How much tax do I pay in my first job?

If this is your only job, you get the full £12,570 Personal Allowance tax-free. On a £25,000 first salary in England, you pay approximately £2,486 Income Tax and £994 NI, taking home around £21,520/year (£1,793/month).

What tax code will I get in my first job?

Usually 1257L, which gives you the standard £12,570 Personal Allowance. If you do not have a P45 from a previous employer, your employer will use a Starter Checklist and may initially put you on emergency tax.

Do first-time workers pay National Insurance?

Yes, if you earn above £12,570/year (£242/week). NI is 8% on earnings between the primary threshold and £50,270. Below £12,570 you pay no NI.

First Job Salary After Tax 2025-26

Starting your first job? Find out exactly what you'll take home after income tax and National Insurance, with or without student loan repayments, in your city.

What's deducted from your first pay packet?

Income Tax

20% above £12,570

Personal Allowance is tax-free

National Insurance

8% on £12,570-£50,270

Collected via PAYE automatically

Student Loan (Plan 2)

9% above £27,295

Only if you have an eligible loan

Emergency tax code

Watch out: 1257L W1/M1

Common on first jobs, HMRC corrects it

Browse by city

London

£25k gross → £1,793/mo

England

£22,000 £23,000 £24,000 £25,000 £26,000 £27,000 £28,000 £30,000 £32,000 £35,000

Manchester

£25k gross → £1,793/mo

England

£22,000 £23,000 £24,000 £25,000 £26,000 £27,000 £28,000 £30,000 £32,000 £35,000

Birmingham

£25k gross → £1,793/mo

England

£22,000 £23,000 £24,000 £25,000 £26,000 £27,000 £28,000 £30,000 £32,000 £35,000

Edinburgh

£25k gross → £1,796/mo

Scotland

£22,000 £23,000 £24,000 £25,000 £26,000 £27,000 £28,000 £30,000 £32,000 £35,000

Bristol

£25k gross → £1,793/mo

England

£22,000 £23,000 £24,000 £25,000 £26,000 £27,000 £28,000 £30,000 £32,000 £35,000

Leeds

£25k gross → £1,793/mo

England

£22,000 £23,000 £24,000 £25,000 £26,000 £27,000 £28,000 £30,000 £32,000 £35,000

Liverpool

£25k gross → £1,793/mo

England

£22,000 £23,000 £24,000 £25,000 £26,000 £27,000 £28,000 £30,000 £32,000 £35,000

Sheffield

£25k gross → £1,793/mo

England

£22,000 £23,000 £24,000 £25,000 £26,000 £27,000 £28,000 £30,000 £32,000 £35,000

Glasgow

£25k gross → £1,796/mo

Scotland

£22,000 £23,000 £24,000 £25,000 £26,000 £27,000 £28,000 £30,000 £32,000 £35,000

Cardiff

£25k gross → £1,793/mo

Wales

£22,000 £23,000 £24,000 £25,000 £26,000 £27,000 £28,000 £30,000 £32,000 £35,000

Nottingham

£25k gross → £1,793/mo

England

£22,000 £23,000 £24,000 £25,000 £26,000 £27,000 £28,000 £30,000 £32,000 £35,000

Southampton

£25k gross → £1,793/mo

England

£22,000 £23,000 £24,000 £25,000 £26,000 £27,000 £28,000 £30,000 £32,000 £35,000

Newcastle

£25k gross → £1,793/mo

England

£22,000 £23,000 £24,000 £25,000 £26,000 £27,000 £28,000 £30,000 £32,000 £35,000

Brighton

£25k gross → £1,793/mo

England

£22,000 £23,000 £24,000 £25,000 £26,000 £27,000 £28,000 £30,000 £32,000 £35,000

Oxford

£25k gross → £1,793/mo

England

£22,000 £23,000 £24,000 £25,000 £26,000 £27,000 £28,000 £30,000 £32,000 £35,000

£25,000 first job, take-home across all cities

City	Annual take-home	Monthly take-home	With Plan 2
London	£21,520	£1,793	£1,793/mo	Details →
Manchester	£21,520	£1,793	£1,793/mo	Details →
Birmingham	£21,520	£1,793	£1,793/mo	Details →
Edinburgh	£21,548	£1,796	£1,796/mo	Details →
Bristol	£21,520	£1,793	£1,793/mo	Details →
Leeds	£21,520	£1,793	£1,793/mo	Details →
Liverpool	£21,520	£1,793	£1,793/mo	Details →
Sheffield	£21,520	£1,793	£1,793/mo	Details →
Glasgow	£21,548	£1,796	£1,796/mo	Details →
Cardiff	£21,520	£1,793	£1,793/mo	Details →
Nottingham	£21,520	£1,793	£1,793/mo	Details →
Southampton	£21,520	£1,793	£1,793/mo	Details →
Newcastle	£21,520	£1,793	£1,793/mo	Details →
Brighton	£21,520	£1,793	£1,793/mo	Details →
Oxford	£21,520	£1,793	£1,793/mo	Details →

Starting your first job, what to expect on your payslip

Your first payslip can be a surprise. If your gross salary is £25,000, you don't take home £25,000. After Income Tax (20% on income above £12,570) and National Insurance (8% on earnings above £12,570), your take-home pay is typically around £20,800/year, about £1,733/month.

If you graduated after 2012 and have an outstanding student loan, an additional 9% is deducted on earnings above £27,295 (Plan 2 threshold for 2025-26). Below £27,295, no loan repayments are taken.

On your first job, HMRC may assign an emergency tax code (1257L W1/M1). This treats each pay period as if it's your first, meaning you could be over- or under-taxed initially. HMRC usually corrects this automatically within a few months. You can also contact HMRC directly to update your tax code.

Related calculators:

Graduate Salary After Tax Student Loan Calculator Income Tax Rates National Insurance £25,000 After Tax