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Updated for 2025/26

£20,902 vs £25,950 Salary Comparison

Compare a £20,902 salary against £25,950. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.

Gross Difference
+£5,048
per year
Take Home Extra
+£302.88
per month
You Keep
72%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£18,173
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£20,902£25,950Difference
Gross Salary£20,902£25,950£5,048
Income Tax£1,666£2,676£1,010
National Insurance£667£1,070£404
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£18,569
£22,204
£3,635
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,547£1,850£303
Effective Tax Rate11.2%14.4%3.3%

£20,902

Gross£20,902
Take-Home£18,569
You Keep88.8%

£25,950

Gross£25,950
Take-Home£22,204
You Keep85.6%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£20,902

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,666.40
National Insurance£666.56
Take Home (Monthly)£1,547.42

£25,950

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£2,676.00
National Insurance£1,070.40
Take Home (Monthly)£1,850.30

What £302.88 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: £20,902 vs £25,950

£20,902

  • Gross Pay£20,902.00
  • Take Home (Year)£18,569.04
  • Take Home (Month)£1,547.42
  • Effective Tax Rate11.2%

£25,950

  • Gross Pay£25,950.00
  • Take Home (Year)£22,203.60
  • Take Home (Month)£1,850.30
  • Effective Tax Rate14.4%

The difference in take-home pay is £3,635 per year, which works out to £302.88 per month.