The average salary in London is £46,414 a year for a full-time worker (ONS, April 2025), £7,375 above the UK median (18.9% higher). That leaves about £36,938 after tax. Here is the full breakdown.
ONS data, April 2025After tax: £36,938Free, no signup
Average salary in London (median, full-time)
£46,414
a year before tax · about £36,938 take-home (£3,078 a month)
Yearly
Monthly
Gross salary
£46,414
£3,868
Income tax
−£6,769
−£564
National Insurance
−£2,708
−£226
Take-home pay
£36,938
£3,078
At £46,414, the average London salary is £7,375 above the UK median (18.9% higher). The mean for London is £65,429, higher than the median because a minority of large salaries lift the average.
ONS ASHE April 2025, full-time residents of the London (region). Income tax and National Insurance only. Verify at gov.uk. Not tax advice.
London sits well above every other region, though the gap narrows once the higher cost of living is taken into account. On ONS figures for April 2025, the median full-time salary for London residents is £46,414, which is £7,375 above the UK median (18.9% higher). After income tax and National Insurance, that leaves about £36,938 a year, or roughly £3,078 a month. A student loan or pension contribution would reduce it further.
How London compares to the UK
The table sets the London average against the UK median so you can see the gap in both gross pay and take-home.
Area
Median
Mean
Median after tax
London
£46,414
£65,429
£36,938
United Kingdom
£39,039
£48,512
£31,628
Use the take-home pay calculator to add a student loan plan or pension and see your exact net pay on the London average, or any salary you like.
Work out your own take-home
Your salary
Your salary before tax, National Insurance and pension
£
Scotland sets its own income tax bands. National Insurance is the same across the UK.
Salary sacrifice, comes out before tax and NI
%
Take-home pay
£36,938
a year · £36,938 a year
Gross salary£46,414
Income tax−£6,769
National Insurance−£2,708
Take-home a year£36,938
Where your pay goes
Take-home 80%Tax 15%NI 6%
2026/27 estimate, England, Wales and Northern Ireland bands. Verify current figures at gov.uk; not tax advice.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average salary in London?
The average salary in London is £46,414 a year for a full-time employee (median, ONS April 2025), which is £7,375 above the UK median (18.9% higher). On a mean basis the figure is £65,429, higher because top earners lift the average.
What is the average London salary after tax?
On the £46,414 median salary for London, take-home pay is about £36,938 a year, roughly £3,078 a month, after income tax and National Insurance (2026/27 rates). Student loan and pension would lower it further.
Is London a well-paid city?
London sits well above every other region, though the gap narrows once the higher cost of living is taken into account. Compared with the UK median of £39,039, London residents earn £7,375 above the UK median (18.9% higher). Living costs matter too, so a higher or lower salary does not translate one-for-one into spending power.
Does this figure cover the city or the wider area?
It is the ONS figure for the London (region), on a place-of-residence basis, so it reflects what people who live there earn rather than the pay of jobs located in the city centre. It covers full-time employees only.
Simon is the founder of Orbit Money, a tool that helps people track subscriptions and recurring spend. He builds Orbit's free money calculators and writes about personal finance for UK and Australian readers.
Figures are ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (April 2025), full-time residents of the London (region). After-tax amounts are estimates for guidance, not tax advice.
