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Updated for 2025/26

£11,494 vs £15,949 Salary Comparison

Compare a £11,494 salary against £15,949. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.

Gross Difference
+£4,455
per year
Take Home Extra
+£292.41
per month
You Keep
79%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£17,544
cumulative

Entry-Level Career Progression

This comparison is typical for early career moves or first promotions. At this salary range, most of your income is taxed at the basic rate (20%), so you keep a higher percentage of any raise.

  • Negotiate hard - you keep ~70-80% of any increase at this level
  • Consider employers offering good pension matching (often worth more than small salary differences)
  • Look for roles with clear progression paths to higher bands
  • Factor in benefits like free lunches, gym memberships, or transport subsidies

Compare Salaries

Enter multiple salaries to compare take-home pay for 2025/26

£
£

Comparison Results

Metric£11,494£15,949Difference
Gross Salary£11,494£15,949£4,455
Income Tax£0£676£676
National Insurance£0£270£270
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£11,494
£15,003
£3,509
Take-Home (Monthly)£958£1,250£292
Effective Tax Rate0.0%5.9%5.9%

£11,494

Gross£11,494
Take-Home£11,494
You Keep100.0%

£15,949

Gross£15,949
Take-Home£15,003
You Keep94.1%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£11,494

Tax BandPersonal Allowance
Marginal Rate0%
Income Tax£0.00
National Insurance£0.00
Take Home (Monthly)£957.83

£15,949

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£675.80
National Insurance£270.32
Take Home (Monthly)£1,250.24

Tax Band Change: This salary increase crosses from the Personal Allowance (0%) into the Basic Rate (20%). The portion above £12,570.00 will be taxed at the higher rate.

What £292.41 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: £11,494 vs £15,949

£11,494

  • Gross Pay£11,494.00
  • Take Home (Year)£11,494.00
  • Take Home (Month)£957.83
  • Effective Tax Rate0.0%

£15,949

  • Gross Pay£15,949.00
  • Take Home (Year)£15,002.88
  • Take Home (Month)£1,250.24
  • Effective Tax Rate5.9%

The difference in take-home pay is £3,509 per year, which works out to £292.41 per month.