Updated for 2025/26
£48,470 vs £52,520 Salary Comparison
Compare a £48,470 salary against £52,520. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.
Gross Difference
+£4,050
per year
Take Home Extra
+£216.75
per month
You Keep
64%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£13,005
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 | £48,470 | £52,520 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | £48,470 | £52,520 | £4,050 |
| Income Tax | £7,180 | £8,440 | £1,260 |
| National Insurance | £2,872 | £3,061 | £189 |
| Pension | £0 | £0 | £0 |
| Take-Home Pay (Yearly) | £38,418 | £41,019 | £2,601 |
| Take-Home (Monthly) | £3,202 | £3,418 | £217 |
| Effective Tax Rate | 20.7% | 21.9% | 1.2% |
£48,470
Gross£48,470
Take-Home£38,418
You Keep79.3%
£52,520
Gross£52,520
Take-Home£41,019
You Keep78.1%
Tax Band Analysis
Understanding where your money goes
£48,470
Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£7,180.00
National Insurance£2,872.00
Take Home (Monthly)£3,201.50
£52,520
Tax BandHigher Rate
Marginal Rate40%
Income Tax£8,440.00
National Insurance£3,061.00
Take Home (Monthly)£3,418.25
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 £216.75 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: £48,470 vs £52,520
£48,470
- Gross Pay£48,470.00
- Take Home (Year)£38,418.00
- Take Home (Month)£3,201.50
- Effective Tax Rate20.7%
£52,520
- Gross Pay£52,520.00
- Take Home (Year)£41,019.00
- Take Home (Month)£3,418.25
- Effective Tax Rate21.9%
The difference in take-home pay is £2,601 per year, which works out to £216.75 per month.