£42,000 Salary — Hourly Rate
England & Wales · 2025-26
£42,000 salary — hourly conversion breakdown
| Hours per week | Hours/year | Gross hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 37.5 hours/week | 1,950 | £21.54/hr |
| 40 hours/week (standard) | 2,080 | £20.19/hr |
| 45 hours/week | 2,340 | £17.95/hr |
| Day rate (8h/day, 260 days) | 2,080 | £161.54/day |
After-tax take-home — £42,000 (40h/week basis)
| Annual gross salary | £42,000 |
| Annual net take-home | £33,760 |
| Monthly take-home | £2,813/month |
| Weekly take-home | £649/week |
| After-tax hourly (40h/week) | £16.23/hr |
| Effective tax rate | 19.6% |
Frequently asked questions
What is £42,000 as an hourly rate?
£42,000 per year equals £21.54/hr at 37.5h/week, £20.19/hr at 40h/week, or £17.95/hr at 45h/week. The standard conversion for a 40-hour week is salary ÷ 2,080.
How much is £42,000 after tax per hour in 2025-26?
After Income Tax and National Insurance, a £42,000 salary leaves £33,760/year or £2,813/month take-home. At 40 hours per week that works out to £16.23/hr after tax. Your effective tax rate is 19.6%.
What is the day rate for a £42,000 salary?
Based on 260 working days per year, £42,000 equates to a day rate of £161.54 (before tax). This is a common calculation for comparing a salaried role to a contractor or freelance daily rate.
Is £42,000 a good salary in the UK in 2025?
The UK median full-time salary is around £37,000. At £42,000 you take home £2,813/month. Whether it's a 'good' salary depends on location, household size, and living costs — London-based workers typically need more to maintain the same standard of living as those outside the capital.
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