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Updated for 2025/26

£25,480 vs £29,980 Salary Comparison

Compare a £25,480 salary against £29,980. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.

Gross Difference
+£4,500
per year
Take Home Extra
+£270.00
per month
You Keep
72%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£16,200
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£25,480£29,980Difference
Gross Salary£25,480£29,980£4,500
Income Tax£2,582£3,482£900
National Insurance£1,033£1,393£360
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£21,865
£25,105
£3,240
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,822£2,092£270
Effective Tax Rate14.2%16.3%2.1%

£25,480

Gross£25,480
Take-Home£21,865
You Keep85.8%

£29,980

Gross£29,980
Take-Home£25,105
You Keep83.7%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£25,480

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£2,582.00
National Insurance£1,032.80
Take Home (Monthly)£1,822.10

£29,980

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£3,482.00
National Insurance£1,392.80
Take Home (Monthly)£2,092.10

What £270.00 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: £25,480 vs £29,980

£25,480

  • Gross Pay£25,480.00
  • Take Home (Year)£21,865.20
  • Take Home (Month)£1,822.10
  • Effective Tax Rate14.2%

£29,980

  • Gross Pay£29,980.00
  • Take Home (Year)£25,105.20
  • Take Home (Month)£2,092.10
  • Effective Tax Rate16.3%

The difference in take-home pay is £3,240 per year, which works out to £270.00 per month.