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Updated for 2025/26

£12,991 vs £20,444 Salary Comparison

Compare a £12,991 salary against £20,444. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.

Gross Difference
+£7,453
per year
Take Home Extra
+£447.18
per month
You Keep
72%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£26,831
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£12,991£20,444Difference
Gross Salary£12,991£20,444£7,453
Income Tax£84£1,575£1,491
National Insurance£34£630£596
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£12,873
£18,239
£5,366
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,073£1,520£447
Effective Tax Rate0.9%10.8%9.9%

£12,991

Gross£12,991
Take-Home£12,873
You Keep99.1%

£20,444

Gross£20,444
Take-Home£18,239
You Keep89.2%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£12,991

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£84.20
National Insurance£33.68
Take Home (Monthly)£1,072.76

£20,444

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,574.80
National Insurance£629.92
Take Home (Monthly)£1,519.94

What £447.18 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
£5,366.16/year extra into savings or investments

Full Comparison: £12,991 vs £20,444

£12,991

  • Gross Pay£12,991.00
  • Take Home (Year)£12,873.12
  • Take Home (Month)£1,072.76
  • Effective Tax Rate0.9%

£20,444

  • Gross Pay£20,444.00
  • Take Home (Year)£18,239.28
  • Take Home (Month)£1,519.94
  • Effective Tax Rate10.8%

The difference in take-home pay is £5,366 per year, which works out to £447.18 per month.