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Updated for 2025/26

£11,987 vs £16,987 Salary Comparison

Compare a £11,987 salary against £16,987. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.

Gross Difference
+£5,000
per year
Take Home Extra
+£313.60
per month
You Keep
75%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£18,816
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£11,987£16,987Difference
Gross Salary£11,987£16,987£5,000
Income Tax£0£883£883
National Insurance£0£353£353
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£11,987
£15,750
£3,763
Take-Home (Monthly)£999£1,313£314
Effective Tax Rate0.0%7.3%7.3%

£11,987

Gross£11,987
Take-Home£11,987
You Keep100.0%

£16,987

Gross£16,987
Take-Home£15,750
You Keep92.7%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£11,987

Tax BandPersonal Allowance
Marginal Rate0%
Income Tax£0.00
National Insurance£0.00
Take Home (Monthly)£998.92

£16,987

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£883.40
National Insurance£353.36
Take Home (Monthly)£1,312.52

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 £313.60 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: £11,987 vs £16,987

£11,987

  • Gross Pay£11,987.00
  • Take Home (Year)£11,987.00
  • Take Home (Month)£998.92
  • Effective Tax Rate0.0%

£16,987

  • Gross Pay£16,987.00
  • Take Home (Year)£15,750.24
  • Take Home (Month)£1,312.52
  • Effective Tax Rate7.3%

The difference in take-home pay is £3,763 per year, which works out to £313.60 per month.