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Updated for 2025/26

£26,822 vs £31,322 Salary Comparison

Compare a £26,822 salary against £31,322. 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£26,822£31,322Difference
Gross Salary£26,822£31,322£4,500
Income Tax£2,850£3,750£900
National Insurance£1,140£1,500£360
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£22,831
£26,071
£3,240
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,903£2,173£270
Effective Tax Rate14.9%16.8%1.9%

£26,822

Gross£26,822
Take-Home£22,831
You Keep85.1%

£31,322

Gross£31,322
Take-Home£26,071
You Keep83.2%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£26,822

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£2,850.40
National Insurance£1,140.16
Take Home (Monthly)£1,902.62

£31,322

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£3,750.40
National Insurance£1,500.16
Take Home (Monthly)£2,172.62

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: £26,822 vs £31,322

£26,822

  • Gross Pay£26,822.00
  • Take Home (Year)£22,831.44
  • Take Home (Month)£1,902.62
  • Effective Tax Rate14.9%

£31,322

  • Gross Pay£31,322.00
  • Take Home (Year)£26,071.44
  • Take Home (Month)£2,172.62
  • Effective Tax Rate16.8%

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