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Updated for 2025/26

£21,772 vs £26,272 Salary Comparison

Compare a £21,772 salary against £26,272. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.

Gross Difference
+£4,500
per year
Take Home Extra
+£270.00
per month
You Keep
72%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£16,200
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£21,772£26,272Difference
Gross Salary£21,772£26,272£4,500
Income Tax£1,840£2,740£900
National Insurance£736£1,096£360
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£19,195
£22,435
£3,240
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,600£1,870£270
Effective Tax Rate11.8%14.6%2.8%

£21,772

Gross£21,772
Take-Home£19,195
You Keep88.2%

£26,272

Gross£26,272
Take-Home£22,435
You Keep85.4%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£21,772

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,840.40
National Insurance£736.16
Take Home (Monthly)£1,599.62

£26,272

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£2,740.40
National Insurance£1,096.16
Take Home (Monthly)£1,869.62

What £270.00 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: £21,772 vs £26,272

£21,772

  • Gross Pay£21,772.00
  • Take Home (Year)£19,195.44
  • Take Home (Month)£1,599.62
  • Effective Tax Rate11.8%

£26,272

  • Gross Pay£26,272.00
  • Take Home (Year)£22,435.44
  • Take Home (Month)£1,869.62
  • Effective Tax Rate14.6%

The difference in take-home pay is £3,240 per year, which works out to £270.00 per month.