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Updated for 2025/26

£18,074 vs £23,074 Salary Comparison

Compare a £18,074 salary against £23,074. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.

Gross Difference
+£5,000
per year
Take Home Extra
+£300.00
per month
You Keep
72%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£18,000
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£18,074£23,074Difference
Gross Salary£18,074£23,074£5,000
Income Tax£1,101£2,101£1,000
National Insurance£440£840£400
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£16,533
£20,133
£3,600
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,378£1,678£300
Effective Tax Rate8.5%12.7%4.2%

£18,074

Gross£18,074
Take-Home£16,533
You Keep91.5%

£23,074

Gross£23,074
Take-Home£20,133
You Keep87.3%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£18,074

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,100.80
National Insurance£440.32
Take Home (Monthly)£1,377.74

£23,074

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£2,100.80
National Insurance£840.32
Take Home (Monthly)£1,677.74

What £300.00 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: £18,074 vs £23,074

£18,074

  • Gross Pay£18,074.00
  • Take Home (Year)£16,532.88
  • Take Home (Month)£1,377.74
  • Effective Tax Rate8.5%

£23,074

  • Gross Pay£23,074.00
  • Take Home (Year)£20,132.88
  • Take Home (Month)£1,677.74
  • Effective Tax Rate12.7%

The difference in take-home pay is £3,600 per year, which works out to £300.00 per month.