Updated for 2025/26
£15,000 vs £20,000 Salary Comparison
Compare a £15,000 salary against £20,000. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.
Gross Difference
+£5,000
per year
Take Home Extra
+£300.00
per month
You Keep
72%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£18,000
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 | £15,000 | £20,000 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | £15,000 | £20,000 | £5,000 |
| Income Tax | £486 | £1,486 | £1,000 |
| National Insurance | £194 | £594 | £400 |
| Pension | £0 | £0 | £0 |
| Take-Home Pay (Yearly) | £14,320 | £17,920 | £3,600 |
| Take-Home (Monthly) | £1,193 | £1,493 | £300 |
| Effective Tax Rate | 4.5% | 10.4% | 5.9% |
£15,000
Gross£15,000
Take-Home£14,320
You Keep95.5%
£20,000
Gross£20,000
Take-Home£17,920
You Keep89.6%
Tax Band Analysis
Understanding where your money goes
£15,000
Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£486.00
National Insurance£194.40
Take Home (Monthly)£1,193.30
£20,000
Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,486.00
National Insurance£594.40
Take Home (Monthly)£1,493.30
What £300.00 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: £15,000 vs £20,000
£15,000
- Gross Pay£15,000.00
- Take Home (Year)£14,319.60
- Take Home (Month)£1,193.30
- Effective Tax Rate4.5%
£20,000
- Gross Pay£20,000.00
- Take Home (Year)£17,919.60
- Take Home (Month)£1,493.30
- Effective Tax Rate10.4%
The difference in take-home pay is £3,600 per year, which works out to £300.00 per month.