£12 an hour is below the £12.71 National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over from 1 April 2026, so it's only a legal rate for workers aged 18 to 20 (minimum £10.85), under-18s and apprentices (minimum £8).
£12 an hour on different hours
Gross pay and monthly take-home on other weekly hours, over 52 paid weeks. UK law doesn't require extra pay for overtime, so extra hours are counted at the same rate here; check your contract for any overtime premium.
Hours a week
Per year, before tax
Take-home a month
16
£9,984.00
£832.00
20
£12,480.00
£1,040.00
30
£18,720.00
£1,416.50
37.5
£23,400.00
£1,697.30
40
£24,960.00
£1,790.90
45
£28,080.00
£1,978.10
Tax on £12 an hour
On £23,400 a year you pay £2,166 Income Tax and £866.40 National Insurance, leaving £20,367.60 a year. In Scotland, where Income Tax bands differ, take-home is £20,407.27 a year (£39.67 more). Full salary breakdowns: £23,000 after tax · £24,000 after tax.
£1,697.30 a month in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, working 37.5 hours a week in 2026/27 with no pension or student loan. Before tax it's £1,950 a month.
How much is £12 an hour a week?+
£450 a week before tax for 37.5 hours, or £391.68 after Income Tax and National Insurance.
What is £12 an hour for 16 hours a week?+
£9,984 a year before tax, and about £832.00 a month take-home.
Does this include holiday pay?+
Yes. It assumes 52 paid weeks, which includes paid holiday. Most UK workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid leave a year.