Have you ever left a job for lower salary?
Posted by Desperate-Drawer-572@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 102 comments
Curious to know if people ever leave a job to end up on a job with lower money. Is this just a case of wanting to quickly get out of a toxic place or are there other reasons?
bighairynipples79@reddit
Quit finance to work in care. Had to save my soul.
Theunluckyone7@reddit
how do you find care?
bighairynipples79@reddit
Really challenging. I manage the service now and budgets are tight and more complex cases being expected to live in the community earlier than is ideal due to costs. Hard work but rewarding.
ser-17@reddit
How long were you working in the field before you started your own service?
bighairynipples79@reddit
I didn't start my own. I got a couple of promotions but work for a Scotland wide care company. Not sure I would recommend it to be honest with you. Definitely get out of finance but care is difficult unless in a nice private care home. I would love to manage one but I don't have a nursing degree.
tobotic@reddit
You quit finance, but finance wasn't done with you yet.
Theunluckyone7@reddit
Thanks, something i've often considered for myself
CrazySim00_@reddit
Yes and No. My last job I was doing about 45hr weeks on minimum wage which came out to about 28ish thousand annually.
Now im on 25ish but doing 37 hours and it's a trainee role, so when im qualified I'll be on about 30k with scope to move up to about 38k (similar amounts other people are on in the team)
SimplyFootballNet@reddit
I worked at John Lewis plc head office in 2008 - 2010.
Hated it so much I quit and took a lower paid job.
Full of mental indoctrinated people who have been working there all their life, and talk about green blood and very weird in-jokes. My team was also full of bullies. Bad place to work man.
GoatBotherer@reddit
Yes, left a business development role in web design earning £32k a year to join the police, starting on something like £23k a year. Thankfully the wages go up yearly and after 7 years I was on £50kish. Now after 10 years it's £53kish I think.
It was seriously tough though, we just had our first child and I am terrible with money as it is. I got into a lot of debt as a result. I'd do it again in a heartbeat though. I hated sales.
User_user_user_123@reddit
It is criminal how little we pay police (and emergency services in general) - that salary even after 10 years is shocking
Widebody_lover@reddit
Public sector get great holidays and pension though..
Frosty_Leg4438@reddit
We actually don‘t (I work in the NHS).
Its definitely a “good” pension and “good” holiday, but the tales you hear of “shit pay but amazing pensions” are all from the 90s and early 00s.
The NHS pension has been revised down several times and its latest generation (everyone moved to it in 2015) is not that special + artificially disguised to look good in stats (cintributions are tiered (to save the government money) so low salary staff contribute a small percentage, but medium to high salary staff contribute a much bigger PERCENTAGE for the same rules of payout.
Widebody_lover@reddit
Well, that’s fair then- looking after the low salary staff is the right move
Frosty_Leg4438@reddit
No, this isn’t as clear as it sounds (disclaimer I am not a highly paid band)
Pension contributions are a PERCENTAGE so higher paid staff do already fairly contribute more for their pension as standard.
However on top of this though they’ve imposed a huge disparity in that percentage.
Lower paid staff contribute 5% of their salary, higher paid 12%. Again this is a percentage, higher paid staff (and this is a technical term, almost no one is paid highly in the NHS) essentially pay more than double for the same benefit.
It’s being done purely so the government can claim they’re helping lower paid staff (they regularly increase the percentage division) but that’s not actually true, it’s to further reduce the benefits of an NHS pension to the majority of NHS staff (by pretending it’s to help lower paid people) purely to save money (they save much more by increasing the percentage on medium paid staff than reducing it on lower paid ones).
It’s the disingenuousness of it I don’t like, and people fall for the narrative every time.
Widebody_lover@reddit
The NHS pension is designed to be progressive, not strictly actuarially identical for every member. Higher earners paying a larger percentage is part of how lower paid staff can still access a good pension without contributions becoming unaffordable.
