Rise of the Northern Pound

For years, London has been known as the place to be, the appeal of the city lights and atmosphere have driven many to make their way to our bustling capital city in favour of Northern towns and cities, and for a lot of those who have moved, the promise of a fast track to their career and salary has been a major pull.

Are things beginning to change? Indeed, have they changed already? A report undertaken by Totaljobs suggests that there may have been a shift, and more and more people now are looking North-ward when they think about where they want to live and work. So, what’s the appeal of the North?

The North is home to over 1 million businesses, exporting £50 billion worth of goods across the globe (Totaljobs, 2019), and investment into the North is becoming more and more of a priority, such as rail services, and big business making the move too. As a Yorkshire-based agency, we’re all too aware of the fantastic prospects that the North holds for talented potential Candidates, and we have an array of fantastic Clients that we work with who are part of this.

The Totaljobs report looks at some of the advantages of more Northern climes, and also at the priorities of workers in today’s age. Unsurprisingly, one of the biggest appeals of the North is the cost of living. Lancaster University Professor of Economics, Geraint Johnes, calculated that for every £1.00 in London, you get £1.17 in the North, meaning your money goes further, and it’s not just your morning coffee that could see you saving money – take a look at this comparison of London and Northern prices from the Totaljobs report:

Totaljobs, 2019

Also on the list for workers is an increased desire to achieve greater work-life balance. When it comes to employment, those in London are more likely to work longer days, averaging 8-hour days as opposed to the majority of people, averaging 7.5 hours, and you’re more likely to work overtime in London than anywhere else too. Having said that, Londoners and Northerners, on average, prioritise different things in their working lives. Londoners are looking for high salaries and career progression, while an overwhelming number of Northerners are looking for a comfortable salary and getting home on time.

With the ever-increasing costs of London living, and more and more opportunities appearing away from the London fog, the Totaljobs report shows that Northern businesses could – and should – do more to boast the benefits of the employment and lifestyle opportunities in the North of England. So, what are you waiting for? If you’re looking for something new, give us a call, email us your CV, and we’ll see what we can do.

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