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Remuneration expectations in different parts of the UK

Remuneration expectations in different parts of the UK

As you embark on your career, the choices that you make will be determined by a number of factors from geographical location and personal commitments to your professional aspirations. However, there can be no denying that money also plays a huge part in deciding which job to take. To help you make a decision, here’s a run-down of remuneration in different parts of the UK.

London

Despite its above-average salaries and high-flying career opportunities, London actually tends to offer the lowest remuneration for dentists, which might come as a surprise to some of you. This is simply because there are more associates than vacancies inside the M25, so practice owners know they don’t need to offer high UDA rates in order to fill their positions. As for private practices, remuneration can be more lucrative, but there’s no guarantee that you will secure the wage you’re looking for, especially in areas where competition is fierce.

Education hot spots

For the same reason, cities with dental schools such as Sheffield, Liverpool, Birmingham and Plymouth, where students have chosen to stay on after their studies, are also subject to lower rates. As such, relocation is sometimes necessary if you want a greater take-home sum.

Rural and coastlines

By stark contrast, rural areas in the countryside and along the coast have some of the highest remuneration packages in the UK. Indeed, the average UDA rate is £17 with an expectation of 25-30 UDAs per day, compared to a rate of £13 in London. The reason for this, of course, is that fewer people want to live and work in these areas, which can make it very hard to recruit dentists – particularly those at the top end of the market. By offering more money or incentives such as a golden handshake, these practices improve their chances of filling otherwise hard to fill vacancies. This will be great news for those of you interested in or open to working in rural areas.

Other considerations

Be sure to bear in mind, however, that private practices usually offer 50% remuneration of whatever profit is made, so while geography plays a key role there are other factors at play. Earnings can also be affected by contract type. For instance, there is a lot of money in locuming, with many companies offering day rates of as much as £500 – £600 plus travel allowances of up to £50 per day. So, while London and other popular cities might offer lower rates to full-time associates, there is a way round it if you go down the locum route. Still, it goes without saying that hard to recruit areas will always pay bigger bucks as they’ve got the most to gain. Other than that, just be aware that small, independent practices tend to offer less than big groups or corporates as cash flow is more limited and they have less financial security. Indeed, if you’re lucky you could get 45-55% remuneration for private work.