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Updated for 2025/26

£15,574 vs £21,074 Salary Comparison

Compare a £15,574 salary against £21,074. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.

Gross Difference
+£5,500
per year
Take Home Extra
+£330.00
per month
You Keep
72%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£19,800
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£15,574£21,074Difference
Gross Salary£15,574£21,074£5,500
Income Tax£601£1,701£1,100
National Insurance£240£680£440
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£14,733
£18,693
£3,960
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,228£1,558£330
Effective Tax Rate5.4%11.3%5.9%

£15,574

Gross£15,574
Take-Home£14,733
You Keep94.6%

£21,074

Gross£21,074
Take-Home£18,693
You Keep88.7%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£15,574

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£600.80
National Insurance£240.32
Take Home (Monthly)£1,227.74

£21,074

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,700.80
National Insurance£680.32
Take Home (Monthly)£1,557.74

What £330.00 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: £15,574 vs £21,074

£15,574

  • Gross Pay£15,574.00
  • Take Home (Year)£14,732.88
  • Take Home (Month)£1,227.74
  • Effective Tax Rate5.4%

£21,074

  • Gross Pay£21,074.00
  • Take Home (Year)£18,692.88
  • Take Home (Month)£1,557.74
  • Effective Tax Rate11.3%

The difference in take-home pay is £3,960 per year, which works out to £330.00 per month.