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Updated for 2025/26

£26,468 vs £31,468 Salary Comparison

Compare a £26,468 salary against £31,468. 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£26,468£31,468Difference
Gross Salary£26,468£31,468£5,000
Income Tax£2,780£3,780£1,000
National Insurance£1,112£1,512£400
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£22,577
£26,177
£3,600
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,881£2,181£300
Effective Tax Rate14.7%16.8%2.1%

£26,468

Gross£26,468
Take-Home£22,577
You Keep85.3%

£31,468

Gross£31,468
Take-Home£26,177
You Keep83.2%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£26,468

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£2,779.60
National Insurance£1,111.84
Take Home (Monthly)£1,881.38

£31,468

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£3,779.60
National Insurance£1,511.84
Take Home (Monthly)£2,181.38

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: £26,468 vs £31,468

£26,468

  • Gross Pay£26,468.00
  • Take Home (Year)£22,576.56
  • Take Home (Month)£1,881.38
  • Effective Tax Rate14.7%

£31,468

  • Gross Pay£31,468.00
  • Take Home (Year)£26,176.56
  • Take Home (Month)£2,181.38
  • Effective Tax Rate16.8%

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