How £12 an hour adds up
To turn an hourly wage into a yearly salary, multiply the rate by hours worked per week, then by weeks worked per year: £12 × 37.5 × 52 = £23,400 before tax. That is the standard full-time assumption; if you take unpaid time off, use fewer weeks (for example 50 weeks gives £22,500).
The £23,400 figure is gross pay. After Income Tax and National Insurance, take-home is about £20,368 a year for England, Wales & NI — £1,697 a month or £392 a week. The exact amount depends on your circumstances, so run it through the calculator below for your own numbers.
What £12 an hour looks like by pay period
Gross: £450 a week, £900 every two weeks, £1,950 a month, £23,400 a year. Take-home (after tax): about £392 a week, £1,697 a month, £20,368 a year.
Estimate for England, Wales & NI, 2026/27, Income Tax and National Insurance. Assumes 37.5 hours/week × 52 weeks and no overtime, bonuses or other income. Not tax advice — verify at GOV.UK.