What take-home can I expect on £30,000?

About £2,090 a month in 2026/27 (roughly £25,120 a year) on a standard 1257L tax code in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, after 20% income tax and 8% employee National Insurance. Pension contributions, student loan repayments or Scottish tax rates will change this, so use your payslip figure in the calculator if you have it.

How much should I spend on a car on £30k a year?

A common guide is 10–15% of take-home for the finance payment: about £210–£315 a month on £30,000. With a £2,000 deposit over 48 months at 6.9% APR, that points to a car of roughly £10,800–£15,100. If you have other debts or high rent, aim for the lower end.

Can I afford a £20,000 car on a £30k salary?

It is a stretch on HP. With a £2,000 deposit, borrowing £18,000 over 60 months at 6.9% APR costs about £356 a month, around 17% of take-home. On PCP the monthly payment would be lower, but you would face a large final payment to keep the car.

Is 10% or 15% of income better for car payments?

10% leaves more room for insurance, fuel, repairs and savings. 15% is a commonly quoted upper guide. Choose based on your other outgoings, not just salary.

How does a bigger deposit help on £30k?

At £314 a month over 48 months at 6.9% APR, the car budget is about £13,100 with no deposit, £15,100 with £2,000 and £17,100 with £4,000. A bigger deposit also means you borrow less, so you pay less interest.

Is £30,000 an average UK salary?

It is below the median for full-time workers. The ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings put median gross annual earnings for full-time employees at £39,039 in April 2025. Earnings vary a lot by region, age and job.

How much car can I afford on a £30,000 salary?

Short answer: on £30,000 a year you take home about £2,090 a month. Keeping the finance payment to 10–15% of that means roughly £210–£315 a month, which with a £2,000 deposit over four years at 6.9% APR points to a car of about £10,800–£15,100. The calculator below is pre-filled for £30k so you can adjust the deposit, term and APR to match quotes you receive.

Reviewed by: Oliver Burton, Editor · Last updated: 09 October 2026

Your affordability result

Stretch

Recommended max monthly payment

£314

Estimated max car budget

£15,138

Estimated finance amount: £13,138
Total interest: £1,934
Total repayable: £15,072

Based on your income and 15% affordability, you could put around 314 per month towards a car. Over 48 months at the rate you entered, that supports a finance amount of about 13138. With your deposit, your total car budget is approximately 15138. This is an estimate only—actual offers depend on lender criteria.

What to do next

Compare product shapes with the PCP vs HP calculator or refine instalments in the car finance calculator.
Check salary-band examples on the affordability by salary UK hub.
Budget for upkeep — book your MOT online.
Buying used? Protect your car with a used car warranty.

Estimates only — not a lending decision or financial advice. We are not a lender or broker. FCA-regulated partners handle quotes. We may earn a commission if you follow sponsored links.

Disclaimer

This calculator is for estimation only. It is not financial advice and does not represent a lending decision. Your actual affordability and car finance options in the UK depend on your circumstances and the lender's criteria.

Your £30k take-home, month by month

	Per year	Per month
Gross salary	£30,000	£2,500
Income tax (20% above £12,570)	£3,486	£291
Employee NI (8% above £12,570)	£1,394	£116
Take-home	£25,120	£2,093

2026/27 rates for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, standard tax code, no pension or student loan. Scottish income tax rates differ.

How much car: by affordability level

Share of take-home	Monthly payment	Car budget (48 months)	Car budget (60 months)
10% (comfortable)	£209	£10,800	£12,600
15% (stretch)	£314	£15,100	£17,900
20% (risky)	£419	£19,500	£23,200

£2,000 deposit, 6.9% APR, HP-style repayment. Rounded to the nearest £100.

A 36-month term at 15% would support about £12,200. Shorter terms mean higher payments but less interest and you own the car sooner.

How deposit changes what you can afford

Deposit	Car budget at £314/month, 48 months, 6.9%
£0	£13,100
£1,000	£14,100
£2,000	£15,100
£4,000	£17,100

Each extra £1,000 of deposit adds £1,000 to the budget without adding to the monthly payment, and means less interest overall.

