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Updated for 2025/26

£15,976 vs £20,829 Salary Comparison

Compare a £15,976 salary against £20,829. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.

Gross Difference
+£4,853
per year
Take Home Extra
+£291.18
per month
You Keep
72%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£17,471
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£15,976£20,829Difference
Gross Salary£15,976£20,829£4,853
Income Tax£681£1,652£971
National Insurance£272£661£388
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£15,022
£18,516
£3,494
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,252£1,543£291
Effective Tax Rate6.0%11.1%5.1%

£15,976

Gross£15,976
Take-Home£15,022
You Keep94.0%

£20,829

Gross£20,829
Take-Home£18,516
You Keep88.9%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£15,976

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£681.20
National Insurance£272.48
Take Home (Monthly)£1,251.86

£20,829

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,651.80
National Insurance£660.72
Take Home (Monthly)£1,543.04

What £291.18 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

Full Comparison: £15,976 vs £20,829

£15,976

  • Gross Pay£15,976.00
  • Take Home (Year)£15,022.32
  • Take Home (Month)£1,251.86
  • Effective Tax Rate6.0%

£20,829

  • Gross Pay£20,829.00
  • Take Home (Year)£18,516.48
  • Take Home (Month)£1,543.04
  • Effective Tax Rate11.1%

The difference in take-home pay is £3,494 per year, which works out to £291.18 per month.