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Updated for 2025/26

£15,662 vs £20,662 Salary Comparison

Compare a £15,662 salary against £20,662. 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£15,662£20,662Difference
Gross Salary£15,662£20,662£5,000
Income Tax£618£1,618£1,000
National Insurance£247£647£400
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£14,796
£18,396
£3,600
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,233£1,533£300
Effective Tax Rate5.5%11.0%5.4%

£15,662

Gross£15,662
Take-Home£14,796
You Keep94.5%

£20,662

Gross£20,662
Take-Home£18,396
You Keep89.0%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£15,662

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£618.40
National Insurance£247.36
Take Home (Monthly)£1,233.02

£20,662

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,618.40
National Insurance£647.36
Take Home (Monthly)£1,533.02

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: £15,662 vs £20,662

£15,662

  • Gross Pay£15,662.00
  • Take Home (Year)£14,796.24
  • Take Home (Month)£1,233.02
  • Effective Tax Rate5.5%

£20,662

  • Gross Pay£20,662.00
  • Take Home (Year)£18,396.24
  • Take Home (Month)£1,533.02
  • Effective Tax Rate11.0%

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