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Updated for 2025/26

£42,840 vs £47,840 Salary Comparison

Compare a £42,840 salary against £47,840. 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£42,840£47,840Difference
Gross Salary£42,840£47,840£5,000
Income Tax£6,054£7,054£1,000
National Insurance£2,422£2,822£400
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£34,364
£37,964
£3,600
Take-Home (Monthly)£2,864£3,164£300
Effective Tax Rate19.8%20.6%0.9%

£42,840

Gross£42,840
Take-Home£34,364
You Keep80.2%

£47,840

Gross£47,840
Take-Home£37,964
You Keep79.4%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£42,840

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£6,054.00
National Insurance£2,421.60
Take Home (Monthly)£2,863.70

£47,840

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£7,054.00
National Insurance£2,821.60
Take Home (Monthly)£3,163.70

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: £42,840 vs £47,840

£42,840

  • Gross Pay£42,840.00
  • Take Home (Year)£34,364.40
  • Take Home (Month)£2,863.70
  • Effective Tax Rate19.8%

£47,840

  • Gross Pay£47,840.00
  • Take Home (Year)£37,964.40
  • Take Home (Month)£3,163.70
  • Effective Tax Rate20.6%

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