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Updated for 2025/26

£16,011 vs £21,456 Salary Comparison

Compare a £16,011 salary against £21,456. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.

Gross Difference
+£5,445
per year
Take Home Extra
+£326.70
per month
You Keep
72%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£19,602
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£16,011£21,456Difference
Gross Salary£16,011£21,456£5,445
Income Tax£688£1,777£1,089
National Insurance£275£711£436
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£15,048
£18,968
£3,920
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,254£1,581£327
Effective Tax Rate6.0%11.6%5.6%

£16,011

Gross£16,011
Take-Home£15,048
You Keep94.0%

£21,456

Gross£21,456
Take-Home£18,968
You Keep88.4%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£16,011

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£688.20
National Insurance£275.28
Take Home (Monthly)£1,253.96

£21,456

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,777.20
National Insurance£710.88
Take Home (Monthly)£1,580.66

What £326.70 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: £16,011 vs £21,456

£16,011

  • Gross Pay£16,011.00
  • Take Home (Year)£15,047.52
  • Take Home (Month)£1,253.96
  • Effective Tax Rate6.0%

£21,456

  • Gross Pay£21,456.00
  • Take Home (Year)£18,967.92
  • Take Home (Month)£1,580.66
  • Effective Tax Rate11.6%

The difference in take-home pay is £3,920 per year, which works out to £326.70 per month.