Yes, contributions are percentage based already, so higher earners pay more in cash terms. But affordability matters too. Paying 5% on £24k has a much bigger impact on someone’s standard of living than paying 12% on £70k.
Also, the benefit is not actually “the same” in practical terms. A career average pension based on a higher salary produces a much larger pension in retirement, so higher earners still receive substantially more value overall from the scheme.
And realistically, if contribution rates were flattened, the likely outcome would not be better pensions for middle bands. It would probably mean lower paid staff opting out in larger numbers, weakening support for the scheme altogether.
I also think it’s unfair to describe this as some sort of deception. Public sector pensions have always involved redistribution to some extent. That’s a policy choice, not a hidden trick.
Icy_Excuse_8995@reddit
I don’t personally consider a £50k salary to be a small salary (although most roles in the police service are undoubtedly very stressful- particularly for those at the sharp end). A 50k salary is significantly above the median uk income.
The other way to look it at is how many uk taxpayers on median income does it take to fund a 50k salary. This illustrates why the government (of any stripe) has hard choices to make when trying to increase police numbers, doctors, teachers etc. from current levels of service (especially when current public sector staff are clamouring for pay rises. Not that the workers don’t deserve the pay rise but the money has to come from somewhere (with little room for manoeuvre when taxes are already high and growth is relatively insipid.
Roseoman@reddit
How old were you when you made the switch to join the police?
GoatBotherer@reddit
30, so a bit later than some. There was a guy on my intake who was 49 though. I was second oldest in a class of 20.
Roseoman@reddit
Ah shit yeah still 30 quite young, im glad it worked out for ya man
Greedy-Fortune-3276@reddit
Yes also left an awful place for a slightly less awful place..
FakeNathanDrake@reddit
Yup, (voluntary) redundancy. They got rid of around 85% of the staff, I'm pretty confident I could have been one of the ones to stay if I really wanted to but didn't like the way things were headed (additionally, I would have ended up on a pay freeze for years so eventually the real world would have caught up).
um-nome-@reddit
Yep - 2 years out of uni I was on £70k working in fintech. Hated it and ended up quitting and just travelling for the last year whilst doing an online master's. I just graduated and now i'm not sure what to do - but I think whatever I do i'll probably be starting a new career from the bottom (\~£30k) and it will take me a few years to get close to that salary again.
No regrets though. earning that much so quickly after uni helped me realise I don't really care so much about money - i'd rather be happy in my day to day even if it means i'm poor.
username994743@reddit
4 years ago left a dead end job where I had to work shifts/weekends and went down to 22k (over 10k pay cut). After multiple promotions, department switch Im now on nearly double of what I had in the dead end job working mon-fri, 3 days from home. Best decision ever.
deppyjon@reddit
I went from 62K to 30K because I burnt out a bit, the 30 was always supposed to be a stop gap, I actually got a bit bored of having no work to do and now I’ve moved back up to 44k for a better balance
-Rhymenocerous-@reddit
Took a 15k pay cut for the sake of my mental health.
Was working away from home all the time and never saw my wife or family.
Ended up working a 10min walk away from home for a year.
summerloco@reddit
I’m about to do it. Ask me any question you’d like to.
Desperate-Drawer-572@reddit (OP)
Why
summerloco@reddit
Too much responsibility meaning I can’t switch off at night.
Frosty_Leg4438@reddit
What’s your favourite dinner food?
summerloco@reddit
Chicago town pizza
WildWanderingRedHead@reddit
I'm about to do this... I left a comfortably paid role to take a year off just for myself and now i'm taking a lower paid job so I can do a masters and retrain to do something else. it will be hard but hopefully worth it. I am single and live alone so I have to make sacrifices for my dreams.
SpectreSingh89@reddit
My sole reason is redundancy. However last job worked out 164 hours in 4 weeks (paid lunch) and current job is 150 hours in 4 weeks (usual 37.5 weekly) and the wage is a few pennies off, on top. Just by a few pennies but the hours too have reduced.
nsfgod@reddit
Yes, and within 6 months I was earning 50% more.
