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Updated for 2025/26

£26,151 vs £31,151 Salary Comparison

Compare a £26,151 salary against £31,151. 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£26,151£31,151Difference
Gross Salary£26,151£31,151£5,000
Income Tax£2,716£3,716£1,000
National Insurance£1,086£1,486£400
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£22,348
£25,948
£3,600
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,862£2,162£300
Effective Tax Rate14.5%16.7%2.2%

£26,151

Gross£26,151
Take-Home£22,348
You Keep85.5%

£31,151

Gross£31,151
Take-Home£25,948
You Keep83.3%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£26,151

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£2,716.20
National Insurance£1,086.48
Take Home (Monthly)£1,862.36

£31,151

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£3,716.20
National Insurance£1,486.48
Take Home (Monthly)£2,162.36

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: £26,151 vs £31,151

£26,151

  • Gross Pay£26,151.00
  • Take Home (Year)£22,348.32
  • Take Home (Month)£1,862.36
  • Effective Tax Rate14.5%

£31,151

  • Gross Pay£31,151.00
  • Take Home (Year)£25,948.32
  • Take Home (Month)£2,162.36
  • Effective Tax Rate16.7%

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