Briefing • 20 March 2014

Briefing 23: Explaining the data

How we calculated the figures in Briefing 23

There was too much information in Briefing 23 to fit into one document, but for the anoraks who like to see where we got our figures from, the relevant links and calculations are as follows:

• Housing costs: The median private rental cost of a one-bedroom flat in London (£1100), Birmingham (£450), Manchester (£540), Liverpool (£407) (from Valuation Office Agency private rental market statistics, May 2013) , plus average monthly gas & electricity bill (£106.58 – from Department for Energy and Climate Change ‘Annual domestic energy bills’ 2012 statistics) plus average monthly combined water and sewerage bill (£27.08 – from Ofwat 2011-12 report)​
• Nurse’s income: Gross annual income for newly qualified nurse at Band 5 in Central London (£25,665) and elsewhere (£21,388) from NHS careers website. Net of income tax ,National Insurance, and average 2012 council tax for Band A properties net of 25% single person’s discount (£722 – from Department for Communities and Local Government report)
• Teacher: Mid-point of salary range for newly qualified teacher in Central London (£32,011) and elsewhere (£26, 836) from government teaching careers website. Net of taxes (using above calculations) = £19,281.20 (London), or £20,077.48 (non-London)
• Labourer: Median gross annual pay for ‘elementary construction’ occupations in London (£21,382.40) and elsewhere (£18, 995.60) from Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2012 Table 25.2a – ‘Median Weekly Pay for full-time workers, excluding overtime’). Net of taxes = £16, 368.79 (London) or £14,745.77 (non-London)
• Plumber: Median gross annual pay for plumbers (from same source as above) in London (£30,643.60) and elsewhere (£26,596.60). Net of taxes = £22,666.65 (London) and £19,914.69 (non-London).
• Recent graduate: Median annual salary of full-time employed recent university graduates in November 2012 (£25,500) from Higher Education Statistics Agency Destinations of Leavers of Higher Education Longitudinal Survey 2008/9 Table 11a (no regional breakdown available). Net of taxes and student loan repayments = £18,295.55.
• Minimum wage: £6.21 x 37.5 hours x 52 weeks  = £12,304.50. Net of taxes = £9,962.94
• Median wage: Median annual pay for full-time workers from ASHE 2012 Table 1.7a (£26,462). Net of taxes = £19, 823.16.

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