Are Scottish workers better off than London counterparts?

Scottish professionals working in the country’s key cities are better off than those working in London.

This is despite the fact that Londoners earn the highest average salary in the UK of £36,905.

Based on roles advertised, Cv-library.co.uk revealed that the average annual salary in Scotland is £32,270, 12.5 per cent lower than London’s average income of £36,905 per year.

Workers in Scotland have much more disposable income than their English counterparts due to premium basic living costs in London, making them overall better off.

The study, which compared the basic living costs against average salary in 16 of the UK’s key cities, revealed that employees in Scotland and North England are by far the richest.

Basic monthly costs cited in the research include rent (small, one-bed flat, located close to the city centre), relevant council tax, a local monthly travel card, basic utility bill and groceries.

The results show that Scottish workers are able to afford a much better quality of life than those based in London, where professionals have to make major compromises to their living standards, despite holding senior, well-paid jobs.

The average Scottish wage, as recorded by the Office for National Statistics in 2014, is £27,045 - significantly lower than that recorded in the study.

According to the CV-Library figures, workers in Aberdeen are the richest in the UK with an average monthly salary of £2,230 and basic monthly costs of £917. Glasgow was second at £2,015 average monthly salary with £891 going towards basic living costs.

London came out last with an average salary of £2,349 and basic living costs of £3,313, leaving workers with -£964 disposable income.

Lee Biggins, founder and managing director of CV-Library, explains: “There is a huge amount of disconnect between wages and living expenses in London, meaning workers elsewhere in the country are able to afford a much better standard of living. This is increasingly making other UK cities a much more attractive prospect to working professionals.

“Employment rates in Scottish cities have been steadily rising throughout 2015. It is hoped that lower overheads will continue to attract businesses to the area, increasing job opportunities and further fuelling the strengthening economy.”