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Updated for 2025/26

£21,045 vs £25,095 Salary Comparison

Compare a £21,045 salary against £25,095. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.

Gross Difference
+£4,050
per year
Take Home Extra
+£243.00
per month
You Keep
72%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£14,580
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£21,045£25,095Difference
Gross Salary£21,045£25,095£4,050
Income Tax£1,695£2,505£810
National Insurance£678£1,002£324
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£18,672
£21,588
£2,916
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,556£1,799£243
Effective Tax Rate11.3%14.0%2.7%

£21,045

Gross£21,045
Take-Home£18,672
You Keep88.7%

£25,095

Gross£25,095
Take-Home£21,588
You Keep86.0%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£21,045

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,695.00
National Insurance£678.00
Take Home (Monthly)£1,556.00

£25,095

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£2,505.00
National Insurance£1,002.00
Take Home (Monthly)£1,799.00

What £243.00 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: £21,045 vs £25,095

£21,045

  • Gross Pay£21,045.00
  • Take Home (Year)£18,672.00
  • Take Home (Month)£1,556.00
  • Effective Tax Rate11.3%

£25,095

  • Gross Pay£25,095.00
  • Take Home (Year)£21,588.00
  • Take Home (Month)£1,799.00
  • Effective Tax Rate14.0%

The difference in take-home pay is £2,916 per year, which works out to £243.00 per month.