Sometimes it's about potential
Les-tah-farian@reddit
What did you go into if you don't mind me asking
nsfgod@reddit
facilities infrastructure maintenance. Specialising in extreme remote communities.
jrcs90@reddit
Yes. Sometimes you have to. Think about where you want to be, and what you want your future to look like.
It's not worth doing something that makes you miserable. Money doesn't equate to happiness.
DigitalStefan@reddit
Yes. Left a nationally recognised firm of accountants for a much lower salary. They were absolutely disgusting, amoral, scammy assholes.
95jo@reddit
Nope, fortunately I haven’t felt the need to, yet.
Frosty_Leg4438@reddit
I have a theory that, in a lot of big companies, as you go up in seniority you gain salary and a bit of job security, but eventually there’s a kind of ceiling where, if you go above it, you lose a bit of security and the salary increase is nowhere near enough to compensate from the increased stress, pressure and competitiveness.
It’s sort of the first level of the rise to C-suite/senior managers and everything noticeably changes vs being a standard (but good) employee.
I accidentally got promoted above this “barrier” and it was way worse, so elected to take essentially a demotion (in seniority and pay) to go back beneath it and (for me) it was way better.
Wasabi_San@reddit
Yes, this!
I was promoted to upper management after a year and a bit and my salary doubled. However, my take home pay after tax isn’t significantly higher than my previous salary. My annual income just barely crossed the threshold for a higher tax bracket.
My workload hasn’t changed much but all of it now needs to be delegated to my team. My time is consumed by pointless meetings and calls that are often back to back.
The added responsibilities and ownership, combined with being taxed so high, make me wish I could return to my previous role.
In_Praise_of_Shadow@reddit
Yes I have moved to uk cut from 80k to 30k :( hoping to get closer
Mazzerboi@reddit
Yes - moved to a different country + wanted fully remote/flexibility and a slightly different skillset was required. Flexibility was worth it but i do miss the extra money
grimseverrr@reddit
Quit a job in the NHS after COVID as I was so burnt out I was crying on the way to work and having awful thoughts, I manage a fast food place now and the wage is nothing like it was but it's nice to not feel that way any more
bopeepsheep@reddit
Yup, left last job - toxic and disintegrating around us - for a vaguely similar role in an institution that works on a different administrative year, so I just got an increment taking me back to where I'd otherwise have been months ago, salary-wise. I also lost some benefits - extra leave, other perks - and a local weighting payment, so I'm still "worse off", but I can walk to work, I don't spend so much time exhausted and hating everything/everyone, and I'm not in a team facing redundancy/redeployment. And I'm not longer hotdesking, a major plus!
Fit-Mistake-4390@reddit
I literally just did, i’m almost back on minimum wage but doing a much nicer job where I don’t have to speak to the public anymore and work in a comfortable small office.
Fuck call centres
Ok_Teacher6490@reddit
You know that scene in fast and furious where Dom talks about juvie and says he'll never go back? Yeah
Nineteen_AT5@reddit
Yes, change of career.
PKblaze@reddit
Technically yes.
My old office job was min wage but more hours and about a grand on commission per month.
My job after pays better per hour but I work less hours and don't get any extras. Mentally in a better place however.
SeniorBit7051@reddit
Yes left a job and took an 8k hit on salary as well as loosing 10 days holiday
My hours are now far less and happy to be out a toxic company ………feel free to ask questions
JennyW93@reddit
Yeah, but not significantly lower really - £3k less, but slightly higher pension contribution so maybe it balanced out and was more of a lateral move.
I had to move to take care of a family member who was terminal, so I didn’t have the luxury or headspace to be choosy. Still in the job now and it’s turned out to be the longest I’ve ever stayed in a job without getting sick of it, so weirdly worked out fine.
saludpesetasamor@reddit
Technically yes. I left my old job as an ‘ABC’ to become a ‘Senior ABC’ at a much more prestigious firm, for the same money but without the benefits, yearly bonuses or yearly salary increases. I’m much happier at the new firm and it’s far less stressful, even though I’m in a senior role now with a lot more responsibility. It’s worth it to me, not waking up hating my life every Monday morning.
