What is a good wage in uk

Grumpy_chap

sultan123 said:

Considering all the strikes, the economy, people either losing jobs or not finding a job and high inflation what would people say is a good wage in the current climate.

50k? 40k? 100k?

It is subjective obviously but as a general opinion for a family in the UK what would be a good wage?

Didn't you ask virtually the same question here?
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6347264/london-equivalent-salary/p1
and here?
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6406356/top-paying-uk-jobs-2022/p1

I think the OP can be comfortable that they earn a good wage based on indications of something in the range £80k - £100k:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6361318/annual-pay-difference/p1
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6334450/net-salary-difference/p1
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6354360/extra-tax-to-be-paid#latest
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6351249/are-the-figures-correct/p1

To try to answer the question, according to the ONS, "median weekly pay for full time employees was £640 in April 2022".
That equates to around £33k per year (will be less if that £640 rate includes accrued holiday pay etc).

Once you reach £50k, you enter the higher rate tax bracket so that is one point at which it could be said the Government consider you to be on high pay.

DullGreyGuy

Perception of a good salary is also impacted by what others around you earn... back in my early claims days I earned £15k and thought that was ok, I was an upper earner in my team and probably would have thought the manager on £22,500 was a good wage but I didnt want to do line management.

I then moved from a small city to London and my salary was doubled to £30k... everyone else on my team however were on £70k-£110k (I was a "junior", there were no mid grades and they were all "senior"). Add to that the increase in cost of living (rent at the time was just under £1,000 exc bills) and it started not to feel as good despite being notably higher than what a manager was earning back home. 

MattMattMattUK

sultan123 said:

MattMattMattUK said:

sultan123 said:

Considering all the strikes, the economy, people either losing jobs or not finding a job and high inflation what would people say is a good wage in the current climate.

50k? 40k? 100k?

It is subjective obviously but as a general opinion for a family in the UK what would be a good wage?

When you say a family, it really depends. Location in the country, age, amount of property assets already accumulated, income per partner (one partner on £100k takes home £66k, two on £50k take home £75k between them), age of children (child care costs), lifestyle expectations, education and career expectations.

The question is such "how long is a piece of string" that I cannot see you getting anything close to a definitive answer. I live in the Home Counties, I left school with only GCSEs, I know people who earn everything from minimum wage to eight figures a year. The amount that works is enough to cover the bills and live a life you regard as comfortable, with reasonable expectations based on ones skills and abilities. For me I view a good wage in the £60-100k range, a couple both earning the same would be very comfortable and half that amount they could be comfortable as well. Pre-Covid I was earning £100k+, before that I have worked everything from minimum wage up, the last couple of year my income fell significantly, but it has recovered a lot in the last six months and I would hope to be pushing close to six figures again in the next year. I am comfortable, treat family members, feel safe financially and generally remove the worries from life caused by finances. Others will think that figure needs to be less, others think that figure needs to be higher, measured against their own expectations. 

Agree with all of this. 

Interested to understand why you think 60k is a good wage? Is that overall or each person within a couple earning 60k each or 30k each

£60-100k is a good wage for me in my circumstances. It means I can make my short, medium and long term goals work, that means paying all core living expenses, overpaying my mortgage, saving every month, paying into a pension, living a comfortable but not extravagant lifestyle etc.

A couple would have different expectations, as an example running two cars would be more expensive, but overall two people on £30k pay less income taxation in total vs one person on £60k, £11,586 vs £16,736. 

In Central London people would likely need to earn more, in much of the Midlands and North they could live a comparable lifestyle in quite a bit less.

sultan123

MattMattMattUK said:

sultan123 said:

MattMattMattUK said:

sultan123 said:

Considering all the strikes, the economy, people either losing jobs or not finding a job and high inflation what would people say is a good wage in the current climate.

50k? 40k? 100k?

It is subjective obviously but as a general opinion for a family in the UK what would be a good wage?

When you say a family, it really depends. Location in the country, age, amount of property assets already accumulated, income per partner (one partner on £100k takes home £66k, two on £50k take home £75k between them), age of children (child care costs), lifestyle expectations, education and career expectations.

The question is such "how long is a piece of string" that I cannot see you getting anything close to a definitive answer. I live in the Home Counties, I left school with only GCSEs, I know people who earn everything from minimum wage to eight figures a year. The amount that works is enough to cover the bills and live a life you regard as comfortable, with reasonable expectations based on ones skills and abilities. For me I view a good wage in the £60-100k range, a couple both earning the same would be very comfortable and half that amount they could be comfortable as well. Pre-Covid I was earning £100k+, before that I have worked everything from minimum wage up, the last couple of year my income fell significantly, but it has recovered a lot in the last six months and I would hope to be pushing close to six figures again in the next year. I am comfortable, treat family members, feel safe financially and generally remove the worries from life caused by finances. Others will think that figure needs to be less, others think that figure needs to be higher, measured against their own expectations. 

Agree with all of this. 

Interested to understand why you think 60k is a good wage? Is that overall or each person within a couple earning 60k each or 30k each

£60-100k is a good wage for me in my circumstances. It means I can make my short, medium and long term goals work, that means paying all core living expenses, overpaying my mortgage, saving every month, paying into a pension, living a comfortable but not extravagant lifestyle etc.

