Chef Salary After Tax (UK, 2026/27)
The median UK chef salary is £30,010 a year (ONS, 2025 provisional) — that's £25,127 after tax for 2026/27, about £2,094 a month.
Chef take-home pay
Where the £30,010 median goes
Breakdown of £30,010 gross: Take-home pay £25,127, 83.7%; Income Tax £3,488, 11.6%; National Insurance £1,395, 4.6%.
- Take-home pay£25,127 · 83.7%
- Income Tax£3,488 · 11.6%
- National Insurance£1,395 · 4.6%
Full breakdown
| Gross salary (ONS median) | £30,010 |
| Taxable income | £30,010 |
| Personal allowance used | £12,570 |
| Income Tax | £3,488 |
| National Insurance | £1,395 |
| Total deductions | £4,883 |
| Take-home pay | £25,127 |
Median pay from ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), 2025 provisional results (published 2025-10-23), full-time UK employee jobs. Take-home figures are this calculator's own estimate for 2026/27, assuming a standard tax code, no pension contribution and no student loan.
Tax on the £30,010 chef median, band by band
Total tax on a £30,010 salary is £4,883 for 2026/27 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland — £3,488 of Income Tax plus £1,395 of National Insurance. That's an effective rate of 16.3%.
| Band | Income in band | Rate | Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal Allowance | £0 – £12,570 | 0% | £0.00 |
| Basic rate | £12,570 – £30,010 | 20% | £3,488.00 |
National Insurance on £30,010
| Band | Earnings in band | Rate | NI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the primary threshold | £12,570 | 0% | £0.00 |
| Main rate | £17,440 | 8% | £1,395.20 |
Live in Scotland, have a pension or student loan? Use the full calculator to model your own figures — Scottish Income Tax bands differ from the rest of the UK.
How the chef salary compares
ONS classes this occupation as Chefs (SOC code 5434), covering around 107,000 full-time chef jobs in the UK. Its £30,010 median is below the UK-wide median full-time salary of £39,039 by £9,029 (23.1%).
See every profession ranked by take-home pay for the full comparison.
Chef salary: frequently asked questions
What is the average chef salary in the UK?
The median gross annual pay for a full-time chef (ONS occupation code 5434, "Chefs") is £30,010, based on ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) 2025 provisional results.
How much does a chef take home after tax?
On the median chef salary of £30,010, take-home pay is £25,127 a year (£2,094 a month) for 2026/27 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, after £3,488 of Income Tax and £1,395 of National Insurance.
Is a chef salary above the UK average?
No. The median chef salary of £30,010 is £9,029 (23.1%) below the UK-wide median full-time salary of £39,039.