Updated for 2025/26
£16,331 vs £21,721 Salary Comparison
Compare a £16,331 salary against £21,721. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.
Gross Difference
+£5,390
per year
Take Home Extra
+£323.40
per month
You Keep
72%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£19,404
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 | £16,331 | £21,721 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | £16,331 | £21,721 | £5,390 |
| Income Tax | £752 | £1,830 | £1,078 |
| National Insurance | £301 | £732 | £431 |
| Pension | £0 | £0 | £0 |
| Take-Home Pay (Yearly) | £15,278 | £19,159 | £3,881 |
| Take-Home (Monthly) | £1,273 | £1,597 | £323 |
| Effective Tax Rate | 6.4% | 11.8% | 5.3% |
£16,331
Gross£16,331
Take-Home£15,278
You Keep93.6%
£21,721
Gross£21,721
Take-Home£19,159
You Keep88.2%
Tax Band Analysis
Understanding where your money goes
£16,331
Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£752.20
National Insurance£300.88
Take Home (Monthly)£1,273.16
£21,721
Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,830.20
National Insurance£732.08
Take Home (Monthly)£1,596.56
What £323.40 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: £16,331 vs £21,721
£16,331
- Gross Pay£16,331.00
- Take Home (Year)£15,277.92
- Take Home (Month)£1,273.16
- Effective Tax Rate6.4%
£21,721
- Gross Pay£21,721.00
- Take Home (Year)£19,158.72
- Take Home (Month)£1,596.56
- Effective Tax Rate11.8%
The difference in take-home pay is £3,881 per year, which works out to £323.40 per month.