Skip to main content

Search Calculators

Search for a calculator to use

Updated for 2025/26

£15,305 vs £20,305 Salary Comparison

Compare a £15,305 salary against £20,305. 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£15,305£20,305Difference
Gross Salary£15,305£20,305£5,000
Income Tax£547£1,547£1,000
National Insurance£219£619£400
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£14,539
£18,139
£3,600
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,212£1,512£300
Effective Tax Rate5.0%10.7%5.7%

£15,305

Gross£15,305
Take-Home£14,539
You Keep95.0%

£20,305

Gross£20,305
Take-Home£18,139
You Keep89.3%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£15,305

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£547.00
National Insurance£218.80
Take Home (Monthly)£1,211.60

£20,305

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,547.00
National Insurance£618.80
Take Home (Monthly)£1,511.60

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: £15,305 vs £20,305

£15,305

  • Gross Pay£15,305.00
  • Take Home (Year)£14,539.20
  • Take Home (Month)£1,211.60
  • Effective Tax Rate5.0%

£20,305

  • Gross Pay£20,305.00
  • Take Home (Year)£18,139.20
  • Take Home (Month)£1,511.60
  • Effective Tax Rate10.7%

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