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Updated for 2025/26

£14,942 vs £20,280 Salary Comparison

Compare a £14,942 salary against £20,280. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.

Gross Difference
+£5,338
per year
Take Home Extra
+£320.28
per month
You Keep
72%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£19,217
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

£
£

Comparison Results

Metric£14,942£20,280Difference
Gross Salary£14,942£20,280£5,338
Income Tax£474£1,542£1,068
National Insurance£190£617£427
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£14,278
£18,121
£3,843
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,190£1,510£320
Effective Tax Rate4.4%10.6%6.2%

£14,942

Gross£14,942
Take-Home£14,278
You Keep95.6%

£20,280

Gross£20,280
Take-Home£18,121
You Keep89.4%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£14,942

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£474.40
National Insurance£189.76
Take Home (Monthly)£1,189.82

£20,280

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,542.00
National Insurance£616.80
Take Home (Monthly)£1,510.10

What £320.28 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: £14,942 vs £20,280

£14,942

  • Gross Pay£14,942.00
  • Take Home (Year)£14,277.84
  • Take Home (Month)£1,189.82
  • Effective Tax Rate4.4%

£20,280

  • Gross Pay£20,280.00
  • Take Home (Year)£18,121.20
  • Take Home (Month)£1,510.10
  • Effective Tax Rate10.6%

The difference in take-home pay is £3,843 per year, which works out to £320.28 per month.