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Updated for 2025/26

£18,220 vs £23,220 Salary Comparison

Compare a £18,220 salary against £23,220. 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£18,220£23,220Difference
Gross Salary£18,220£23,220£5,000
Income Tax£1,130£2,130£1,000
National Insurance£452£852£400
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£16,638
£20,238
£3,600
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,387£1,687£300
Effective Tax Rate8.7%12.8%4.2%

£18,220

Gross£18,220
Take-Home£16,638
You Keep91.3%

£23,220

Gross£23,220
Take-Home£20,238
You Keep87.2%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£18,220

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,130.00
National Insurance£452.00
Take Home (Monthly)£1,386.50

£23,220

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£2,130.00
National Insurance£852.00
Take Home (Monthly)£1,686.50

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: £18,220 vs £23,220

£18,220

  • Gross Pay£18,220.00
  • Take Home (Year)£16,638.00
  • Take Home (Month)£1,386.50
  • Effective Tax Rate8.7%

£23,220

  • Gross Pay£23,220.00
  • Take Home (Year)£20,238.00
  • Take Home (Month)£1,686.50
  • Effective Tax Rate12.8%

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