It isn’t just a case of businesses paying more to drive employee retention and attraction, it’s about paying salaries that go further in the local economy
For customer care employees, greener pastures aren’t always measured by the numbers on a payslip − they’re more likely woven into the lived reality of how far pay goes in different regions. Below we investigate how local salary competitiveness can offer tangible advantages to CC business owners: From leveraging lower living costs to designing incentives to attract talent from expensive major cities, regional employers can drive strong recruitment and retention when they make the most of their location.
Matching salaries to the local economy
For customer care businesses, the key to boosting employee attraction and retention isn’t simply raising pay − it’s about how salaries translate in the local economy. London continues to headline with the highest median salary in customer care roles (£32,200 in 2025), with other cities such as Birmingham (£29,900), Manchester (£28,900) and Bristol (£28,700) not far behind. However, higher salaries in metropolitan hubs are almost always offset by steeper living costs: Premium property prices and rents, expensive utilities and inflated transport prices will typically consume the pay differential that exists between town and city.
Contrast major city salaries with places such as Belfast (£25,500) and Portsmouth (£26,600), or North East cities such as Hull or Hartlepool. These areas typically post lower median pay for customer care roles, but employees may see that money go much further, thanks to modest housing costs and more affordable essentials. For jobseekers who value quality of life or are seeking to make savings, the lower cost of living in smaller towns may outweigh the allure of a big city pay cheque.
Cheapest places to live in the UK
Burnley
Kingston-Upon-Hull
Hartlepool
Blaenau, Gwent
Neath, Port Talbot
Most costly places to live in the UK
London
Oxford
Cambridge
Edinburgh
Brighton
Sources: Investing Insiders and University Living 2025
Rethinking recruitment: The local base as a perk
Pay-to-living-costs comparisons present a recruitment opportunity for customer care businesses outside of major UK cities. Instead of worrying that the best people all head for urban life, regional employers have the tools to sell their local base as a genuine benefit. An office in Hull, Hartlepool or Blaenau Gwent isn’t justcheaper for business, it can be a potential magnet for talent tired of expensive city living.
Recruitment strategies should make use of this leverage. As well as pointing out the differences in local living costs compared to major cities, regional businesses could offer incentives beyond base pay, such as one-off relocation payments or more attractive benefits to help candidates make the move to their area. Relocation support − often valued up to £8,000 − could cover moving costs, temporary accommodation, even house-hunting trips.
These types of incentive can help to close hard-to-fill roles, attract candidates with valuable industry experience and a wider range of skills, and even foster retention, as workers tend to settle where their salaries go further.
Closing the gap: Why regional employers should act now
National skills shortages and ongoing wage pressures are expected to continue into 2026, especially where customer care businesses compete with retail, hospitality, and admin sectors for scarce talent. In a competitive environment, fortune always favours those who move fast and first. By focusing on real-terms compensation rather than headline pay, regional CC businesses can shape a new and compelling narrative: Come to where your pay goes further—and feel the difference every day.
To further sweeten the offer, some forward-looking firms are already building relocation and retention packages into their hiring strategy. These include:
Lump-sum relocation payments
Temporary housing support
Assistance with moving, house-hunting or selling property
Flexible hybrid/remote contracts
Support for partners and families
Most importantly, these type of benefits resonate with the 80% of professionals who said they’d consider relocation in exchange for better real-terms compensation.
Making the difference
The real driver for recruitment and retention success isn’t just offering more money, it’s about championing the power of regional living, supporting candidates with relocation rewards and selling the advantages of salaries going further. The message for regional CC businesses is clear: Don’t just compete—stand out by making more of your differences.
Get the inside information
To learn more about customer care salaries − including the latest pay data and actionable tips for attracting and keeping the best talent − see the Brook Street Social Care Salary Guide 2025. Find out where the grass is really greener.