Updated for 2025/26
£18,984 vs £20,920 Salary Comparison
Compare a £18,984 salary against £20,920. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.
Gross Difference
+£1,936
per year
Take Home Extra
+£116.16
per month
You Keep
72%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£6,970
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 | £18,984 | £20,920 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | £18,984 | £20,920 | £1,936 |
| Income Tax | £1,283 | £1,670 | £387 |
| National Insurance | £513 | £668 | £155 |
| Pension | £0 | £0 | £0 |
| Take-Home Pay (Yearly) | £17,188 | £18,582 | £1,394 |
| Take-Home (Monthly) | £1,432 | £1,549 | £116 |
| Effective Tax Rate | 9.5% | 11.2% | 1.7% |
£18,984
Gross£18,984
Take-Home£17,188
You Keep90.5%
£20,920
Gross£20,920
Take-Home£18,582
You Keep88.8%
Tax Band Analysis
Understanding where your money goes
£18,984
Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,282.80
National Insurance£513.12
Take Home (Monthly)£1,432.34
£20,920
Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,670.00
National Insurance£668.00
Take Home (Monthly)£1,548.50
What £116.16 Extra Buys You
Real-world value of the take-home difference
Monthly Subscriptions
Netflix, Spotify, gym - £100.00/mo
Full Comparison: £18,984 vs £20,920
£18,984
- Gross Pay£18,984.00
- Take Home (Year)£17,188.08
- Take Home (Month)£1,432.34
- Effective Tax Rate9.5%
£20,920
- Gross Pay£20,920.00
- Take Home (Year)£18,582.00
- Take Home (Month)£1,548.50
- Effective Tax Rate11.2%
The difference in take-home pay is £1,394 per year, which works out to £116.16 per month.