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Updated for 2025/26

£41,990 vs £46,990 Salary Comparison

Compare a £41,990 salary against £46,990. 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

Mid-Career Sweet Spot

This salary range often represents strong mid-career positions. You're still entirely in the basic rate tax band (20%), making raises very tax-efficient.

  • Salary sacrifice for pension can be very efficient at this level
  • Consider hybrid or remote roles - commuting costs can eat into raises
  • This is often the best time to change industries for a salary bump
  • Skills training and certifications can lead to significant jumps

Compare Salaries

Enter multiple salaries to compare take-home pay for 2025/26

£
£

Comparison Results

Metric£41,990£46,990Difference
Gross Salary£41,990£46,990£5,000
Income Tax£5,884£6,884£1,000
National Insurance£2,354£2,754£400
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£33,752
£37,352
£3,600
Take-Home (Monthly)£2,813£3,113£300
Effective Tax Rate19.6%20.5%0.9%

£41,990

Gross£41,990
Take-Home£33,752
You Keep80.4%

£46,990

Gross£46,990
Take-Home£37,352
You Keep79.5%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£41,990

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£5,884.00
National Insurance£2,353.60
Take Home (Monthly)£2,812.70

£46,990

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£6,884.00
National Insurance£2,753.60
Take Home (Monthly)£3,112.70

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: £41,990 vs £46,990

£41,990

  • Gross Pay£41,990.00
  • Take Home (Year)£33,752.40
  • Take Home (Month)£2,812.70
  • Effective Tax Rate19.6%

£46,990

  • Gross Pay£46,990.00
  • Take Home (Year)£37,352.40
  • Take Home (Month)£3,112.70
  • Effective Tax Rate20.5%

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