To think £31500 pa is less than average wage?

[Elderwand]

That's it, I work as a nurse in the Nhs, I'm 33. , just thought at this stage of my life I would be earning more. (unhappy & bitter) have 2 young DD, So career change at the mo would be difficult.

they were the most upto date figures I could fine and give a better view of what people are earning - rather than just an average of 26k per year, which means nothing when you have some earning over a million and others earning 4k per year. The figures are 5 years old.

But If someone can find more up to date figures based on NI and tax that would be good - though I doubt there has been much a a change upwards in the last 5 years as people have been on pay freezes for 3-4 years now and I am up for a pay cut at the end of this year on top of a 3 year pay freeze

Just to let you know YABU - I worked in private sector for years before I had kids, worked my butt off at a mid level job outside of Central London - the max. I earnt was a total package of £27k (6 years ago).

Also depends where you live. London housing costs and childcare would make it hard to live well on that salary, but I'm guessing you would get the London allowances.

If you get a non-contributory pension as well that is something you will appreciate more as you get older.

Well above average for most of the people I know. I think I know about 4 people earning that amount or more. Most people I know earn between £11.5k and £22.5k for working FT.

The outliers are a nurse, a wind turbine engineer, a doctor and someone high up in international banking.

I'm a bit about the often cited 'poor pay' of nurses and teachers. Yes, these are very valuable and often difficult jobs, that require qualifications, but as has been shown, paid above average, with nurses pay also been boosted for weekend/nights/bank holiday work. They also receive extra pay if working in high cost areas.

There are many many people working in nurseries or as cleaners and retail/fast food workers for example, that are paid at or close to minimum wage, so well below half the OPs salary, even in London/the south east that have similar unsocial hours. OK qualifications required are less but these jobs are also important to society.

I think one problem is inequality of pay and people's perception of what life should be like on an 'above average' salary, ie large well decorated house in a nice area, newish cars, designer clothes and gadgets, expensive holidays, regular meals out. The reality is that, partly due to obscenely expensive housing this is generally not affordable and has been financed over the last 10/20 years by overuse of credit - I blame the banks not individuals for this. If the money had not been lent, prices would not have gone up and people wouldn't have been forced to take out massive mortgages just to get somewhere to live.

My town in the SE has had chronically low wages compared to living expenses for years.

My household income will not be more than £11.5k + TC's when I go back to FT work. With 4 DC to support.

It's more than average, and I'm betting you don't have a student loan to pay back.

You are earning more than many pharmacists, clinical physiologists, operating department techs, psychologists, dieticians.

Basically, with the exception of doctors, the most highly paid professional in an operating theatre, cath lab, ward, outpatients departments, etc, nurses are the highest paid.

Yep it's a generous amount. Just be happy you have a job a lot of people are living month by month at the moment.

The figure you have quoted as you earnings, is that per annum or do you earn thus working part time?

I wonder what area of nursing you are in, as that salary sounds like higher end band 6 or starter band 7. If agenda for change sticks around then you will be progressing within your band. I'm RMN and earn the same as you, I could easily progress without a masters a fair bit further.

It's an unpopular view but nursing is no longer poorly paid- I have been qualified ten years and earn double what I did at qualification (16,000 then). Not a poor deal at all.

really interesting and useful thread, especially the statistics.

range number of taxpayers
£4745 to £6000 1,440,000
£6000 to £7000 1,160,000
£7000 to £8000 1,590,000
£8000 to £10,000 2,950,000
£10,000 to £12,000 2,760,000
£12,000 to £15,000 3,650,000
£15,000 to £20,000 4,950,000
£20,000 to £30,000 6,000,000
£30,000 to £50,000 4,090,000
£50,000 to £70,000 859,000
£70,000 to £100,000 410,000
£100,000 to £200,000 300,000
£200,000 to £500,000 89,000
£500,000 to £1 million 16,000
Over £1 million 6,000

more people earning between 10-20k than other wages brackets

ivykaty - but the 20-30k bracket is also bigger than a lot of the other brackets - more people in the 10-20k bracket, and the bracket above 20-30 is 30-50 - so much more people earning in the 10-20 than the 30-40, for example!

