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Updated for 2025/26

£15,780 vs £20,235 Salary Comparison

Compare a £15,780 salary against £20,235. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.

Gross Difference
+£4,455
per year
Take Home Extra
+£267.30
per month
You Keep
72%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£16,038
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£15,780£20,235Difference
Gross Salary£15,780£20,235£4,455
Income Tax£642£1,533£891
National Insurance£257£613£356
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£14,881
£18,089
£3,208
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,240£1,507£267
Effective Tax Rate5.7%10.6%4.9%

£15,780

Gross£15,780
Take-Home£14,881
You Keep94.3%

£20,235

Gross£20,235
Take-Home£18,089
You Keep89.4%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£15,780

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£642.00
National Insurance£256.80
Take Home (Monthly)£1,240.10

£20,235

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,533.00
National Insurance£613.20
Take Home (Monthly)£1,507.40

What £267.30 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: £15,780 vs £20,235

£15,780

  • Gross Pay£15,780.00
  • Take Home (Year)£14,881.20
  • Take Home (Month)£1,240.10
  • Effective Tax Rate5.7%

£20,235

  • Gross Pay£20,235.00
  • Take Home (Year)£18,088.80
  • Take Home (Month)£1,507.40
  • Effective Tax Rate10.6%

The difference in take-home pay is £3,208 per year, which works out to £267.30 per month.