Updated for 2025/26
£18,068 vs £21,021 Salary Comparison
Compare a £18,068 salary against £21,021. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.
Gross Difference
+£2,953
per year
Take Home Extra
+£177.18
per month
You Keep
72%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£10,631
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 | £18,068 | £21,021 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | £18,068 | £21,021 | £2,953 |
| Income Tax | £1,100 | £1,690 | £591 |
| National Insurance | £440 | £676 | £236 |
| Pension | £0 | £0 | £0 |
| Take-Home Pay (Yearly) | £16,529 | £18,655 | £2,126 |
| Take-Home (Monthly) | £1,377 | £1,555 | £177 |
| Effective Tax Rate | 8.5% | 11.3% | 2.7% |
£18,068
Gross£18,068
Take-Home£16,529
You Keep91.5%
£21,021
Gross£21,021
Take-Home£18,655
You Keep88.7%
Tax Band Analysis
Understanding where your money goes
£18,068
Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,099.60
National Insurance£439.84
Take Home (Monthly)£1,377.38
£21,021
Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,690.20
National Insurance£676.08
Take Home (Monthly)£1,554.56
What £177.18 Extra Buys You
Real-world value of the take-home difference
Monthly Subscriptions
Netflix, Spotify, gym - £100.00/mo
Full Comparison: £18,068 vs £21,021
£18,068
- Gross Pay£18,068.00
- Take Home (Year)£16,528.56
- Take Home (Month)£1,377.38
- Effective Tax Rate8.5%
£21,021
- Gross Pay£21,021.00
- Take Home (Year)£18,654.72
- Take Home (Month)£1,554.56
- Effective Tax Rate11.3%
The difference in take-home pay is £2,126 per year, which works out to £177.18 per month.