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Updated for 2025/26

£26,969 vs £31,469 Salary Comparison

Compare a £26,969 salary against £31,469. 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£26,969£31,469Difference
Gross Salary£26,969£31,469£4,500
Income Tax£2,880£3,780£900
National Insurance£1,152£1,512£360
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£22,937
£26,177
£3,240
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,911£2,181£270
Effective Tax Rate14.9%16.8%1.9%

£26,969

Gross£26,969
Take-Home£22,937
You Keep85.1%

£31,469

Gross£31,469
Take-Home£26,177
You Keep83.2%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£26,969

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£2,879.80
National Insurance£1,151.92
Take Home (Monthly)£1,911.44

£31,469

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£3,779.80
National Insurance£1,511.92
Take Home (Monthly)£2,181.44

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: £26,969 vs £31,469

£26,969

  • Gross Pay£26,969.00
  • Take Home (Year)£22,937.28
  • Take Home (Month)£1,911.44
  • Effective Tax Rate14.9%

£31,469

  • Gross Pay£31,469.00
  • Take Home (Year)£26,177.28
  • Take Home (Month)£2,181.44
  • Effective Tax Rate16.8%

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