Updated for 2025/26
£88,488 vs £97,988 Salary Comparison
Compare a £88,488 salary against £97,988. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.
Gross Difference
+£9,500
per year
Take Home Extra
+£459.17
per month
You Keep
58%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£27,550
cumulative
Senior Leadership Compensation
At this level, tax efficiency becomes crucial. Between £100,000.00-£125,140.00, you face an effective 60% marginal rate as personal allowance is withdrawn.
- The £100k-£125k "trap" means earning £100k often leaves you with more than £115k
- Employer pension contributions can reduce taxable income below key thresholds
- Consider spreading bonuses across tax years where possible
- Professional tax advice typically pays for itself at this level
Compare Salaries
Enter multiple salaries to compare take-home pay for 2025/26
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Comparison Results
| Metric | £88,488 | £97,988 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | £88,488 | £97,988 | £9,500 |
| Income Tax | £22,827 | £26,627 | £3,800 |
| National Insurance | £3,780 | £3,970 | £190 |
| Pension | £0 | £0 | £0 |
| Take-Home Pay (Yearly) | £61,880 | £67,390 | £5,510 |
| Take-Home (Monthly) | £5,157 | £5,616 | £459 |
| Effective Tax Rate | 30.1% | 31.2% | 1.2% |
£88,488
Gross£88,488
Take-Home£61,880
You Keep69.9%
£97,988
Gross£97,988
Take-Home£67,390
You Keep68.8%
Tax Band Analysis
Understanding where your money goes
£88,488
Tax BandHigher Rate
Marginal Rate40%
Income Tax£22,827.20
National Insurance£3,780.36
Take Home (Monthly)£5,156.70
£97,988
Tax BandHigher Rate
Marginal Rate40%
Income Tax£26,627.20
National Insurance£3,970.36
Take Home (Monthly)£5,615.87
What £459.17 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
Savings Boost
£5,510.00/year extra into savings or investments
Full Comparison: £88,488 vs £97,988
£88,488
- Gross Pay£88,488.00
- Take Home (Year)£61,880.44
- Take Home (Month)£5,156.70
- Effective Tax Rate30.1%
£97,988
- Gross Pay£97,988.00
- Take Home (Year)£67,390.44
- Take Home (Month)£5,615.87
- Effective Tax Rate31.2%
The difference in take-home pay is £5,510 per year, which works out to £459.17 per month.