15/hr × 37.5 + paid overtime.
What this calculator doesn't cover
  • Doesn’t include income tax or National Insurance — output is gross salary equivalent.
  • Doesn’t account for pension contributions, salary sacrifice, or benefits in kind.
  • Assumes consistent hours throughout the year (no zero-hours or irregular contracts).
  • Doesn’t model overtime or shift premia.

Frequently asked questions

How many weeks should I use?

52 for full-year permanent UK employees (statutory leave is paid). 48-50 if you take significant unpaid leave. For zero-hours contracts, use only weeks you actually work.

How does this compare to the UK National Living Wage?

UK National Living Wage from April 2025 is £12.21/hour (21+). At 37.5 hours × 52 weeks = £23,809.50/year minimum for full-time. Compare your hourly rate to this floor.

Is this gross or take-home?

Gross — before income tax and National Insurance. For take-home, run the result through the Take Home Pay calculator.

How does contractor day-rate compare?

Contractor day-rate × ~220 working days = annual gross — but no benefits, holiday pay, or pension. Equivalent permanent salary is typically 60-70% of that figure. £400/day contractor ≈ £88,000 gross ≈ £55,000-£62,000 permanent salary.

Why doesn't my contract match the calculator?

Most likely: zero-hours contract (variable hours), shift premia, overtime included, or salary sacrifice. The calculator gives a clean gross-equivalent — real contracts often have additional structure.

About this calculator. Maintained by Jordan — a UK seller and creator who actually uses these platforms (Etsy, eBay, Vinted, DistroKid). Built to be accurate, mobile-fast, and honest about its limits. Spot a bug? Email hello@payoutmath.co.uk.