What if you already have debts?

Lenders look at commitments, not just salary. If £300 a month already goes on a loan or credit card, 15% of the remaining £1,790 is about £269 a month, and the car budget falls to roughly £13,300 (same £2,000 deposit, 48 months, 6.9%). A higher APR has a similar effect: at 9.9% the 15% budget drops from £15,100 to about £14,400. See APR explained.

Leave room for running costs

The finance payment is not the whole cost. Budget for insurance (get a quote for the exact car), fuel or charging, vehicle tax (£200 a year standard rate for most cars from April 2026), MOT and servicing. On £30k, choosing a car in a lower insurance group with good fuel economy can matter as much as the finance deal. Compare fuel against electric with the EV vs petrol calculator.

PCP or HP on £30k?

PCP lowers the monthly payment by leaving a final balloon, so £314 a month can cover a more expensive car. You still need to pay the balloon to keep the car, or hand it back within the mileage and condition terms. HP costs more each month, but you own the car at the end. Compare with the PCP vs HP calculator, or see what a pricier car takes in can I afford a £30,000 car?

Frequently asked questions

What take-home can I expect on £30,000?: About £2,090 a month in 2026/27 (roughly £25,120 a year) on a standard 1257L tax code in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, after 20% income tax and 8% employee National Insurance. Pension contributions, student loan repayments or Scottish tax rates will change this, so use your payslip figure in the calculator if you have it.
How much should I spend on a car on £30k a year?: A common guide is 10–15% of take-home for the finance payment: about £210–£315 a month on £30,000. With a £2,000 deposit over 48 months at 6.9% APR, that points to a car of roughly £10,800–£15,100. If you have other debts or high rent, aim for the lower end.
Can I afford a £20,000 car on a £30k salary?: It is a stretch on HP. With a £2,000 deposit, borrowing £18,000 over 60 months at 6.9% APR costs about £356 a month, around 17% of take-home. On PCP the monthly payment would be lower, but you would face a large final payment to keep the car.
Is 10% or 15% of income better for car payments?: 10% leaves more room for insurance, fuel, repairs and savings. 15% is a commonly quoted upper guide. Choose based on your other outgoings, not just salary.
How does a bigger deposit help on £30k?: At £314 a month over 48 months at 6.9% APR, the car budget is about £13,100 with no deposit, £15,100 with £2,000 and £17,100 with £4,000. A bigger deposit also means you borrow less, so you pay less interest.
Is £30,000 an average UK salary?: It is below the median for full-time workers. The ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings put median gross annual earnings for full-time employees at £39,039 in April 2025. Earnings vary a lot by region, age and job.

Related salary guides

All salary bands £25k salary £40k salary

Sources & notes

Our calculators and guides draw on publicly available UK guidance. We review content periodically but do not guarantee that external sources remain unchanged. See our about page for how we use these tools.

MoneyHelper – How to find the right way to buy a car
General guidance on budgeting and car finance options in the UK.
MoneyHelper – Work out your budget
Household budgeting principles used alongside affordability rules of thumb.
FCA – Consumer credit and your rights
Regulatory context for regulated car finance agreements.
FCA Handbook – CONC 5.2A (creditworthiness and affordability)
How FCA-regulated lenders must assess affordability (illustrative reference).
Black Horse – Car finance (sample lender information)
Example of how a major UK motor-finance provider describes its products.
Santander – Car finance (sample lender information)
Example lender product information; rates and criteria vary by provider.

Compliance notes

Car Affordability UK is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). We do not provide regulated financial advice, credit broking or lending.
Calculator outputs are illustrative estimates based on the inputs you provide and published third-party guidance. They are not quotes, offers of credit or lending decisions.
FCA-regulated lenders apply their own affordability assessments, which may differ from the percentage rules of thumb used on this site. Always check formal terms before signing any agreement.
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