Opportunities for progression and raises are quite limited where I am now, but to free myself from all the aggro at my old job was priceless.
Even_Jello_624@reddit
Yep. I was on an extremely good wage (relatively speaking) as a college lecturer/course manager. But the stress that came from being the only person that could teach my subject as well as managing 3 course groups at different levels, was just too much for me and was making me ill.
I got offered a role as a teaching assistant at my son's old primary school and jumped at the chance. Half the wage but I never looked back.
Widebody_lover@reddit
Were you a HENRy?
Enough-Ad3818@reddit
Yes. I left a job that paid more, for a job that paid less, but also didn't have a commute and was in walking distance.
I was on lower take home pay by just a small amount, but then 6mths later the train fares went up again, and my commute would have cost more, so it broke even.
Milita_leorio@reddit
yep. recently moved. 35k in London to 31k in west midlands. Job in a dream industry vs working for a pervy boss in a dead end job
Rh-27@reddit
That's a pay rise, especially if you've moved.
Milita_leorio@reddit
Can confirm I did move and it defo is!
MeltingChocolateAhh@reddit
If you relocated to that job, I can almost guarantee your money is going much further too. To live a similar quality of life for 31k west midlands in London, you would need to almost double that salary.
Desperate-Drawer-572@reddit (OP)
You moved house too?
klaushkee@reddit
Hell of a commute
yossanator@reddit
I quit a piss easy Chef job to go work in a Fine Dining place. It was less money, but nearer to home and working with an exceptional team, who turned out to be a fucking hoot as well.
hhfugrr3@reddit
My gf did. She works in the NHS. She was a band 7 but took a band 6 job when we moved to a new area.
HistoryDisastrous493@reddit
Not sure if it counts, as my salary is already high, but I've declined offers for higher paid roles (15k extra) due to having to go into the office more than once a week. Have also accepted a permanent role at the same company I was previously working on a day rate for in exchange for 35 days paid holiday and 20k a year paid into pension. In terms of take home pay that was a pay cut of about 10k a year Vs contracting, but totally worth it.
Provided the lower salary isn't too low, it is almost always worth taking a pay cut of it reduces stress, improves work life balance, or just means you'll be happier
sleepyprojectionist@reddit
Yes.
I got made redundant in early 2019.
It took me the best part of six months to find a new job, and I was absolutely broke.
The job I took sounded perfect on paper and it was my first proper “grown up” job insofar as it was quite a skilled role and it paid more than I had ever earned before (£37k).
Well, a couple of months in and they were running me ragged. I was a service engineer and I found myself almost permanently on rota for emergency call-outs. There was one week where I visited four different countries.
I was permanently exhausted and as I had to move to London to take the role I soon learned that £37k doesn’t stretch very far.
March 2020 rolls around and the world stops.
My company refused to furlough anyone, so for almost a year I was put onto a sixteen hour contract and was paid 40% salary.
In this time they even managed to find a gap in the travel restrictions to send me to Ukraine for a job. Upon arrival they tried to make me stay in order to complete all of the service jobs in the country.
I did eventually get furloughed, but when all was said and done I was exhausted, a nervous wreck, and about £10k in debt.
I handed in my notice in May 2021 and moved back up North.
I was crashing with friends and it took me a couple of months to find work.
I started as a technician earning £21k.
Over five years I have got that up to £32k, but have reached a stage whereby I have nowhere within my company to progress, so I’m once again on the lookout for a new role.
Moving was the right thing to do. It later transpired that I had both a chronic autoimmune condition and sleep apnea, which explained a lot of the exhaustion I had been dealing with. I also had covid on five separate occasions and my lungs are still screwed.