A couple would have different expectations, as an example running two cars would be more expensive, but overall two people on £30k pay less income taxation in total vs one person on £60k, £11,586 vs £16,736. 

In Central London people would likely need to earn more, in much of the Midlands and North they could live a comparable lifestyle in quite a bit less.

Some great points.

In your own view, what is the salary in central london for comfortable lifestyle.

pinkshoes

sultan123 said:

Considering all the strikes, the economy, people either losing jobs or not finding a job and high inflation what would people say is a good wage in the current climate.

50k? 40k? 100k?

It is subjective obviously but as a general opinion for a family in the UK what would be a good wage?

It entirely depends on where you live.

Train drivers earn an AVERAGE of over £55k, which I personally think is a huge amount, and I'm almost tempted to become a train driver with those decent salaries! And yet still, they are striking and think they don't earn enough...

In comparison, an experienced teacher on the other hand only earns £43,685 a year (top salary unless you take on extra responsibilities), which given the really erratic hours they work (particularly secondary school) it really isn't a good salary and explains why so many staff are leaving. 

A full time secondary school teacher that teaches A Level and GCSE will do around 50 to 60 hours a week during term time (including planning, teaching, marking and admin) which means having a life during term time rather tricky. Yes, the holidays are great, but the £43,685 really doesn't reflect the erratic spread of hours which cannot be avoided.

For a non-London family in the South East, I think you need a join income of around £60k to £70k to be comfortable. 

sultan123

pinkshoes said:

sultan123 said:

Considering all the strikes, the economy, people either losing jobs or not finding a job and high inflation what would people say is a good wage in the current climate.

50k? 40k? 100k?

It is subjective obviously but as a general opinion for a family in the UK what would be a good wage?

It entirely depends on where you live.

Train drivers earn an AVERAGE of over £55k, which I personally think is a huge amount, and I'm almost tempted to become a train driver with those decent salaries! And yet still, they are striking and think they don't earn enough...

In comparison, an experienced teacher on the other hand only earns £43,685 a year (top salary unless you take on extra responsibilities), which given the really erratic hours they work (particularly secondary school) it really isn't a good salary and explains why so many staff are leaving. 

A full time secondary school teacher that teaches A Level and GCSE will do around 50 to 60 hours a week during term time (including planning, teaching, marking and admin) which means having a life during term time rather tricky. Yes, the holidays are great, but the £43,685 really doesn't reflect the erratic spread of hours which cannot be avoided.

For a non-London family in the South East, I think you need a join income of around £60k to £70k to be comfortable. 

What do you mean non london family?

baser999

pinkshoes said:

sultan123 said:

Considering all the strikes, the economy, people either losing jobs or not finding a job and high inflation what would people say is a good wage in the current climate.

50k? 40k? 100k?

It is subjective obviously but as a general opinion for a family in the UK what would be a good wage?

It entirely depends on where you live.

Train drivers earn an AVERAGE of over £55k, which I personally think is a huge amount, and I'm almost tempted to become a train driver with those decent salaries! And yet still, they are striking and think they don't earn enough...

In comparison, an experienced teacher on the other hand only earns £43,685 a year (top salary unless you take on extra responsibilities), which given the really erratic hours they work (particularly secondary school) it really isn't a good salary and explains why so many staff are leaving. 

A full time secondary school teacher that teaches A Level and GCSE will do around 50 to 60 hours a week during term time (including planning, teaching, marking and admin) which means having a life during term time rather tricky. Yes, the holidays are great, but the £43,685 really doesn't reflect the erratic spread of hours which cannot be avoided.

For a non-London family in the South East, I think you need a join income of around £60k to £70k to be comfortable. 

Now you realise why Ambulance road crews, control staff and nurses are striking

sultan123

baser999 said:

pinkshoes said:

sultan123 said:

Considering all the strikes, the economy, people either losing jobs or not finding a job and high inflation what would people say is a good wage in the current climate.

50k? 40k? 100k?

It is subjective obviously but as a general opinion for a family in the UK what would be a good wage?

It entirely depends on where you live.

Train drivers earn an AVERAGE of over £55k, which I personally think is a huge amount, and I'm almost tempted to become a train driver with those decent salaries! And yet still, they are striking and think they don't earn enough...

In comparison, an experienced teacher on the other hand only earns £43,685 a year (top salary unless you take on extra responsibilities), which given the really erratic hours they work (particularly secondary school) it really isn't a good salary and explains why so many staff are leaving. 

A full time secondary school teacher that teaches A Level and GCSE will do around 50 to 60 hours a week during term time (including planning, teaching, marking and admin) which means having a life during term time rather tricky. Yes, the holidays are great, but the £43,685 really doesn't reflect the erratic spread of hours which cannot be avoided.

For a non-London family in the South East, I think you need a join income of around £60k to £70k to be comfortable. 

Now you realise why Ambulance road crews, control staff and nurses are striking

Those sets have always been poorly paid

sultan123

Any more thoughts

NCC1701-A

£18,000.