Updated for 2025/26
£48,398 vs £52,448 Salary Comparison
Compare a £48,398 salary against £52,448. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.
Gross Difference
+£4,050
per year
Take Home Extra
+£217.59
per month
You Keep
64%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£13,055
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 | £48,398 | £52,448 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | £48,398 | £52,448 | £4,050 |
| Income Tax | £7,166 | £8,411 | £1,246 |
| National Insurance | £2,866 | £3,060 | £193 |
| Pension | £0 | £0 | £0 |
| Take-Home Pay (Yearly) | £38,366 | £40,977 | £2,611 |
| Take-Home (Monthly) | £3,197 | £3,415 | £218 |
| Effective Tax Rate | 20.7% | 21.9% | 1.1% |
£48,398
Gross£48,398
Take-Home£38,366
You Keep79.3%
£52,448
Gross£52,448
Take-Home£40,977
You Keep78.1%
Tax Band Analysis
Understanding where your money goes
£48,398
Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£7,165.60
National Insurance£2,866.24
Take Home (Monthly)£3,197.18
£52,448
Tax BandHigher Rate
Marginal Rate40%
Income Tax£8,411.20
National Insurance£3,059.56
Take Home (Monthly)£3,414.77
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 £217.59 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: £48,398 vs £52,448
£48,398
- Gross Pay£48,398.00
- Take Home (Year)£38,366.16
- Take Home (Month)£3,197.18
- Effective Tax Rate20.7%
£52,448
- Gross Pay£52,448.00
- Take Home (Year)£40,977.24
- Take Home (Month)£3,414.77
- Effective Tax Rate21.9%
The difference in take-home pay is £2,611 per year, which works out to £217.59 per month.