Updated for 2025/26
£16,225 vs £21,725 Salary Comparison
Compare a £16,225 salary against £21,725. 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 | £16,225 | £21,725 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | £16,225 | £21,725 | £5,500 |
| Income Tax | £731 | £1,831 | £1,100 |
| National Insurance | £292 | £732 | £440 |
| Pension | £0 | £0 | £0 |
| Take-Home Pay (Yearly) | £15,202 | £19,162 | £3,960 |
| Take-Home (Monthly) | £1,267 | £1,597 | £330 |
| Effective Tax Rate | 6.3% | 11.8% | 5.5% |
£16,225
Gross£16,225
Take-Home£15,202
You Keep93.7%
£21,725
Gross£21,725
Take-Home£19,162
You Keep88.2%
Tax Band Analysis
Understanding where your money goes
£16,225
Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£731.00
National Insurance£292.40
Take Home (Monthly)£1,266.80
£21,725
Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,831.00
National Insurance£732.40
Take Home (Monthly)£1,596.80
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: £16,225 vs £21,725
£16,225
- Gross Pay£16,225.00
- Take Home (Year)£15,201.60
- Take Home (Month)£1,266.80
- Effective Tax Rate6.3%
£21,725
- Gross Pay£21,725.00
- Take Home (Year)£19,161.60
- Take Home (Month)£1,596.80
- Effective Tax Rate11.8%
The difference in take-home pay is £3,960 per year, which works out to £330.00 per month.