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Updated for 2025/26

£16,026 vs £20,076 Salary Comparison

Compare a £16,026 salary against £20,076. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.

Gross Difference
+£4,050
per year
Take Home Extra
+£243.00
per month
You Keep
72%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£14,580
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£16,026£20,076Difference
Gross Salary£16,026£20,076£4,050
Income Tax£691£1,501£810
National Insurance£276£600£324
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£15,058
£17,974
£2,916
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,255£1,498£243
Effective Tax Rate6.0%10.5%4.4%

£16,026

Gross£16,026
Take-Home£15,058
You Keep94.0%

£20,076

Gross£20,076
Take-Home£17,974
You Keep89.5%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£16,026

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£691.20
National Insurance£276.48
Take Home (Monthly)£1,254.86

£20,076

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,501.20
National Insurance£600.48
Take Home (Monthly)£1,497.86

What £243.00 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: £16,026 vs £20,076

£16,026

  • Gross Pay£16,026.00
  • Take Home (Year)£15,058.32
  • Take Home (Month)£1,254.86
  • Effective Tax Rate6.0%

£20,076

  • Gross Pay£20,076.00
  • Take Home (Year)£17,974.32
  • Take Home (Month)£1,497.86
  • Effective Tax Rate10.5%

The difference in take-home pay is £2,916 per year, which works out to £243.00 per month.