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Updated for 2025/26

£15,252 vs £21,959 Salary Comparison

Compare a £15,252 salary against £21,959. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.

Gross Difference
+£6,707
per year
Take Home Extra
+£402.42
per month
You Keep
72%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£24,145
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£15,252£21,959Difference
Gross Salary£15,252£21,959£6,707
Income Tax£536£1,878£1,341
National Insurance£215£751£537
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£14,501
£19,330
£4,829
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,208£1,611£402
Effective Tax Rate4.9%12.0%7.0%

£15,252

Gross£15,252
Take-Home£14,501
You Keep95.1%

£21,959

Gross£21,959
Take-Home£19,330
You Keep88.0%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£15,252

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£536.40
National Insurance£214.56
Take Home (Monthly)£1,208.42

£21,959

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,877.80
National Insurance£751.12
Take Home (Monthly)£1,610.84

What £402.42 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
£4,829.04/year extra into savings or investments

Full Comparison: £15,252 vs £21,959

£15,252

  • Gross Pay£15,252.00
  • Take Home (Year)£14,501.04
  • Take Home (Month)£1,208.42
  • Effective Tax Rate4.9%

£21,959

  • Gross Pay£21,959.00
  • Take Home (Year)£19,330.08
  • Take Home (Month)£1,610.84
  • Effective Tax Rate12.0%

The difference in take-home pay is £4,829 per year, which works out to £402.42 per month.