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Updated for 2025/26

£15,511 vs £20,461 Salary Comparison

Compare a £15,511 salary against £20,461. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.

Gross Difference
+£4,950
per year
Take Home Extra
+£297.00
per month
You Keep
72%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£17,820
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£15,511£20,461Difference
Gross Salary£15,511£20,461£4,950
Income Tax£588£1,578£990
National Insurance£235£631£396
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£14,688
£18,252
£3,564
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,224£1,521£297
Effective Tax Rate5.3%10.8%5.5%

£15,511

Gross£15,511
Take-Home£14,688
You Keep94.7%

£20,461

Gross£20,461
Take-Home£18,252
You Keep89.2%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£15,511

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£588.20
National Insurance£235.28
Take Home (Monthly)£1,223.96

£20,461

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,578.20
National Insurance£631.28
Take Home (Monthly)£1,520.96

What £297.00 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: £15,511 vs £20,461

£15,511

  • Gross Pay£15,511.00
  • Take Home (Year)£14,687.52
  • Take Home (Month)£1,223.96
  • Effective Tax Rate5.3%

£20,461

  • Gross Pay£20,461.00
  • Take Home (Year)£18,251.52
  • Take Home (Month)£1,520.96
  • Effective Tax Rate10.8%

The difference in take-home pay is £3,564 per year, which works out to £297.00 per month.