£18,000 self-employed after tax

By The PocketSums team. Updated 30 September 2026. How we calculate

With £18,000 of profit you pay £1,412 in tax and National Insurance and keep £1,382 a month.

You keep
£16,588 a year
A month
£1,382
Set aside for tax
£118 a month
Effective rate
7.8%
£12,000 profit£14,000 profit£16,000 profit£20,000 profit
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You keep£1,382.35a month

£16,588.20 a year. Set aside £118 a month for your tax bill.

Profit £18,000.00
Income tax -£1,086.00
Class 4 National Insurance -£325.80
You keep £16,588.20

On £18,000 of self-employed profit you pay £1,086.00 income tax and £325.80 Class 4 National Insurance. You keep £16,588.20, which is £1,382.35 a month.

How the £1,412 bill is worked out

  1. The first £12,570 is tax free.
  2. £5,430 at the basic rate of 20%: £1,086.00.
  3. Class 4 National Insurance: 6% of profit between £12,570 and £18,000: £325.80.
Put aside £118 a month and your January tax bill will already be paid for.

£18,000: self-employed, employed or in Scotland

  1. Self-employed£16,588 a year
  2. Employed£16,480 a year
  3. Self-employed, Scotland£16,628 a year

Nearby profits

Contracting? £18,000 a year is about £100 a day over 220 days. Try your own figures in the self-employed tax calculator.

Questions people ask

How much tax do I pay on £18,000 self-employed?

£1,411.80 in total: £1,086.00 income tax and £325.80 Class 4 National Insurance, paid through self assessment. You keep £16,588.20.

How much should I save for tax on £18,000?

About £118 a month, or 7.8% of every pound of profit. Because the bill is over £1,000, your first year may also ask for a payment on account of £706 towards next year.

Do I keep more self-employed or employed on £18,000?

Self-employed you keep £16,588, employed £16,480, because Class 4 is 6% rather than 8%. Employees also get holiday pay and an employer pension contribution, which usually outweighs the difference.