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Updated for 2025/26

£15,080 vs £21,602 Salary Comparison

Compare a £15,080 salary against £21,602. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.

Gross Difference
+£6,522
per year
Take Home Extra
+£391.32
per month
You Keep
72%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£23,479
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£15,080£21,602Difference
Gross Salary£15,080£21,602£6,522
Income Tax£502£1,806£1,304
National Insurance£201£723£522
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£14,377
£19,073
£4,696
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,198£1,589£391
Effective Tax Rate4.7%11.7%7.0%

£15,080

Gross£15,080
Take-Home£14,377
You Keep95.3%

£21,602

Gross£21,602
Take-Home£19,073
You Keep88.3%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£15,080

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£502.00
National Insurance£200.80
Take Home (Monthly)£1,198.10

£21,602

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,806.40
National Insurance£722.56
Take Home (Monthly)£1,589.42

What £391.32 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: £15,080 vs £21,602

£15,080

  • Gross Pay£15,080.00
  • Take Home (Year)£14,377.20
  • Take Home (Month)£1,198.10
  • Effective Tax Rate4.7%

£21,602

  • Gross Pay£21,602.00
  • Take Home (Year)£19,073.04
  • Take Home (Month)£1,589.42
  • Effective Tax Rate11.7%

The difference in take-home pay is £4,696 per year, which works out to £391.32 per month.