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Updated for 2025/26

£16,875 vs £21,375 Salary Comparison

Compare a £16,875 salary against £21,375. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.

Gross Difference
+£4,500
per year
Take Home Extra
+£270.00
per month
You Keep
72%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£16,200
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£16,875£21,375Difference
Gross Salary£16,875£21,375£4,500
Income Tax£861£1,761£900
National Insurance£344£704£360
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£15,670
£18,910
£3,240
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,306£1,576£270
Effective Tax Rate7.1%11.5%4.4%

£16,875

Gross£16,875
Take-Home£15,670
You Keep92.9%

£21,375

Gross£21,375
Take-Home£18,910
You Keep88.5%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£16,875

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£861.00
National Insurance£344.40
Take Home (Monthly)£1,305.80

£21,375

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,761.00
National Insurance£704.40
Take Home (Monthly)£1,575.80

What £270.00 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: £16,875 vs £21,375

£16,875

  • Gross Pay£16,875.00
  • Take Home (Year)£15,669.60
  • Take Home (Month)£1,305.80
  • Effective Tax Rate7.1%

£21,375

  • Gross Pay£21,375.00
  • Take Home (Year)£18,909.60
  • Take Home (Month)£1,575.80
  • Effective Tax Rate11.5%

The difference in take-home pay is £3,240 per year, which works out to £270.00 per month.