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Updated for 2025/26

£11,938 vs £16,888 Salary Comparison

Compare a £11,938 salary against £16,888. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.

Gross Difference
+£4,950
per year
Take Home Extra
+£311.75
per month
You Keep
76%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£18,705
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£11,938£16,888Difference
Gross Salary£11,938£16,888£4,950
Income Tax£0£864£864
National Insurance£0£345£345
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£11,938
£15,679
£3,741
Take-Home (Monthly)£995£1,307£312
Effective Tax Rate0.0%7.2%7.2%

£11,938

Gross£11,938
Take-Home£11,938
You Keep100.0%

£16,888

Gross£16,888
Take-Home£15,679
You Keep92.8%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£11,938

Tax BandPersonal Allowance
Marginal Rate0%
Income Tax£0.00
National Insurance£0.00
Take Home (Monthly)£994.83

£16,888

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£863.60
National Insurance£345.44
Take Home (Monthly)£1,306.58

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 £311.75 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: £11,938 vs £16,888

£11,938

  • Gross Pay£11,938.00
  • Take Home (Year)£11,938.00
  • Take Home (Month)£994.83
  • Effective Tax Rate0.0%

£16,888

  • Gross Pay£16,888.00
  • Take Home (Year)£15,678.96
  • Take Home (Month)£1,306.58
  • Effective Tax Rate7.2%

The difference in take-home pay is £3,741 per year, which works out to £311.75 per month.