Updated for 2025/26
£47,988 vs £52,988 Salary Comparison
Compare a £47,988 salary against £52,988. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.
Gross Difference
+£5,000
per year
Take Home Extra
+£268.29
per month
You Keep
64%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£16,097
cumulative
Higher Rate Tax Threshold
One or both salaries cross the higher rate threshold (£50,271.00). Above this, you pay 40% tax on additional earnings, so the actual take-home difference is smaller than it appears.
- Pension contributions above £50,271 save 40% tax - very valuable
- Consider salary sacrifice schemes for electric cars or cycle-to-work
- Above £60k, child benefit starts being clawed back (if applicable)
- Equity or bonus structures may be more tax-efficient than base salary
Compare Salaries
Enter multiple salaries to compare take-home pay for 2025/26
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Comparison Results
| Metric | £47,988 | £52,988 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | £47,988 | £52,988 | £5,000 |
| Income Tax | £7,084 | £8,627 | £1,544 |
| National Insurance | £2,833 | £3,070 | £237 |
| Pension | £0 | £0 | £0 |
| Take-Home Pay (Yearly) | £38,071 | £41,290 | £3,219 |
| Take-Home (Monthly) | £3,173 | £3,441 | £268 |
| Effective Tax Rate | 20.7% | 22.1% | 1.4% |
£47,988
Gross£47,988
Take-Home£38,071
You Keep79.3%
£52,988
Gross£52,988
Take-Home£41,290
You Keep77.9%
Tax Band Analysis
Understanding where your money goes
£47,988
Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£7,083.60
National Insurance£2,833.44
Take Home (Monthly)£3,172.58
£52,988
Tax BandHigher Rate
Marginal Rate40%
Income Tax£8,627.20
National Insurance£3,070.36
Take Home (Monthly)£3,440.87
Tax Band Change: This salary increase crosses from the Basic Rate (20%) into the Higher Rate (40%). The portion above £50,270.00 will be taxed at the higher rate.
What £268.29 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: £47,988 vs £52,988
£47,988
- Gross Pay£47,988.00
- Take Home (Year)£38,070.96
- Take Home (Month)£3,172.58
- Effective Tax Rate20.7%
£52,988
- Gross Pay£52,988.00
- Take Home (Year)£41,290.44
- Take Home (Month)£3,440.87
- Effective Tax Rate22.1%
The difference in take-home pay is £3,219 per year, which works out to £268.29 per month.