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Updated for 2025/26

£26,343 vs £30,843 Salary Comparison

Compare a £26,343 salary against £30,843. 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£26,343£30,843Difference
Gross Salary£26,343£30,843£4,500
Income Tax£2,755£3,655£900
National Insurance£1,102£1,462£360
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£22,487
£25,727
£3,240
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,874£2,144£270
Effective Tax Rate14.6%16.6%1.9%

£26,343

Gross£26,343
Take-Home£22,487
You Keep85.4%

£30,843

Gross£30,843
Take-Home£25,727
You Keep83.4%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£26,343

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£2,754.60
National Insurance£1,101.84
Take Home (Monthly)£1,873.88

£30,843

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£3,654.60
National Insurance£1,461.84
Take Home (Monthly)£2,143.88

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: £26,343 vs £30,843

£26,343

  • Gross Pay£26,343.00
  • Take Home (Year)£22,486.56
  • Take Home (Month)£1,873.88
  • Effective Tax Rate14.6%

£30,843

  • Gross Pay£30,843.00
  • Take Home (Year)£25,726.56
  • Take Home (Month)£2,143.88
  • Effective Tax Rate16.6%

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