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Original poster

What is a good uk salary?

56 replies

OneSparklyGoldBear · 18/05/2024 21:05

The salaries in this country are a bit underwhelming. On top of the high tax rates, what is even considered a good to very good salary in this country these days? I believe anything from £38k to £50k to be good to very good salaries. Anything from £60k to £80k to be excellent. Beyond that you are in the small percentage of the country who are lucky.

OP posts:
CurlyhairedAssassin · 29/05/2024 10:01

A good salary to me is one that a single parent with a mortgage could be able to have a decent life with. Afford nursery fees, put their kid through uni. Run a car without panicking when anything goes wrong with it. Afford a holiday abroad once a year and be able to attend events eg weddings without worrying.

whatever that amount is is anyone’s guess but it would be a hell of a lot more than the average of 38k or whatever it is now. And it’s shit that many single working parents have to struggle so much financially despite working very hard.

CurlyhairedAssassin · 29/05/2024 10:12

User135644 · 27/05/2024 12:59

Depends what sector you're in. Public sector pay is awful these days in general. You need a senior management equivalent job to be earning anything decent in the likes of the civil service

Sadly that’s true. After 30 years in the civil service DH decided to finally bail and go to the dark side. When he’d first started in his role in the late 90s even in London it was a decent salary. It was soon after we moved back home (NW) where it was cheaper in the early 2000s that we started to see the cost of living and housing gradually curving away from his salary increases each year (that’s if he got any increase at all) . He was still loyal to the civil service though and what his role stood for.

He was poached by the private sector eventually. And is on far far more money. Annual bonus. Other benefits inc shares etc. Should have done it years ago. He gave his life and soul to the civil service - so many hours and hours extra, disruptions to family life sometimes 24 hours a day, being phoned when we’re on holiday. He just didn’t get paid anywhere near enough for it.

the young ones coming in will vote with their feet and they won’t put anything extra in unless they are paid far more. It’s a bit of a worry cos we need a decent civil service and a lot of it’s in a mess.

VolvoFan · 29/05/2024 10:13

Well, to be honest, it's not a profitable country anymore. The country is broke.

With high taxes, high inflation, constant money printing and borrowing. If we continue along these lines, we're going to default on our debts soon and then we're going to be in big, big trouble.

I earn just above the average salary. My DH earns a fair bit more, but then his job is more complex than mine.

We're hoping one day either one of us will win one of those 'Set for life' cash prizes that pays out £10k a month every month for the next 30 years. Then we can choose to retire early.

CurlyhairedAssassin · 29/05/2024 10:15

PublicServicesShitShow · 27/05/2024 17:12

I also don’t agree that those that work and study hard all have access to a high income. I am a qualified and experienced senior social worker, I have been qualified 20 years and have a post qualification MA. I work long hours and the majority of my colleagues are committed and hard working, and provide many free hours of work.

However, it is public sector, and, as such, I earn 35k with no option to increase this, unless I want to go into management. The problem with this is, you no longer have the opportunity to do case work. Yes, we do have pensions but they are not what they were and we also contribute a significant chunk to it.

I think I chose the wrong career! 😂😂 My sister went into the private sector and earnt more than double, with a car, health insurance etc, and better ts and cs, and worked far fewer hours than I do. Ah well!

I think it’s mainly the cost of housing now which causes issues. When housing was affordable then public sector jobs were affordable too. When the graphs curve right away from each other over the years then yes, people will have to go where the money is.

firebrand123 · 29/05/2024 11:10

Cocopogo · 27/05/2024 09:48

This isn’t quite true though for the majority. A lot of people work and study hard and are in hard low paid jobs.

I have done both types of jobs, worked in nhs for years and now work for civil service and moving up the ladder and I can tell you no one worked harder than me at the time I was a dogs body in the nhs and despite completing my MA there was absolutely no movement in that job despite 14.5 hour days on my feet.

Show quote history

This. I used to be a midwife. I worked damn hard to get my degree and complete my clinical training and then worked even harder when I was qualified. In the end it wasn't for me and I sold my soul back to the corporate world. I now earn double what I earned as a midwife and I can tell you I definitely don't work harder now.

ototot · 29/05/2024 14:11

Lone parent with childcare costs I consider £50k ok to run my house and have an ok lifestyle so I'm not constantly worried about money, but not flush either.

So anything about £60-£70k for me.

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