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Updated for 2025/26

£26,109 vs £31,109 Salary Comparison

Compare a £26,109 salary against £31,109. 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£26,109£31,109Difference
Gross Salary£26,109£31,109£5,000
Income Tax£2,708£3,708£1,000
National Insurance£1,083£1,483£400
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£22,318
£25,918
£3,600
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,860£2,160£300
Effective Tax Rate14.5%16.7%2.2%

£26,109

Gross£26,109
Take-Home£22,318
You Keep85.5%

£31,109

Gross£31,109
Take-Home£25,918
You Keep83.3%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£26,109

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£2,707.80
National Insurance£1,083.12
Take Home (Monthly)£1,859.84

£31,109

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£3,707.80
National Insurance£1,483.12
Take Home (Monthly)£2,159.84

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: £26,109 vs £31,109

£26,109

  • Gross Pay£26,109.00
  • Take Home (Year)£22,318.08
  • Take Home (Month)£1,859.84
  • Effective Tax Rate14.5%

£31,109

  • Gross Pay£31,109.00
  • Take Home (Year)£25,918.08
  • Take Home (Month)£2,159.84
  • Effective Tax Rate16.7%

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