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Updated for 2025/26

£12,980 vs £17,480 Salary Comparison

Compare a £12,980 salary against £17,480. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.

Gross Difference
+£4,500
per year
Take Home Extra
+£270.00
per month
You Keep
72%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£16,200
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£12,980£17,480Difference
Gross Salary£12,980£17,480£4,500
Income Tax£82£982£900
National Insurance£33£393£360
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£12,865
£16,105
£3,240
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,072£1,342£270
Effective Tax Rate0.9%7.9%7.0%

£12,980

Gross£12,980
Take-Home£12,865
You Keep99.1%

£17,480

Gross£17,480
Take-Home£16,105
You Keep92.1%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£12,980

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£82.00
National Insurance£32.80
Take Home (Monthly)£1,072.10

£17,480

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£982.00
National Insurance£392.80
Take Home (Monthly)£1,342.10

What £270.00 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: £12,980 vs £17,480

£12,980

  • Gross Pay£12,980.00
  • Take Home (Year)£12,865.20
  • Take Home (Month)£1,072.10
  • Effective Tax Rate0.9%

£17,480

  • Gross Pay£17,480.00
  • Take Home (Year)£16,105.20
  • Take Home (Month)£1,342.10
  • Effective Tax Rate7.9%

The difference in take-home pay is £3,240 per year, which works out to £270.00 per month.