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Updated for 2025/26

£15,980 vs £20,930 Salary Comparison

Compare a £15,980 salary against £20,930. 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£15,980£20,930Difference
Gross Salary£15,980£20,930£4,950
Income Tax£682£1,672£990
National Insurance£273£669£396
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£15,025
£18,589
£3,564
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,252£1,549£297
Effective Tax Rate6.0%11.2%5.2%

£15,980

Gross£15,980
Take-Home£15,025
You Keep94.0%

£20,930

Gross£20,930
Take-Home£18,589
You Keep88.8%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£15,980

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£682.00
National Insurance£272.80
Take Home (Monthly)£1,252.10

£20,930

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,672.00
National Insurance£668.80
Take Home (Monthly)£1,549.10

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: £15,980 vs £20,930

£15,980

  • Gross Pay£15,980.00
  • Take Home (Year)£15,025.20
  • Take Home (Month)£1,252.10
  • Effective Tax Rate6.0%

£20,930

  • Gross Pay£20,930.00
  • Take Home (Year)£18,589.20
  • Take Home (Month)£1,549.10
  • Effective Tax Rate11.2%

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