Now that I’m medicated for the autoimmune stuff and have a CPAP for the apnea I think I’m ready to throw myself back into something a little more demanding (and hopefully better paid).
EyeAlternative1664@reddit
I have and a fried of mine has.
My friend left for a place that had more potential (Monzo) and still credits it as a role he learned a lot.
I did it and dropped my salary and it was the best decision due to the previous place being toxic, best decision ever until I was made redundant.
AtensEye@reddit
Yes, I had an awful boss who made me work permanent unsociable hours because he didn't want to (they were advertised as flexible) and would get on my case about the most ridiculous stuff, was signed off twice from work as a direct result of his bullying and threatening behavior.
When I realized the company weren't going to do anything about him and he was at least 20 years off retirement, I took a look at what the opposition was offering and applied. Got a reply back within 2 weeks and left a month later. The pay was about 2k less a year, but I was happy and got to work with a great team. My health and happiness was worth more to me than that 2k.
TriggyRascal@reddit
Yes, went from just under 50k and a company car working in HR in construction to just over 30k at the council, just passed my 6 months and don't regret it at all, the career development and actual work I'm doing is worth that dropoff and some
Euphoric-Wall-2576@reddit
Yeah, I did it in my early 30s - changed career path and it meant I had to work my way up from the bottom again. My income roughly halved. I had stopped enjoying the previous job and the workplace became a bit toxic, yeah, but it was mostly a positive decision about doing something I would enjoy more.
SwanBridge@reddit
Yes, left for a couple grand less as the job was killing me with workload.
When I started the new job I quickly found out what was advertised was the base salary, and given various different premiums and shift allowances not to mention optional overtime and various bonuses I was earning considerably more than previous job, even more than my previous manager and for a lot less stress.
CTLeafez@reddit
I worked as a Scientist at a Scientific Contract Research Organisation on £26,000 in 2023 to start a PhD on £21,000 a year stipend (Tax Free).
SauceOfPower@reddit
Took a £5k paycut to leave general manufacturing at a high level and enter aerospace at a lower level. Re-entered general manufacturing at a much higher level due to experience and entered a management role as a result.
It's not always the money, it's job satisfaction, leaving a hostile workplace, leaving a ceiling etc.
Hertfordgal@reddit
Yes. Job security and better pension.
sniffing_dog@reddit
Yes, I left my role as a buyer to become a flt driver, I really enjoyed bombing around and talking to different people.
postcardsfromdan@reddit
Yeah, left a highly paid job in a company that started paying late and stopped pension contributions for several months. I had been clinging on until I got my mortgage sorted out. I then went self-employed and took on a year-long consultancy contract that was £18k less, but pays on time and includes expenses-paid travel. The work has been more intense but generally I’ve been a lot happier, but have had to be a bit more careful with spending. The contract is coming up soon and I’m gonna be renegotiating that fee.
Necessary_Train4507@reddit
No but definitely plan to move to a less stressful lower paid job in the next few years once I’ve saved up a decent chunk
FirmDingo8@reddit
Yes, went from being an IT Network manager at a large Financial Advisor to the same role at a Homeless charity. About £5k less...at first
Best job move I did, so rewarding
theperfectdrug0@reddit
About 10 years ago now I left a caseworker type job for an administration type job although the pay was markedly less.
A number of reasons for this, but the main one was that in the first company there was very limited prospect of advancement; there were only really 1 or 2 teirs of jobs above mine simply due to size.l and structure.
The company I moved to was much larger and offered much better advancement opertunites. I'm still actually empyled by them and have now been promoted 5 times and gained a professional qualification which would have been imposible in the other location. So, well worth it in the long run for that initial loss in wage.
FireWhiskey5000@reddit
Technically yes but it was effectively the same salary, but maternally less. I was a consultant and I liked the company I was working with. So I went to work for them instead.
Consistent-Pirate-23@reddit
Twice
First time we were at risk of outsourcing so it was jump before that happened.
