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Original poster

Do you work in Central London if so what what is it you do

43 replies

Douse · 02/03/2023 20:18

After a day trip we took recently to London we was absolutely shocked by how many people there was smartly dressed in business suits and briefcases in hand with an absolute pace of walking or running to get the soonest tube they could do. Also the amount of money these people must get paid if there travelling each day into London
And its got us thinking what is that people who work in London actually do for their job? And how much is your pay? so if thats you would you mind sharing with me

OP posts:

lmnabc · 02/03/2023 20:20

It's certainly expensive to travel into London each day:. For me £6,000 a year

DoesItHaveKosovo · 02/03/2023 20:24

I work for the DfT.

AnnaMagnani · 02/03/2023 20:24

Not in a smart suit. Community healthcare - a lot of people live there!

The contrast in properties is very stark though.

DoesItHaveKosovo · 02/03/2023 20:25

DoesItHaveKosovo · 02/03/2023 20:24

I work for the DfT.

And pay is in the region of £50k. It is fairly expensive to travel in (I live in Hertfordshire)

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 02/03/2023 20:28

Not everybody who works in Central London is highly paid. There are loads of people commuting in to work in retail, admin jobs, cleaning, security, station staff, postrooms, libraries, NHS, social care and all the other jobs that need doing in any city. London salaries usually include London weighting, which is an extra allowance to help with the high rents/house prices. On the other hand, public transport in London is better than the rest of the country so it's feasible to live a long way out of the centre and get slightly cheaper housing, although of course then you pay a lot more in fares.

HundredMilesAnHour · 02/03/2023 20:29

the amount of money these people must get paid if there travelling each day into London

Some of us actually live in central London. I walk to work. Doesn't cost me a penny.

I work in Financial Services, earning 6 figures.

AwkwardPaws27 · 02/03/2023 20:31

I've had three jobs in central London, currently on mat leave but will probably be back in London a couple of days a week when I go back.

We live in Zone 6 & the daily cap is about £15 now so WFH does save quite a bit of money.
I definitely never earned megabucks but I also never wore a suit, maybe that's the secret

Receptionist in a veterinary hospital - £20k
Executive assistant at a charity - £25k
Civil service - £28k

kljk78 · 02/03/2023 20:33

Civil service. You wouldn't catch me in a business suit though! And no reason to assume everyone is travelling in everyday, lots of hybrid working now, if they are the cost of a season ticket could be easily offset by moving further out.

SnackyOnassis · 02/03/2023 20:34

I've moved away now but for a long time worked in Central London and commuted from zone 2. I started working in sales at £20k pa in 2011, so everyone definitely isn't earning megabucks! I ate a LOT of yellow sticker food those first few years...

kljk78 · 02/03/2023 20:34

When I lived in zone 6 I paid about £200 a month for my season ticket, this was a few years ago now mind. Season ticket from where I live now would be £10,000 a year, but you can buy large detached houses for under £400,000. I don't need to go in that often though.

daisypond · 02/03/2023 20:35

I work in central London. I don’t wear a suit, though. I earn 35k shift work.

idontknow54789 · 02/03/2023 20:35

I live in zone 4 and it costs about £8 a day to get to and from work. I consider that very cheap compared to when I lived elsewhere and would have to pay petrol and parking. Also don't go in very day but if I did you can get season tickets which with out much less. I'm not sure why you think commuting into London is expensive?

Londoninnit · 02/03/2023 20:36

I work in central London. If I walk it takes me 55 minutes but I usually get the bus which is £1.65 each way. I can get the tube too but it’s more expensive.

I work in Higher Education. I have an undergraduate and postgraduate degree. With London weighting included I’m on about £16 an hour. I don’t wear office clothes.

ShiverOfSharks · 02/03/2023 20:36

Er. Sorry to put this so bluntly, but haven't you ever visited a large city before? Because you do sound very... Country Mouse.

Millions and millions of people work in Central London. It's the centre of finance and government and culture and fashion. And they do everything conceivable, from cleaning toilets for minimum wage to earning Megabucks in City law.

Comefromaway · 02/03/2023 20:36

Dd works in a west end theatre. She’s on little more than minimum wage.

fruitandfibreg · 02/03/2023 20:38

I worked on Harley street- just off Oxford st. I earned 20K. Everyone assumed I was on good money because of the location but I wasn't

fruitandfibreg · 02/03/2023 20:38

I was a dental nurse*

QuietlyConfident · 02/03/2023 20:41

Some people live in more affordably priced social housing and commute in on one pound seventy five buses. A lot of people people, especially the younger ones, live in crowded house shares. A lot of younger people live with their parents further out, and spend the money they save on rent on train season tickets.

Noseylittlemoo · 02/03/2023 20:43

I work in Central London 5 days a week in a busy store. I wear smartish clothes for work but have casual wear to travel in.
I earn £11 per hour and my travel cost depends on what shift I do.
If it's a late shift or weekend at least it has the benefit of cheaper travel! I travel in from the edges of the Tfl zone and it costs between ~£8 -£14 per day.

hettiethehare · 02/03/2023 20:43

When I first moved to London I earned £13k a year temping - I'd get the bus in and out (zone 3 to Oxford Street) and it was £1 each way. First permanent job I had (PA) was £16k.

DH now works in fintech in the City and earns significantly more than that - transport pretty much free as he cycles - we're still Zone 3 though (and I work from home now).

GobbieMaggie · 02/03/2023 20:43

NHS , ICU. Just over £80k.

EmmaEmerald · 02/03/2023 20:44

I started as a 19 year old in admin on £17k. Wages have changed much for new starters. I had to dress smartly. Not everyone you see looking smart is well off by any stretch. I commuted from a houseshare in zone 6.

EmmaEmerald · 02/03/2023 20:46

Btw why were you shocked? I do think being suited up is a bit out of fashion in some parts of London.

neverendinglauaundry · 02/03/2023 20:49

Lecturer. I earn £23,000 on a 0.5 basis. Not smartly dressed but I am often rushing.

EyesOnThePies · 02/03/2023 20:51

OP - Doubtless you also saw loads of shop workers, restaurant waiters, bus drivers, etc. Cinema staff, theatre ushers, museum staff and so on.

Hopefully you did not need a chance to see all the hospital staff of all pay grades, dentist assistants, and you were probably too late in the day to see all the office cleaners etc.

Most of these people working in central London will not be getting full London weighting on their wages, and also have to travel in.

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