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Updated for 2025/26

£23,388 vs £28,388 Salary Comparison

Compare a £23,388 salary against £28,388. 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£23,388£28,388Difference
Gross Salary£23,388£28,388£5,000
Income Tax£2,164£3,164£1,000
National Insurance£865£1,265£400
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£20,359
£23,959
£3,600
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,697£1,997£300
Effective Tax Rate13.0%15.6%2.7%

£23,388

Gross£23,388
Take-Home£20,359
You Keep87.0%

£28,388

Gross£28,388
Take-Home£23,959
You Keep84.4%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£23,388

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£2,163.60
National Insurance£865.44
Take Home (Monthly)£1,696.58

£28,388

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£3,163.60
National Insurance£1,265.44
Take Home (Monthly)£1,996.58

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: £23,388 vs £28,388

£23,388

  • Gross Pay£23,388.00
  • Take Home (Year)£20,358.96
  • Take Home (Month)£1,696.58
  • Effective Tax Rate13.0%

£28,388

  • Gross Pay£28,388.00
  • Take Home (Year)£23,958.96
  • Take Home (Month)£1,996.58
  • Effective Tax Rate15.6%

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