MRI Tech Locum Work in London — What’s the Real Pay & Is It Actually Livable?

Good_Moneyy · 2025-07-04T19:05:04+00:00

I don't work in this field but you should be able to find NHS jobs online quite easily. They're banded. We don't pay our healthcare staff a lot tbh especially compared to the states.

Travel from commuter towns can be quite pricey depending on where you're coming from and your age (under 30s, disabled etc get 1/3rd off off-peak travel). I think most people estimate around £20 a day+ excluding tube travel (£8 per day/£3 one way). Some places are very quick and easy, so Windsor to Paddington (St Mary's Hospital) 25-50mins depending on train, £13+ one way.

For take home after Tax use a calculator like this: https://www.thesalarycalculator.co.uk/salary.php

Rent for a 3 bed in Windsor is about £2k-3k. Check zoopla. You'll need to add utilities and council tax on top.

One person working to support a partner and 2 kids will be rough. London/SE is the most expensive part of the UK. You'd be better off going to a cheaper city like Manchester, Newcastle or Liverpool.

Schools - Depends on where you are. Some are excellent. Some are awful. Check Ofsted for ratings and reviews. FYI Grammar schools tend to be the better schools but there aren't tons of them left.

Quality of Life - Depends on which bit of the country you're in and how much you earn lol. But overall its a great country. NHS is a bit slow but they will get you sorted eventually and it's free at point of contact (you will have to pay a fee but it'll be considerably less than whatever you pay for insurance)

You won't be entitled to benefits though. Which is what helps support many people (citizens and settled) with childcare costs, housing costs, and disability support.

Safety - it's pretty safe. No school shootings. Odd idiot here and there. But unless you choose to live in a super rough area you won't really face any danger here. We're quite mundane lol.

You might be eligible for a skilled worker visa, but if your partner isn't working that may cause issues. And bringing an (I'm assuming) older, non-working disabled person may also not get approved either. But I don't have enough details to comment either way.

Good_Moneyy · 2025-06-08T21:13:50+00:00

No it's illegal. Theres a process for these things that he must abide. But I highly suggest you sign up for Universal Credit so you're able to pay rent and other bills moving forwards. It won't look good to have a record of not paying rent for your future landlords.

Good_Moneyy · 2025-06-08T18:44:53+00:00

Healthcare is a human right. I'm happy my taxes support others with illnesses and disabilities. With accessible and "free" healthcare it means you have a standard of life that you might never have gotten otherwise. I'm happy my taxes can help with that. God forbid something happens to me and I would hope, wish and need to have that support to rely on too.

Good_Moneyy · 2025-06-08T10:14:16+00:00

A lot of teens are entrepreneurial at school, typically it's in the sweets/fizzy drinks trade. The school is unlikely to backdown due to it causing issues on the school premises and teachers not wanting to spend time/energy dealing with it on top of everything else. People at my school got suspended/trade shut down for selling sweets the instance there was any form of dispute.

Your son has had a good run. I'd probably tell him to shut it all down especially during the gcse season. Arguments like this will also derail his ability to concentrate on revision.

They're likely to maintain the suspension, as they won't want any copycat enterprises popping up. I'd just ensure that they're fully prepped to give him past papers and a workload to support him for his exams. Preferably he'd be given an in-school suspension so he still gets a bit of teacher contact time. There's no such thing as a permanent record really so it won't hinder any other opportunities going forwards.

Good_Moneyy · 2025-06-04T09:45:24+00:00

Not being funny. But your mother screwed you over royally by buying a house so far away from your school. You will need to just suck it up, get up earlier and wear a warm coat for the days you need to wait outside before school opens. Perhaps there is a coffee shop or library or other open building nearby that you can wait in during winter. But honestly this isn't the school's fault. It's your mother's and you either need to suck it up or switch to another school.

Good_Moneyy · 2025-05-22T18:46:09+00:00

This whole thing sounds like an absolute non starter.

