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Updated for 2025/26

£21,379 vs £26,379 Salary Comparison

Compare a £21,379 salary against £26,379. 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£21,379£26,379Difference
Gross Salary£21,379£26,379£5,000
Income Tax£1,762£2,762£1,000
National Insurance£705£1,105£400
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£18,912
£22,512
£3,600
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,576£1,876£300
Effective Tax Rate11.5%14.7%3.1%

£21,379

Gross£21,379
Take-Home£18,912
You Keep88.5%

£26,379

Gross£26,379
Take-Home£22,512
You Keep85.3%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£21,379

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£1,761.80
National Insurance£704.72
Take Home (Monthly)£1,576.04

£26,379

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£2,761.80
National Insurance£1,104.72
Take Home (Monthly)£1,876.04

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: £21,379 vs £26,379

£21,379

  • Gross Pay£21,379.00
  • Take Home (Year)£18,912.48
  • Take Home (Month)£1,576.04
  • Effective Tax Rate11.5%

£26,379

  • Gross Pay£26,379.00
  • Take Home (Year)£22,512.48
  • Take Home (Month)£1,876.04
  • Effective Tax Rate14.7%

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