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Updated for 2025/26

£21,099 vs £26,099 Salary Comparison

Compare a £21,099 salary against £26,099. 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£21,099£26,099Difference
Gross Salary£21,099£26,099£5,000
Income Tax£1,706£2,706£1,000
National Insurance£682£1,082£400
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£18,711
£22,311
£3,600
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,559£1,859£300
Effective Tax Rate11.3%14.5%3.2%

£21,099

Gross£21,099
Take-Home£18,711
You Keep88.7%

£26,099

Gross£26,099
Take-Home£22,311
You Keep85.5%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£21,099

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,705.80
National Insurance£682.32
Take Home (Monthly)£1,559.24

£26,099

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£2,705.80
National Insurance£1,082.32
Take Home (Monthly)£1,859.24

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: £21,099 vs £26,099

£21,099

  • Gross Pay£21,099.00
  • Take Home (Year)£18,710.88
  • Take Home (Month)£1,559.24
  • Effective Tax Rate11.3%

£26,099

  • Gross Pay£26,099.00
  • Take Home (Year)£22,310.88
  • Take Home (Month)£1,859.24
  • Effective Tax Rate14.5%

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