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Updated for 2025/26

£18,279 vs £23,279 Salary Comparison

Compare a £18,279 salary against £23,279. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.

Gross Difference
+£5,000
per year
Take Home Extra
+£300.00
per month
You Keep
72%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£18,000
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£18,279£23,279Difference
Gross Salary£18,279£23,279£5,000
Income Tax£1,142£2,142£1,000
National Insurance£457£857£400
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£16,680
£20,280
£3,600
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,390£1,690£300
Effective Tax Rate8.7%12.9%4.1%

£18,279

Gross£18,279
Take-Home£16,680
You Keep91.3%

£23,279

Gross£23,279
Take-Home£20,280
You Keep87.1%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£18,279

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,141.80
National Insurance£456.72
Take Home (Monthly)£1,390.04

£23,279

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£2,141.80
National Insurance£856.72
Take Home (Monthly)£1,690.04

What £300.00 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: £18,279 vs £23,279

£18,279

  • Gross Pay£18,279.00
  • Take Home (Year)£16,680.48
  • Take Home (Month)£1,390.04
  • Effective Tax Rate8.7%

£23,279

  • Gross Pay£23,279.00
  • Take Home (Year)£20,280.48
  • Take Home (Month)£1,690.04
  • Effective Tax Rate12.9%

The difference in take-home pay is £3,600 per year, which works out to £300.00 per month.