Updated for 2025/26
£13,488 vs £18,988 Salary Comparison
Compare a £13,488 salary against £18,988. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.
Gross Difference
+£5,500
per year
Take Home Extra
+£330.00
per month
You Keep
72%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£19,800
cumulative
Entry-Level Career Progression
This comparison is typical for early career moves or first promotions. At this salary range, most of your income is taxed at the basic rate (20%), so you keep a higher percentage of any raise.
- Negotiate hard - you keep ~70-80% of any increase at this level
- Consider employers offering good pension matching (often worth more than small salary differences)
- Look for roles with clear progression paths to higher bands
- Factor in benefits like free lunches, gym memberships, or transport subsidies
Compare Salaries
Enter multiple salaries to compare take-home pay for 2025/26
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Comparison Results
| Metric | £13,488 | £18,988 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | £13,488 | £18,988 | £5,500 |
| Income Tax | £184 | £1,284 | £1,100 |
| National Insurance | £73 | £513 | £440 |
| Pension | £0 | £0 | £0 |
| Take-Home Pay (Yearly) | £13,231 | £17,191 | £3,960 |
| Take-Home (Monthly) | £1,103 | £1,433 | £330 |
| Effective Tax Rate | 1.9% | 9.5% | 7.6% |
£13,488
Gross£13,488
Take-Home£13,231
You Keep98.1%
£18,988
Gross£18,988
Take-Home£17,191
You Keep90.5%
Tax Band Analysis
Understanding where your money goes
£13,488
Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£183.60
National Insurance£73.44
Take Home (Monthly)£1,102.58
£18,988
Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,283.60
National Insurance£513.44
Take Home (Monthly)£1,432.58
What £330.00 Extra Buys You
Real-world value of the take-home difference
Monthly Subscriptions
Netflix, Spotify, gym - £100.00/mo
Weekend Breaks
1-2 UK getaways per month at this budget
Full Comparison: £13,488 vs £18,988
£13,488
- Gross Pay£13,488.00
- Take Home (Year)£13,230.96
- Take Home (Month)£1,102.58
- Effective Tax Rate1.9%
£18,988
- Gross Pay£18,988.00
- Take Home (Year)£17,190.96
- Take Home (Month)£1,432.58
- Effective Tax Rate9.5%
The difference in take-home pay is £3,960 per year, which works out to £330.00 per month.