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Updated for 2025/26

£15,618 vs £21,118 Salary Comparison

Compare a £15,618 salary against £21,118. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.

Gross Difference
+£5,500
per year
Take Home Extra
+£330.00
per month
You Keep
72%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£19,800
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£15,618£21,118Difference
Gross Salary£15,618£21,118£5,500
Income Tax£610£1,710£1,100
National Insurance£244£684£440
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£14,765
£18,725
£3,960
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,230£1,560£330
Effective Tax Rate5.5%11.3%5.9%

£15,618

Gross£15,618
Take-Home£14,765
You Keep94.5%

£21,118

Gross£21,118
Take-Home£18,725
You Keep88.7%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£15,618

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£609.60
National Insurance£243.84
Take Home (Monthly)£1,230.38

£21,118

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,709.60
National Insurance£683.84
Take Home (Monthly)£1,560.38

What £330.00 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: £15,618 vs £21,118

£15,618

  • Gross Pay£15,618.00
  • Take Home (Year)£14,764.56
  • Take Home (Month)£1,230.38
  • Effective Tax Rate5.5%

£21,118

  • Gross Pay£21,118.00
  • Take Home (Year)£18,724.56
  • Take Home (Month)£1,560.38
  • Effective Tax Rate11.3%

The difference in take-home pay is £3,960 per year, which works out to £330.00 per month.