I am a nurse, living in the north, I have got my masters degree, which I worked bloody hard for, I,m top band 5 which is 26,000.
However I am very part-time as I have a disabled son to look after and therefor my wage is 12,000 pa before enhancements. I got nothing extra for doing my masters, no progression no pay rise just a certificate!
I wouldn't say we were well paid for what we do, and now that the government has taken away the 3% pay rise (over 3 years) I am really feeling the pinch, especially with food shopping and increasing bills, my son needs me to be at home and I want to give him every opportunity I can to become functionable, but I also need to pay the bills.
DH also works for the NHS and his pay has also been frozen and has no progression so basically we are stuck.

It's a good wage. I earn about the same amount - but pro rata because I only work 2 days a week. I hate my job too, but am trapped by the good wage. I'm currently contemplating taking a job with half the wage and doing double the hours, but it's hard when the kids are still at primary school. Difficult times and decisions...

It's average but I understand if you living in London

We need around £20k to rent our flat alone every year-( its only a small one bed)
So £30k would be impossible to live on as we have commuting costs etc on top as well as bills and day to day living
Although I think even in London this is prob average but a two person household woul earn this each thus doubling household annual income. I think the income above mentioned of £70k is what would be comfortable in c London ( and that would be big standard 1-2 bed flat, with 2.4 Children etc)

That is more than twice the maximum that I have ever been paid and just under our household income before I was made redundant last year. YABU

YABU. I can't believe you think that an Agenda for Change Band 6/7 salary is less than the national average bearing in mind how many in the NHS are earning less than you. Including most other nurses. DH left nursing due to health problems and now with a 1st class degree in a professional subject is earning much less than his Band 5 salary. Plus losing shift allowances. After 3 years in his new career he has reached the basic starting pay of a new nurse.

I have to disagree with sassh about comparative salaries in the NHS. All staff except doctors are on the same salary scale and nurses are not the highest paid. Many MTOs, and most pharmacists and AHPS earn more than the majority of nurses. Cath lab technicians and clinical physiologists can earn as much as a matron or senior manager.

It's a good wage. If you don't want to give up nursing and want to earn more, look at private hospitals.

You work for the NHS. No one should really go into any public service job expecting to get rich.

I worked for the NHS - so made sure that my 3 dcs didn't. In fact encouraged daughters into non-female type jobs.

They are all better paid than nurses.

Unfortunately at the age you make career decisions you have little clue about living costs.

YABU

As others have said, YABU in terms of average national wage, but if you're in particular areas you won't have much disposable income after mortgage/rent. Where we live (and I'm on a similar wage with no chance of promotion/progression) that's about 1/6 of the cost of a one bed flat...

I can't imagine you would go into nursing to earn good money, I am an Accountant at a hospital and there are many qualified experienced nurses earning less than the accounts trainees. There are definitely more nurses earning under £30k than above

I work part time but earn more than £30k, I have one friend who earns the same but most less than £10k for part time even in fairly responsible jobs. Most of their husbands earn less than £30k per year too.

I really think you get used to what you earn and its never enough as you make other financial commitments based on your earnings. Some of my friends earn a lot less than me and DH but they seem to have a lot more spare cash as the don't home their own homes, do not pay school fees, never go on holiday etc so they have a lot more spending money.

If your job makes you feel bitter then considering a career change is NBU.

Nurses should be well paid, as well as teachers, firemen, binmen and all other essential workers. There should be recognition of public service.

I will be earning less than a third of your salary when I start work and am well-qualified in my field.

I'm also 33 and that's very similar to what my wage would be if I worked full time (35 hours a week). I have a degree and a lot of experience in my field, but I knew that this line of work wouldn't be hugely well paid when I went into it. I'm happy with what I earn.

Dh is on slightly more and we live comfortably in the south-east, so conisdering I only work part time I think this is a decent wage. Obviously would be very different if we were relying on only one wage...