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Updated for 2025/26

£42,126 vs £47,126 Salary Comparison

Compare a £42,126 salary against £47,126. 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£42,126£47,126Difference
Gross Salary£42,126£47,126£5,000
Income Tax£5,911£6,911£1,000
National Insurance£2,364£2,764£400
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£33,850
£37,450
£3,600
Take-Home (Monthly)£2,821£3,121£300
Effective Tax Rate19.6%20.5%0.9%

£42,126

Gross£42,126
Take-Home£33,850
You Keep80.4%

£47,126

Gross£47,126
Take-Home£37,450
You Keep79.5%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£42,126

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£5,911.20
National Insurance£2,364.48
Take Home (Monthly)£2,820.86

£47,126

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£6,911.20
National Insurance£2,764.48
Take Home (Monthly)£3,120.86

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: £42,126 vs £47,126

£42,126

  • Gross Pay£42,126.00
  • Take Home (Year)£33,850.32
  • Take Home (Month)£2,820.86
  • Effective Tax Rate19.6%

£47,126

  • Gross Pay£47,126.00
  • Take Home (Year)£37,450.32
  • Take Home (Month)£3,120.86
  • Effective Tax Rate20.5%

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