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Updated for 2025/26

£13,026 vs £21,045 Salary Comparison

Compare a £13,026 salary against £21,045. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.

Gross Difference
+£8,019
per year
Take Home Extra
+£481.14
per month
You Keep
72%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£28,868
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£13,026£21,045Difference
Gross Salary£13,026£21,045£8,019
Income Tax£91£1,695£1,604
National Insurance£36£678£642
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£12,898
£18,672
£5,774
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,075£1,556£481
Effective Tax Rate1.0%11.3%10.3%

£13,026

Gross£13,026
Take-Home£12,898
You Keep99.0%

£21,045

Gross£21,045
Take-Home£18,672
You Keep88.7%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£13,026

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£91.20
National Insurance£36.48
Take Home (Monthly)£1,074.86

£21,045

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,695.00
National Insurance£678.00
Take Home (Monthly)£1,556.00

What £481.14 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
£5,773.68/year extra into savings or investments

Full Comparison: £13,026 vs £21,045

£13,026

  • Gross Pay£13,026.00
  • Take Home (Year)£12,898.32
  • Take Home (Month)£1,074.86
  • Effective Tax Rate1.0%

£21,045

  • Gross Pay£21,045.00
  • Take Home (Year)£18,672.00
  • Take Home (Month)£1,556.00
  • Effective Tax Rate11.3%

The difference in take-home pay is £5,774 per year, which works out to £481.14 per month.