UK Salary Benchmarks & ComparisonsIs £15 Per Hour Good Pay? — Annual Equivalent, Tax and UK Context
Is £15 an hour good pay in the UK? See what £15/hour works out to annually, your monthly take-home pay, how it compares to the minimum wage and UK average, and which jobs pay this rate.
£15 per hour is a common pay rate across many jobs in the UK. Here’s what it actually means for your finances.
What £15/Hour Equals Annually
| Weekly Hours | Annual Salary | Monthly Gross |
|---|
| 35 hours | £27,300 | £2,275 |
| 37.5 hours | £29,250 | £2,438 |
| 40 hours | £31,200 | £2,600 |
Most full-time contracts are 37.5 or 40 hours per week. The rest of this guide uses 37.5 hours (£29,250 annual) as the standard.
Your Take-Home Pay
| Scenario | Annual Take-Home | Monthly Take-Home |
|---|
| No student loan | £23,595 | £1,966 |
| Plan 2 student loan | £23,419 | £1,952 |
| Plan 1 student loan | £23,165 | £1,930 |
How £15/Hour Compares
| Benchmark | Hourly Rate | Annual (37.5hrs) |
|---|
| National Living Wage (21+) | £12.21 | £23,810 |
| Real Living Wage (national) | £12.60 | £24,570 |
| Real Living Wage (London) | £13.85 | £27,008 |
| Your rate: £15/hour | £15.00 | £29,250 |
| UK median hourly (all workers) | ~£15.50 | ~£30,225 |
| UK median full-time salary | — | ~£35,000 |
At £15/hour, you’re earning just below the UK median hourly rate but below the median full-time salary (because median full-time workers tend to work more hours and include salaried workers with longer weeks).
Monthly Budget on £15/Hour
Outside London
| Expense | Monthly Cost |
|---|
| Rent (room in shared house) | £500 |
| Council tax (share) | £60 |
| Bills (share) | £70 |
| Food | £200 |
| Transport | £80 |
| Phone | £20 |
| Socialising | £100 |
| Total essentials | £1,030 |
| Remaining | £936 |
London
| Expense | Monthly Cost |
|---|
| Rent (room in shared house, Zone 3-4) | £750 |
| Council tax (share) | £60 |
| Bills (share) | £70 |
| Food | £220 |
| Transport (bus/Oyster) | £150 |
| Phone | £20 |
| Socialising | £100 |
| Total essentials | £1,370 |
| Remaining | £596 |
Jobs That Pay Around £15/Hour
| Job | Typical Hourly Rate |
|---|
| Experienced care worker | £13-£16 |
| Warehouse team leader | £14-£17 |
| Retail supervisor | £13-£16 |
| Dental nurse | £13-£16 |
| Administrative assistant | £13-£16 |
| Lab technician | £14-£17 |
| Teaching assistant (Level 3/HLTA) | £13-£16 |
| Junior IT support | £14-£17 |
| Delivery driver (employed) | £13-£17 |
| Security guard (SIA licensed) | £13-£16 |
| Chef (experienced) | £14-£17 |
| Pharmacy technician | £13-£16 |
Can You Afford To…?
| Goal | Feasible on £15/hour? |
|---|
| Live independently (outside London) | Tight — studio/1-bed £550-£800/month |
| Flatshare | ✅ Comfortable |
| Save for a deposit (LISA) | ✅ £100-£300/month possible |
| Run a car | ✅ Budget carefully (£150-£250/month total) |
| Get a mortgage (solo) | ~£131,000 max borrowing (4.5x) |
| Support a family (sole income) | Very tight — would need benefits support |
| Holiday abroad | ✅ Budget trips, 1-2 per year |
Overtime and Shift Enhancements
If your employer offers overtime or shift premiums, £15/hour base rate can earn significantly more.
| Enhancement | Effective Rate | Extra per Month (10 hours/week OT) |
|---|
| Time and a quarter | £18.75 | £812 |
| Time and a half | £22.50 | £975 |
| Double time (bank holidays) | £30.00 | Per shift |
10 hours of overtime per week at time and a half adds nearly £12,000 per year.
How to Move Beyond £15/Hour
| Strategy | Potential Increase | Timeline |
|---|
| Get supervisor/team leader role | £16-£19/hour | 1-2 years |
| Gain qualifications (NVQ, City & Guilds) | £17-£22/hour | 6-18 months |
| Switch to higher-paying employer | £16-£18/hour | Immediate |
| Move into skilled trade | £18-£30+/hour | 2-4 years |
| Build experience for public sector role | £15-£20/hour + pension | 1-3 years |