Updated for 2025/26
£48,490 vs £52,990 Salary Comparison
Compare a £48,490 salary against £52,990. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.
Gross Difference
+£4,500
per year
Take Home Extra
+£238.27
per month
You Keep
64%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£14,296
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 | £48,490 | £52,990 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | £48,490 | £52,990 | £4,500 |
| Income Tax | £7,184 | £8,628 | £1,444 |
| National Insurance | £2,874 | £3,070 | £197 |
| Pension | £0 | £0 | £0 |
| Take-Home Pay (Yearly) | £38,432 | £41,292 | £2,859 |
| Take-Home (Monthly) | £3,203 | £3,441 | £238 |
| Effective Tax Rate | 20.7% | 22.1% | 1.3% |
£48,490
Gross£48,490
Take-Home£38,432
You Keep79.3%
£52,990
Gross£52,990
Take-Home£41,292
You Keep77.9%
Tax Band Analysis
Understanding where your money goes
£48,490
Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£7,184.00
National Insurance£2,873.60
Take Home (Monthly)£3,202.70
£52,990
Tax BandHigher Rate
Marginal Rate40%
Income Tax£8,628.00
National Insurance£3,070.40
Take Home (Monthly)£3,440.97
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 £238.27 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: £48,490 vs £52,990
£48,490
- Gross Pay£48,490.00
- Take Home (Year)£38,432.40
- Take Home (Month)£3,202.70
- Effective Tax Rate20.7%
£52,990
- Gross Pay£52,990.00
- Take Home (Year)£41,291.60
- Take Home (Month)£3,440.97
- Effective Tax Rate22.1%
The difference in take-home pay is £2,859 per year, which works out to £238.27 per month.