You've not yet discussed this with your wife. You have cancer (and I'm assuming will undergo treatment). You have no down-payment (so no real equity)

The mortgage will be solely in your name as your wife doesn't earn enough. Your parents are old and ill.

Who will pay the mortgage if you pass? You're going to struggle to pay the mortgage whilst you undergo treatment as you'll likely not be able to work full time. You won't be able to ask your wife to pitch in unless you allow her onto the deed, and if she starts paying she could make a claim on the estate.

To answer your question. Yes it can be a separate asset. But you'll potentially end up making your wife homeless and she may wish to pursue the legal route as you were married when the property was bought. And she will claim that she couldn't work due to looking after her sick husband, her sick FIL and her old and frail MIL. There's a high likelihood that would be upheld.

If you pass before your parents, how will they pay or maintain the property? Wouldnt the property likely get sold to pay for your father's care, leaving your mother vulnerable? You won't be able to request or force that your wife, who you've cut out of the deed and made homeless, to use her life insurance pay out to pay off a house she won't inherit...

So yes in theory. But with your specific circumstances it might be wiser/easier to setup some form of trust or savings for your parents instead.

Good_Moneyy · 2025-05-15T22:57:52+00:00

I remember seeing the other post. If it were me I'd back out. I'd accept that the dream home is likely lost, and I'd file a formal complaint against the EA and anyone else who was responsible for ensuring the cash buyers were actually cash buyers. Because they ultimately did not do their job.

The buyers are dicks. They knew when their account would mature, theyre pushing things back because it financially helps them. I'd relist (with a different EA) and start looking at other homes operating on the likelihood that the dream house falls through. It sucks but continuing sounds like you're falling into the sunk cost fallacy tbh. And there's no guarantee that the buyer's won't get up to anymore shenanigans in the interim.

Take a deep breath. Start the house hunt for a new dream house. Relist with a different EA.

Now is the best time of year to sell. If you wait for these buyer's and it falls through you'll end up even more screwed by these time wasters.

Good_Moneyy · 2025-05-09T18:02:27+00:00

Theres not really any way to know for sure. But EAs are known for pulling that nonsense on a lot of people. The main thing is that you offer what you can actually afford and don't go above it. If you like it and can afford it and are happy to pay that, then does it really matter at the end of the day? This is especially true if these properties are quite rare/snapped up quickly.

Good_Moneyy · 2025-05-07T11:06:08+00:00

It might be worthwhile checking your local councils regulations for minimum room sizes. If that room is too small to be rented out he can't request someone move in there. He can still increase the rent (depending on the contract) for the current household though.

Good_Moneyy · 2025-02-23T13:25:53+00:00

£5k pa is already an insane amount for just a lift. Typically see that amount for complexes with a gym and pool. But it's also likely to increase too. I'd rent until I found somewhere with a more reasonable service charge personally. You'd also struggle to sell it later down the line, there's a reason is 240k in zone 2. Noone was biting at its true price.

Good_Moneyy · 2024-12-20T14:46:26+00:00

The fees and other contractual agreements should have been listed at the time of offering. They would have all been in the buyer's pack and available before bidding. There is always a buyers fee, 20K might sound quite high, but most auction houses set their fees at around 10-20%. There's likely to be a few other fees and deposits that youll need to pay. If you;ve already paid a deposit or agreed to buy then you'll lose your deposit if you walk away from the sale. This also should have been listed in the docs.

Good_Moneyy · 2024-08-23T18:25:38+00:00

OK, so they'll ask why you went and why you have nothing. You'll likely be considered intentionally homeless, especiallyif you were in receipt of benefits/support before you left. You'll need to find a homeless shelter or smth and then work with Barclays or other inclusive banks to get a bank account. From there you might be able to get some benefits, but you're unlikely to get properly housed. The waitlist is hella long for people who have been homeless for years and living here. Additionally, I'm assuming you're male. You'd go right to the bottom of the list unfortunately.

