To consider leaving the Civil Service?

[Softshock]

Well I have an upcoming interview, but if I don't get this one, then maybe will consider it.
I know people will say I'm stupid for wanting to leave and that I don't know how lucky I am and so on.
I'm an AO and earn less than 25k, I'm mid 30s, for a single adult living alone it's really not a lot to afford housing costs and so on.
I do overtime every week to earn more but they expect higher stats for it, and after tax it's not a significant difference.
I do really like the WFH and the pension is very good, but i just don't feel happy there anymore.

Besides there's only one person I'm close to, I have tried to make friends, invite people to things and bring in cakes etc. But whilst everyone's nice, I can tell they aren't overly interested in me.

The work they expect for an AO role is ridiculous, I was previously in an AA role and the jump is incredible. They're also now taking EO level decisions and allowing AOs to approve them.

I'd like something nearer 30,000, and I'm just ready to move on. I've only been there just under a year so hardly any time.
As I say I may do well in this interview and leave in a few months, I've already been rejected from 4 so far though. Has anybody left and not regretted it?

I mean let's face it, it's not what it was is it? Budget cuts across the board. Pay freezes. Reduced perks. Limited promotion opportunities due to the recruitment freeze. If you can find something better, why wouldn't you!? AO wage is absolutely rubbish. In my experience they are the hardest working. My sister works in a proper corporate job. Decent pay, great bonuses, works from home pretty much exclusively, when she does go into the office they have a free bloody bar. Free private health care for her and her partner.

Nope, but it's one of the biggest ones!

I left for local authority, the pension was better when I left, as it was final salary but that’s stopped! I stayed just under two years. AA, AO, EO was coming up but I hated it. Had to work long hours, stay until 8pm once a month.

In that time:

One EO had a meltdown, screaming at staff, had to be calmed down by other team members.

Another was only interested in sleeping with as many staff as possible, if you didn’t you had shit shifts.

The clincher was sat there until 8 one night, three members of staff including me, listening to an EO talk about anal sex.

Worst job ever.

I've been civil servant for 20 years. Should have left years ago. Pay on my grade is appalling and pension is a joke. But I'm comfortable, I've gone as high as I can but now stuck.
But worse than that, treatment from SM is shocking, the gaslighting is just so disrespectful.
Looking for new job, definitely.

pension is a joke

Seriously??

Well it's been announced today the overtime is stopping as it's no longer needed. Excellent