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Updated for 2025/26

£42,175 vs £46,225 Salary Comparison

Compare a £42,175 salary against £46,225. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.

Gross Difference
+£4,050
per year
Take Home Extra
+£243.00
per month
You Keep
72%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£14,580
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£42,175£46,225Difference
Gross Salary£42,175£46,225£4,050
Income Tax£5,921£6,731£810
National Insurance£2,368£2,692£324
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£33,886
£36,802
£2,916
Take-Home (Monthly)£2,824£3,067£243
Effective Tax Rate19.7%20.4%0.7%

£42,175

Gross£42,175
Take-Home£33,886
You Keep80.3%

£46,225

Gross£46,225
Take-Home£36,802
You Keep79.6%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£42,175

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£5,921.00
National Insurance£2,368.40
Take Home (Monthly)£2,823.80

£46,225

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£6,731.00
National Insurance£2,692.40
Take Home (Monthly)£3,066.80

What £243.00 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: £42,175 vs £46,225

£42,175

  • Gross Pay£42,175.00
  • Take Home (Year)£33,885.60
  • Take Home (Month)£2,823.80
  • Effective Tax Rate19.7%

£46,225

  • Gross Pay£46,225.00
  • Take Home (Year)£36,801.60
  • Take Home (Month)£3,066.80
  • Effective Tax Rate20.4%

The difference in take-home pay is £2,916 per year, which works out to £243.00 per month.