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Updated for 2025/26

£15,517 vs £20,017 Salary Comparison

Compare a £15,517 salary against £20,017. 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£15,517£20,017Difference
Gross Salary£15,517£20,017£4,500
Income Tax£589£1,489£900
National Insurance£236£596£360
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£14,692
£17,932
£3,240
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,224£1,494£270
Effective Tax Rate5.3%10.4%5.1%

£15,517

Gross£15,517
Take-Home£14,692
You Keep94.7%

£20,017

Gross£20,017
Take-Home£17,932
You Keep89.6%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£15,517

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£589.40
National Insurance£235.76
Take Home (Monthly)£1,224.32

£20,017

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,489.40
National Insurance£595.76
Take Home (Monthly)£1,494.32

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: £15,517 vs £20,017

£15,517

  • Gross Pay£15,517.00
  • Take Home (Year)£14,691.84
  • Take Home (Month)£1,224.32
  • Effective Tax Rate5.3%

£20,017

  • Gross Pay£20,017.00
  • Take Home (Year)£17,931.84
  • Take Home (Month)£1,494.32
  • Effective Tax Rate10.4%

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