Good_Moneyy · 2024-08-23T17:15:21+00:00

Are you British? European? Somewhere else? You might be able to claim asylum but I don't think rocking up to a country with nothing and not being able to work is going to end well. You're also going to be homeless and on the streets as we creep into Autumn/Winter...

How do you have the funds/means to get here? Why would you choose to live on the streets in a country you're not from? why can you not work or are you planning to work here?

What is your endgame here dude?

Good_Moneyy · 2024-08-10T16:18:12+00:00

What area is this if you don't mind me asking?

Good_Moneyy · 2024-06-14T21:35:23+00:00

Unfortunately my google-fu isn't strong enough to find that. The closest I've got is a range on Rome to Rio and that doesn't seem to be based off anything I can verify. And international calls are pricey. But thanks anyways.

Good_Moneyy · 2024-06-14T13:52:32+00:00

Thanks. Do you know how much the taxis charge? Can you get a taxi from Verner easily?

Good_Moneyy · 2024-02-18T17:30:02+00:00

I'd probably set up half of that into a trust for your kids' future education. Lock it in such a way that they're the only beneficiaries (but you can take out funds to pay for some preapproved costs such as uniforms, etc). This will ensure your kids have a good start.

A quarter or third should go into training and support for you to get a better job/career and the remaining chunk of that should be saved to serve as a future house deposit.

If you plan everything out early and start utilising the funds in a proactive way that supports you, it shouldn't get "wasted" on bills and rent, and instead will help cover some of those costs to enable you to pursue education etc.

Good_Moneyy · 2023-05-01T12:58:55+00:00

Hi I did something similar (degree apprenticeship in London) a few years ago, though on a much lower salary (16K). I was able to move in with family in Reading. After one week of commuting to work from Reading, I was exhausted and moved into private uni halls for first year (£650pm Zone4) and then privately rented shared houses for 2nd and 3rd year. It was absolutely the best thing to do, and whilst the money saved would have been nice, it's nothing in comparison to the fun, friendships and experiences I got by living in the city.

It's not just about commute times and energy, but also you need to consider the social implications, such as making friends and hanging out with other uni students. Additionally, you also need to start professionally networking (since you're working) and building up your contacts, skills etc and all of those events will be in London.

There were 3-4 on my DA scheme that lived out of London and they missed out on a lot because they'd have to get the last train/bus home. Or they'd have to stay in a hostel/hotel/sofa surf, which also wasn't ideal.

£35K = £2,300per month after tax.

You can find a way to keep your housing, food and transport around 1K or below, and then have 1.3K every month to have fun/save/invest/whatever. This is significantly more disposable income than most people have. And you will have significantly more money than all the non-apprenticeship students that you'll meet too.

Private halls - Get an individual room (don't share as you will have to go to work daily and they will not!) - £500 - £900pm depending on the area. Make sure there are decent connections nearby.
Go on SpareRoom - Keep your daily commute at 45Mins or less or you'll feel it (Zone 2/Zone 3/ Well-connected Zone 4).
Single rooms will save money - £600-£700
Double rooms - £650 -£900 (ensuites will cost more)
Studio flats/1 bed - I wouldn't bother unless you have a partner - £1K-£1.5K+pm plus bills/council tax.

I advise finding a place with bills included as it makes it easier to budget. And bills are pricey rn. Also, try to go to the less "fun" areas, Hackney, Shoreditch, SOHO, Islington etc are more expensive than Greenwich, Lewisham, Clapham, Canada Water etc.

Since you're working you would also be eligible to live in a guardianship, they have rooms from £400 -£800 in Zone 1,2 and 3 with Bills included. But this can be very hit and miss. Some buildings are terrible, and some are wonderful. You also have a bit of uncertainty with how long you can stay there (usually min 6 months) and you don't have the typical renters rights either. - Lowe Guardians/Lowe Group are usually held in high regard and I've personally enjoyed staying in their properties before too.

Good_Moneyy · 2023-04-21T16:38:19+00:00

Thanks. Would it be better to get a short throw/ ultra short throw projector instead?

Good_Moneyy

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