Updated for 2025/26
£23,000 vs £28,000 Salary Comparison
Compare a £23,000 salary against £28,000. 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 | £23,000 | £28,000 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | £23,000 | £28,000 | £5,000 |
| Income Tax | £2,086 | £3,086 | £1,000 |
| National Insurance | £834 | £1,234 | £400 |
| Pension | £0 | £0 | £0 |
| Take-Home Pay (Yearly) | £20,080 | £23,680 | £3,600 |
| Take-Home (Monthly) | £1,673 | £1,973 | £300 |
| Effective Tax Rate | 12.7% | 15.4% | 2.7% |
£23,000
Gross£23,000
Take-Home£20,080
You Keep87.3%
£28,000
Gross£28,000
Take-Home£23,680
You Keep84.6%
Tax Band Analysis
Understanding where your money goes
£23,000
Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£2,086.00
National Insurance£834.40
Take Home (Monthly)£1,673.30
£28,000
Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£3,086.00
National Insurance£1,234.40
Take Home (Monthly)£1,973.30
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: £23,000 vs £28,000
£23,000
- Gross Pay£23,000.00
- Take Home (Year)£20,079.60
- Take Home (Month)£1,673.30
- Effective Tax Rate12.7%
£28,000
- Gross Pay£28,000.00
- Take Home (Year)£23,679.60
- Take Home (Month)£1,973.30
- Effective Tax Rate15.4%
The difference in take-home pay is £3,600 per year, which works out to £300.00 per month.