A lifelong Londoner has described being pushed out of the capital due to unaffordable costs, despite juggling four jobs. Lauren Elcock, 31, who was born in North London, says their £850 monthly rent has become impossible to sustain, prompting her to relocate 200 miles north to Manchester for an improved quality of life.
From Redundancy to Four Jobs
Following redundancy in May 2025, Lauren took on four jobs, including gym reception work and pet sitting, while also receiving Universal Credit, to help meet her rental costs. Combined, the four jobs bring in approximately £1,500 monthly, and they have had to adopt strict budgeting measures, including cutting back on food, to survive financially. Lauren has now found a place to live in Manchester for £550 per month and believes only those earning exceptionally high incomes can now afford London living.
Lauren said: "Salaries aren't going up at the same rate that rent is. It's so stressful. I was made redundant in May 2025. I was so worried about how I was going to pay my rent. I'm now working four jobs, and get Universal Credit as well. It's nice to be able to do lots of different things, but it's just not sustainable. I couldn't live like this forever, it would burn me out."
Strict Budgeting and Sacrifices
Lauren added: "Even with four jobs, I have to budget a lot and restrict a lot of fun. I've had to really scale back on my food shop, and make sure to only buy the cheapest brands. I've been eating less than I normally would, it's a bit sad really." She continued: "I love London and it will always feel like home, but it's just not worth the money anymore. You have to be in a ridiculously high salary bracket to be able to afford London. Soon it's just going to be finance bros everywhere. I've decided to move to Manchester, I've found a house share there for £500 including bills, that will save me £350 a month."
Rent Increases Over the Years
Lauren, who was born and raised in Islington, first became aware that rental costs were spiralling out of control in 2020, during the pandemic. At that time, they were living in a house share in Islington paying £600 in rent, before relocating to a property in Hackney, where their monthly payments climbed to £700. By 2026, her rent had jumped to £850 per month, with bills included. Then, in May 2025, Lauren lost her position at a suicide prevention charity through redundancy, leaving her anxious about meeting her rental obligations.
After being made redundant, Lauren claimed Universal Credit, which left her with just £250 monthly once rent had been paid. Lauren added: "How is that going to cover my food, travel and everything else?"
Juggling Multiple Jobs
She now juggles four different jobs to meet her rental costs, bringing in roughly £1,500 each month. Lauren juggles approximately 22 hours weekly on a gym reception desk, four or five hours weekly pet sitting, two days weekly undertaking freelance suicide prevention work, and roughly two hours weekly life modelling. Universal Credit supplements their income, with monthly payments fluctuating based on their earnings. She said: "Last month I only got £28 as I made my biggest salary from the gym combined with a training delivery. However, other times I have got around £400 to £700. If I made no earnings at all, I would get £1,099."
More than half of Lauren's monthly wages are consumed by rent and bills, forcing them to budget incredibly carefully. Lauren said: "It wouldn't always be a conscious decision but I found myself naturally falling into a pattern of eating less meals a day and then being happier that this meant my food shop wouldn't need to be done as often. When I did go food shopping, I'd try and cut down on more expensive items such as avocado or premium veggie meat brands." Beyond trimming their grocery budget, Lauren now socialises at friends' homes rather than pubs, and cycles instead of using public transport.
A Fresh Start in Manchester
Lauren has decided to relocate to Manchester in May 2026, attracted by the lower cost of living and the northern city's calmer atmosphere. She chose Manchester as it's a "cool city, with a great vibe", with lower accommodation costs. Having secured a role as a placement officer for Manchester City Council, she is looking forward to returning to the routine of a nine-to-five working day. She said: "If this job was based in London I could have survived on the salary, as it's the same salary as my previous full-time job in London. However, it would be literally that, mere survival, on a strict budget and without any luxuries. The salary will go much further in Manchester. I think the Renters Rights Act is good as it provides a safety net for people against being evicted, but I think there needs to be a cap on rent increases."
