Is £15 an hour a good wage UK?

Yes, £15 an hour is above the UK median hourly wage of £14.60. It provides a comfortable living in most areas of the UK and allows for solid savings.

£15 an Hour is How Much a Year? (2026 Salary Breakdown)

Q: £15 an hour is how much a year?

£15 an hour equals £31,200 per year working full-time (40 hours per week, 52 weeks). After tax and National Insurance, your take-home pay would be approximately £25,574.

£15 an hour equals £31,200 per year working full-time. Here’s the complete breakdown of your earnings before and after tax.

£15 Per Hour Annual Salary

Time Period	Gross Earnings
Hourly	£15.00
Daily (8 hours)	£120
Weekly (40 hours)	£600
Bi-weekly	£1,200
Monthly	£2,600
Annual	£31,200

Take-Home Pay After Tax

At £31,200 per year, here’s what you’ll actually receive:

Deduction	Annual Amount
Gross salary	£31,200
Income tax	£3,726
National Insurance	£2,095
Take-home pay	£25,379

Monthly and Weekly Take-Home

Period	Take-Home
Monthly	£2,115
Weekly	£488
Daily	£98

How £15/Hour Compares

Metric	Amount
UK National Living Wage (21+)	£11.44/hour
UK Median hourly wage	£14.60/hour
£15/hour vs median	+3% above
Income percentile	~55th

At £15/hour, you’re comfortably above median earnings.

Sample Monthly Budget on £15/Hour

Based on £2,115 monthly take-home:

Category	Amount	% of Income
Rent/Housing	£740	35%
Council Tax	£115	5%
Utilities & Bills	£170	8%
Food & Groceries	£275	13%
Transport	£170	8%
Phone & Internet	£50	2%
Savings	£245	12%
Other/Personal	£350	17%
Total	£2,115	100%

Where Can You Live on £15/Hour?

Region	Median Rent (1-bed)	Affordable?
North East	£550	Comfortable
Wales	£575	Comfortable
Yorkshire	£600	Comfortable
West Midlands	£650	Comfortable
East Midlands	£650	Comfortable
South West	£725	Yes
South East	£900	Manageable
London	£1,500	Tight (needs flatshare)

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