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London salaries: compare the offer with the life it buys
A headline salary becomes meaningful only after tax, pension, housing, commute and the costs tied to the role.
Start with take-home pay
Use current official tax and National Insurance information, then account for pension contributions and any student-loan deductions.
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Add role-specific costs
Commuting days, professional clothing, meals, childcare and after-hours travel can change the real value of an offer.
Compare the whole package
Pension, leave, bonus rules, health benefits, training and flexibility may matter as much as a small salary difference.
Stress-test the budget
Check whether the offer still works if rent, travel or energy costs rise.
Keep enough margin for saving and irregular expenses.
Calculate an effective hourly value
Compare expected working hours, commuting time and required office days alongside take-home pay.
A higher salary can deliver less usable time and higher travel or childcare costs. This calculation is not a reason to reject demanding work automatically; it makes the trade-off visible and helps compare offers with different flexibility, overtime expectations and locations on a common basis.
Separate guaranteed and conditional pay
Base salary, guaranteed allowances and contractual pension terms should be distinguished from discretionary bonuses, commission and equity.
Ask how variable pay is calculated, when it is paid, what happens during notice and how often targets are achieved. Treat uncertain rewards as upside rather than money needed for rent.
Read the written offer and contract, not only a recruiter’s summary.
Plan the negotiation
Choose a justified target and a minimum acceptable package based on the role, market evidence and household budget.
Explain the value and scope behind the request rather than personal need. Salary may not be the only lever: start date, title, flexibility, leave, training, pension or review timing can matter.
Get agreed changes in writing before resigning from an existing role.
Continue exploring
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