Updated for 2025/26
£21,280 vs £26,280 Salary Comparison
Compare a £21,280 salary against £26,280. 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 | £21,280 | £26,280 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | £21,280 | £26,280 | £5,000 |
| Income Tax | £1,742 | £2,742 | £1,000 |
| National Insurance | £697 | £1,097 | £400 |
| Pension | £0 | £0 | £0 |
| Take-Home Pay (Yearly) | £18,841 | £22,441 | £3,600 |
| Take-Home (Monthly) | £1,570 | £1,870 | £300 |
| Effective Tax Rate | 11.5% | 14.6% | 3.1% |
£21,280
Gross£21,280
Take-Home£18,841
You Keep88.5%
£26,280
Gross£26,280
Take-Home£22,441
You Keep85.4%
Tax Band Analysis
Understanding where your money goes
£21,280
Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,742.00
National Insurance£696.80
Take Home (Monthly)£1,570.10
£26,280
Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£2,742.00
National Insurance£1,096.80
Take Home (Monthly)£1,870.10
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: £21,280 vs £26,280
£21,280
- Gross Pay£21,280.00
- Take Home (Year)£18,841.20
- Take Home (Month)£1,570.10
- Effective Tax Rate11.5%
£26,280
- Gross Pay£26,280.00
- Take Home (Year)£22,441.20
- Take Home (Month)£1,870.10
- Effective Tax Rate14.6%
The difference in take-home pay is £3,600 per year, which works out to £300.00 per month.