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Updated for 2025/26

£16,020 vs £25,020 Salary Comparison

Compare a £16,020 salary against £25,020. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.

Gross Difference
+£9,000
per year
Take Home Extra
+£540.00
per month
You Keep
72%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£32,400
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£16,020£25,020Difference
Gross Salary£16,020£25,020£9,000
Income Tax£690£2,490£1,800
National Insurance£276£996£720
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£15,054
£21,534
£6,480
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,255£1,795£540
Effective Tax Rate6.0%13.9%7.9%

£16,020

Gross£16,020
Take-Home£15,054
You Keep94.0%

£25,020

Gross£25,020
Take-Home£21,534
You Keep86.1%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£16,020

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£690.00
National Insurance£276.00
Take Home (Monthly)£1,254.50

£25,020

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£2,490.00
National Insurance£996.00
Take Home (Monthly)£1,794.50

What £540.00 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
Savings Boost
£6,480.00/year extra into savings or investments
Car Payment
Could cover a decent car on PCP or lease

Full Comparison: £16,020 vs £25,020

£16,020

  • Gross Pay£16,020.00
  • Take Home (Year)£15,054.00
  • Take Home (Month)£1,254.50
  • Effective Tax Rate6.0%

£25,020

  • Gross Pay£25,020.00
  • Take Home (Year)£21,534.00
  • Take Home (Month)£1,794.50
  • Effective Tax Rate13.9%

The difference in take-home pay is £6,480 per year, which works out to £540.00 per month.