Then the job I jumped to, I had to jump again as they were awful.
The second jump was the best thing I ever did
Euphoric_Rough_5245@reddit
I did. I was a craft baker in a supermarket and left for a lower paid job. I loved my role, I absolutely despised the management and some people I worked with. I worked overnight so a lot was left for me to do that could have been done during the day. It got to the point I was throwing up from anxiety before every shift so I found somewhere else. Had a week between the 2 jobs to decompress and regroup.
Exciting-East-4318@reddit
Yes, left a permanent gig to go contractor for less money but way less stress. I was completely over the agency life. Three years later I became an employee at my corporate contract place. In the end more money and still less stress.
LongHairDontCare1994@reddit
Yep, absolutely the best decision I made. I can actually sleep at night now.
Used-Flamingo-4320@reddit
Yup, yesterday Infact…
Desperate-Drawer-572@reddit (OP)
How come
qzwqz@reddit
It’s different for different people, but usually you stick your hand down there and waggle it around a bit.
If you’re old enough to have a job you should probably know this by now
Used-Flamingo-4320@reddit
Yeah sorry you asked for reasons..
Company took a bit of a downturn. Role changed pretty drastically. Left on good terms but I wasn’t happy there. Took a hefty pay cut on my salary but my new role comes with commission so I guess you could technically say it’s not a full cut..
Dr_Custard@reddit
Yes
The job I'm in has no career progression for me (well, about 1/200 people like me make it to permanent positions -- academia), because I'm not prepared to dedicate my life and soul to it.
So I'm re-training to be a teacher. It's a slight pay cut for my first year, a pay cut for sure as an early career teacher, then a relatively rapid progression system towards decent money.
Importantly though, whilst money is important, stability and certainty are what I need: I'm buying a house and want kids.
flip8t2@reddit
Of course. There are times in life when it's better to get out of a shit toxic job, that is constantly stressing you out. As long as you can still cover your outgoings and bills, less money is not always a bad thing, but unhappiness is.
Tute_Sweet@reddit
Yep. It was a career change for me - I went from working in digital marketing to writing video games. It paid a little less at first but I wanted something more creatively fulfilling, plus marketing was getting very video-focused and less writing-focused, and I wanted out.
BusAdditional6518@reddit
Quit being a kitchen fitter to become a bus driver. 30 years of manual labour have left me with a lot of joint/back problems so needed a job sitting down with no heavy lifting. Pay is around half what I used to get.
Big-Faithlessness743@reddit
I left £16.50 an hour for a £9.50 job a few years back, was utterly miserable at my last job and the Lower one was a job in something I was interested in, still at the company and currently on £15.50 so still not better pay
Ill-Breadfruit5356@reddit
Yes, a well paid job I hated for a less well-paid job I loved.
Zero regrets.
Jpmoz999@reddit
Yes. I left a toxic workplace and also did it to work in a place where I was helping people. On the whole it was a good decision.
butt3rflycaught@reddit
Yes. Took a £10K pay cut to get out of a job and into a company that I knew had better prospects. It was hard going at first but I tripled my salary within 2.5 years.
Thin_Pin2863@reddit
Yep. Left a project management role paying £37k/year for a role that paid £4,800/year.
However the 2nd role was in South America, came with included accommodation & all bills. So was able to spend that salary travelling the country whilst working in a paradise.
ceramicos@reddit
Yes and I instantly regretted it and left 2 months later
TheLittleCrayon@reddit
Yeah.
Paid less, but also work from home, with more AL.
On paper, I earned less. In time and money saved, I was on the same (theoretically speaking).
pgnlzbth@reddit
I took a small hourly pay drop when I left a failing postal service to work for a thriving supermarket as a delivery driver… it was worth it. And my pay has since gone up and overtaken what my former colleagues are earning, I believe.
Safarianon@reddit
I haven’t but I would put my sanity over everything, including a higher salary.
anon1992lol@reddit
Yes. Left an awful place for a slightly less awful place.
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