Waiter / Waitress Salary After Tax (UK, 2026/27)
The median UK waiter / waitress salary is £22,936 a year (ONS, 2025 provisional) — that's £20,034 after tax for 2026/27, about £1,669 a month.
Waiter / Waitress take-home pay
Where the £22,936 median goes
Breakdown of £22,936 gross: Take-home pay £20,034, 87.3%; Income Tax £2,073, 9%; National Insurance £829, 3.6%.
- Take-home pay£20,034 · 87.3%
- Income Tax£2,073 · 9%
- National Insurance£829 · 3.6%
Full breakdown
| Gross salary (ONS median) | £22,936 |
| Taxable income | £22,936 |
| Personal allowance used | £12,570 |
| Income Tax | £2,073 |
| National Insurance | £829 |
| Total deductions | £2,902 |
| Take-home pay | £20,034 |
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 £22,936 waiter / waitress median, band by band
Total tax on a £22,936 salary is £2,902 for 2026/27 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland — £2,073 of Income Tax plus £829 of National Insurance. That's an effective rate of 12.7%.
| Band | Income in band | Rate | Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal Allowance | £0 – £12,570 | 0% | £0.00 |
| Basic rate | £12,570 – £22,936 | 20% | £2,073.20 |
National Insurance on £22,936
| Band | Earnings in band | Rate | NI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the primary threshold | £12,570 | 0% | £0.00 |
| Main rate | £10,366 | 8% | £829.28 |
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 waiter / waitress salary compares
ONS classes this occupation as Waiters and waitresses (SOC code 9264), covering around 34,000 full-time waiter / waitress jobs in the UK. Its £22,936 median is below the UK-wide median full-time salary of £39,039 by £16,103 (41.2%).
See every profession ranked by take-home pay for the full comparison.
Waiter / Waitress salary: frequently asked questions
What is the average waiter / waitress salary in the UK?
The median gross annual pay for a full-time waiter / waitress (ONS occupation code 9264, "Waiters and waitresses") is £22,936, based on ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) 2025 provisional results.
How much does a waiter / waitress take home after tax?
On the median waiter / waitress salary of £22,936, take-home pay is £20,034 a year (£1,669 a month) for 2026/27 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, after £2,073 of Income Tax and £829 of National Insurance.
Is a waiter / waitress salary above the UK average?
No. The median waiter / waitress salary of £22,936 is £16,103 (41.2%) below the UK-wide median full-time salary of £39,039.