These Are The Highest (And Lowest) Paid Areas In The UK

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by Katie Rosseinsky |
Published on

Ever wondered how your post code impacts upon how much you earn? Or pondered whether making the move to a big city with a view to landing a bigger salary is actually worth it?

New research from Instant Offices has uncovered the highest and lowest paid regions of the UK, and on the surface it’s good news for Londoners: the study reports that on average, workers in the capital can expect to earn around £2,925 a month. It’s not too surprising, either, that following closely are three areas in London’s commuter belt: Crawley in West Sussex, whose residents earn £2,778, Slough (with average monthly earnings of £2,756) and Reading (£2,682).

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Huddersfield was reported as the UK’s lowest earning region, with an average monthly salary of £1,729, closely followed by Southend (£1,746).

It’s worth remembering, of course, that the survey doesn’t take into account the variables that might shave down this monthly pay check: we’re talking (joy of joys) taxes and student loans. There’s also the prohibitive cost of life in the capital: back in 2015, researchers from Loughborough University and the Trust for London found that a single person would need to earn at least £22,300 to live comfortably in a shared house in ‘inner’ London, or £27,100 to live by themselves.

Discover the UK’s highest and lowest paid areas below…

The highest paid areas in the UK

1 London – £2,925

2 Crawley – £2,778

3 Slough – £2,756

4 Reading – £2,682

5 Aberdeen – £2,674

The lowest paid areas in the UK

1 Huddersfield – £1,729

2 Southend – £1,746

3 Burnley – £1,803

4 Manfield – £1,811

5 Wigan – £1,811

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