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Updated for 2025/26

£42,821 vs £47,321 Salary Comparison

Compare a £42,821 salary against £47,321. 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

Mid-Career Sweet Spot

This salary range often represents strong mid-career positions. You're still entirely in the basic rate tax band (20%), making raises very tax-efficient.

  • Salary sacrifice for pension can be very efficient at this level
  • Consider hybrid or remote roles - commuting costs can eat into raises
  • This is often the best time to change industries for a salary bump
  • Skills training and certifications can lead to significant jumps

Compare Salaries

Enter multiple salaries to compare take-home pay for 2025/26

£
£

Comparison Results

Metric£42,821£47,321Difference
Gross Salary£42,821£47,321£4,500
Income Tax£6,050£6,950£900
National Insurance£2,420£2,780£360
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£34,351
£37,591
£3,240
Take-Home (Monthly)£2,863£3,133£270
Effective Tax Rate19.8%20.6%0.8%

£42,821

Gross£42,821
Take-Home£34,351
You Keep80.2%

£47,321

Gross£47,321
Take-Home£37,591
You Keep79.4%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£42,821

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£6,050.20
National Insurance£2,420.08
Take Home (Monthly)£2,862.56

£47,321

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£6,950.20
National Insurance£2,780.08
Take Home (Monthly)£3,132.56

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: £42,821 vs £47,321

£42,821

  • Gross Pay£42,821.00
  • Take Home (Year)£34,350.72
  • Take Home (Month)£2,862.56
  • Effective Tax Rate19.8%

£47,321

  • Gross Pay£47,321.00
  • Take Home (Year)£37,590.72
  • Take Home (Month)£3,132.56
  • Effective Tax Rate20.6%

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