£42 Per Hour — Annual Salary & Take Home Pay
£42 per hour is £81,900 per year (based on 37.5 hours/week). In the 2026-27 tax year, after income tax and National Insurance, your take-home pay is £4,838.28 per month or £58,059.4 per year.
If you earn £42 per hour and work a standard 37.5 hours per week, your annual salary is £81,900. Here's what that looks like after tax and National Insurance:
| Period | Gross | Take Home |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly | £42.00 | £29.77 |
| Daily (7.5h) | £315.00 | £223.31 |
| Weekly (37.5h) | £1,575 | £1,116.53 |
| Monthly | £6,825 | £4,838.28 |
| Annual | £81,900 | £58,059.4 |
Tax and NI on £81,900
On an annual salary of £81,900, your deductions are:
- Income tax: £20,192 (£1,682.67/month)
- National Insurance: £3,648.6 (£304.05/month)
- Total deductions: £23,840.6 per year
How £42/hour compares
At £42/hour, you earn 134% more than the UK median hourly rate of ~£17.93/hour. The National Living Wage is £12.21/hour (£23,809.5/year).
Hourly rate comparison
| Hourly rate | Annual salary | Monthly take home | Annual take home |
|---|---|---|---|
| £40 | £78,000 | £4,649.78 | £55,797.4 |
| £41 | £79,950 | £4,744.03 | £56,928.4 |
| £43 | £83,850 | £4,932.53 | £59,190.4 |
| £44 | £85,800 | £5,026.78 | £60,321.4 |
Related calculations
- Full £82,000 salary breakdown — detailed tax bands and deductions
- Take home pay on £82,000 — monthly, weekly, and daily take home
- UK Salary Tax Table — take-home pay for every salary level
Frequently asked questions
What is £42 an hour annually?
At £42 per hour working 37.5 hours per week, your annual salary is £81,900 before tax.
How much is £42 an hour after tax?
After income tax and National Insurance, £42/hour gives you £4,838.28 per month or £58,059.4 per year take-home pay in 2026-27.
Is £42 an hour a good wage in the UK?
The National Living Wage for 2025/26 is £12.21/hour. At £42/hour, you earn above the UK median hourly rate of ~£17.93.
How many hours is a full-time week in the UK?
A standard full-time week in the UK is 37.5 hours (7.5 hours per day, 5 days per week). This means 1,950 working hours per year (52 weeks minus statutory holidays). At £42/hour, that's £81,900 per year before tax.
What is the tax-free hourly rate?
With a £12,570 personal allowance and 1,950 working hours, you can earn up to £6.45/hour before paying any income tax. Above that, the basic rate of 20% applies. National Insurance also starts at the same threshold, charged at 8% on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270.
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