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Updated for 2025/26

£42,930 vs £46,980 Salary Comparison

Compare a £42,930 salary against £46,980. 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£42,930£46,980Difference
Gross Salary£42,930£46,980£4,050
Income Tax£6,072£6,882£810
National Insurance£2,429£2,753£324
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£34,429
£37,345
£2,916
Take-Home (Monthly)£2,869£3,112£243
Effective Tax Rate19.8%20.5%0.7%

£42,930

Gross£42,930
Take-Home£34,429
You Keep80.2%

£46,980

Gross£46,980
Take-Home£37,345
You Keep79.5%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£42,930

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£6,072.00
National Insurance£2,428.80
Take Home (Monthly)£2,869.10

£46,980

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£6,882.00
National Insurance£2,752.80
Take Home (Monthly)£3,112.10

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: £42,930 vs £46,980

£42,930

  • Gross Pay£42,930.00
  • Take Home (Year)£34,429.20
  • Take Home (Month)£2,869.10
  • Effective Tax Rate19.8%

£46,980

  • Gross Pay£46,980.00
  • Take Home (Year)£37,345.20
  • Take Home (Month)£3,112.10
  • Effective Tax Rate20.5%

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