Answers · UK 2025/26

Is £25,000 a good salary in the UK?

£25,000 is below the UK median full-time salary of around £37,000, but it is a solid starting or entry-level income in most regions outside London and the South East. After 2026/27 tax you take home £21,519.60 a year, or £1,793.30 a month.

Last updated: 9 July 2026Last reviewed: 9 July 2026How we verify

Full answer

The median UK full-time salary is around £37,000, so £25,000 sits noticeably below the midpoint of full-time earners, though it is above the annualised National Living Wage of £24,783.15 (£12.71 an hour, 37.5 hours a week). After Income Tax (£2,486) and National Insurance (£994.40) for 2026/27, take-home pay is £21,519.60 a year or £1,793.30 a month in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. Whether £25,000 feels comfortable depends heavily on where you live and your circumstances: it stretches reasonably well in lower-cost regions such as the North East, Wales or Northern Ireland, particularly if you have no dependants and share housing costs, but it is tight in London or the South East where average rent for even a single room can absorb a large share of take-home pay. This salary is common for graduate entry-level roles, early-career administrative and customer service positions, and part-time or junior trade roles. At £25,000 you remain entirely within the 20% basic-rate Income Tax band with substantial headroom before the £50,270 higher-rate threshold, so a pay rise continues to be taxed at your current marginal rate. Use the Take-Home Pay calculator to see your exact net pay including any pension contributions or student loan.