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Updated for 2025/26

£21,311 vs £29,006 Salary Comparison

Compare a £21,311 salary against £29,006. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.

Gross Difference
+£7,695
per year
Take Home Extra
+£461.70
per month
You Keep
72%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£27,702
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£21,311£29,006Difference
Gross Salary£21,311£29,006£7,695
Income Tax£1,748£3,287£1,539
National Insurance£699£1,315£616
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£18,864
£24,404
£5,540
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,572£2,034£462
Effective Tax Rate11.5%15.9%4.4%

£21,311

Gross£21,311
Take-Home£18,864
You Keep88.5%

£29,006

Gross£29,006
Take-Home£24,404
You Keep84.1%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£21,311

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,748.20
National Insurance£699.28
Take Home (Monthly)£1,571.96

£29,006

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£3,287.20
National Insurance£1,314.88
Take Home (Monthly)£2,033.66

What £461.70 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
Savings Boost
£5,540.40/year extra into savings or investments

Full Comparison: £21,311 vs £29,006

£21,311

  • Gross Pay£21,311.00
  • Take Home (Year)£18,863.52
  • Take Home (Month)£1,571.96
  • Effective Tax Rate11.5%

£29,006

  • Gross Pay£29,006.00
  • Take Home (Year)£24,403.92
  • Take Home (Month)£2,033.66
  • Effective Tax Rate15.9%

The difference in take-home pay is £5,540 per year, which works out to £461.70 per month.