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Updated for 2025/26

£15,097 vs £20,097 Salary Comparison

Compare a £15,097 salary against £20,097. 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

£
£

Comparison Results

Metric£15,097£20,097Difference
Gross Salary£15,097£20,097£5,000
Income Tax£505£1,505£1,000
National Insurance£202£602£400
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£14,389
£17,989
£3,600
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,199£1,499£300
Effective Tax Rate4.7%10.5%5.8%

£15,097

Gross£15,097
Take-Home£14,389
You Keep95.3%

£20,097

Gross£20,097
Take-Home£17,989
You Keep89.5%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£15,097

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£505.40
National Insurance£202.16
Take Home (Monthly)£1,199.12

£20,097

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,505.40
National Insurance£602.16
Take Home (Monthly)£1,499.12

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: £15,097 vs £20,097

£15,097

  • Gross Pay£15,097.00
  • Take Home (Year)£14,389.44
  • Take Home (Month)£1,199.12
  • Effective Tax Rate4.7%

£20,097

  • Gross Pay£20,097.00
  • Take Home (Year)£17,989.44
  • Take Home (Month)£1,499.12
  • Effective Tax Rate10.5%

The difference in take-home pay is £3,600 per year, which works out to £300.00 per month.