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Updated for 2025/26

£26,674 vs £31,674 Salary Comparison

Compare a £26,674 salary against £31,674. 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£26,674£31,674Difference
Gross Salary£26,674£31,674£5,000
Income Tax£2,821£3,821£1,000
National Insurance£1,128£1,528£400
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£22,725
£26,325
£3,600
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,894£2,194£300
Effective Tax Rate14.8%16.9%2.1%

£26,674

Gross£26,674
Take-Home£22,725
You Keep85.2%

£31,674

Gross£31,674
Take-Home£26,325
You Keep83.1%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£26,674

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£2,820.80
National Insurance£1,128.32
Take Home (Monthly)£1,893.74

£31,674

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£3,820.80
National Insurance£1,528.32
Take Home (Monthly)£2,193.74

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: £26,674 vs £31,674

£26,674

  • Gross Pay£26,674.00
  • Take Home (Year)£22,724.88
  • Take Home (Month)£1,893.74
  • Effective Tax Rate14.8%

£31,674

  • Gross Pay£31,674.00
  • Take Home (Year)£26,324.88
  • Take Home (Month)£2,193.74
  • Effective Tax Rate16.9%

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