The UK's digital economy is expanding, but not all cities and roles are keeping up when it comes to IT salaries. According to new data from fatjoe, a widening salary gap is emerging, with some regions still paying far below the national average. For jobseekers looking to maximise their income and for employers hoping to retain their best talent, these insights are critical.
UK Cities with the Lowest IT Salaries in 2025
- Newport – £28,511.39
- Southend – £30,317.73
- Wolverhampton – £32,036.72
- Belfast – £32,866.62
- Derby – £34,187.49
While cities like Westminster and London dominate the upper end of the salary scale, locations such as Newport, Southend, and Wolverhampton are significantly underperforming. These cities risk losing local talent to remote roles or relocations if salaries don't catch up with national trends.
Advice for Jobseekers Considering Relocation
If maximising earnings is your goal, smaller cities may not offer the pay scale you're aiming for yet. However, they may still appeal to entry-level professionals or those prioritising cost of living and work-life balance over top-tier salaries.
Remote work is a double-edged sword in lower-paying areas. While residents can now access higher-paying remote roles, local employers face increasing pressure to match national salary expectations to retain in-house staff.
What Employers Need to Know
Firms in lower-salary regions need to adjust expectations or be prepared to lose talent. Offering flexible hours, professional development, or hybrid options may help offset pay discrepancies until wage growth catches up.
UK’s Lowest-Paying IT Roles in 2025
- IT Support Analyst – £28,536.20
- Junior QA Tester – £29,101.70
- Technical Administrator – £31,249.65
- IT Help Desk Technician – £32,722.18
- Junior Web Developer – £33,347.53
Why It Matters
Entry-level and support roles remain some of the lowest-paid in tech, despite their critical importance in day-to-day operations. As automation and AI evolve, these positions are increasingly undervalued, financially and professionally.
Early-career professionals should aim to upskill quickly in areas like DevOps, cybersecurity, or cloud infrastructure to move out of low-salary brackets. Certifications and hands-on experience are key accelerators.
These roles are typically location-based and harder to perform remotely, which limits flexibility and potentially growth. As more senior roles become fully remote, disparities in salary and opportunity may widen further.
To attract and retain junior staff, employers must invest in training, mentorship, and clear progression paths. Failing to support entry-level workers now could result in serious pipeline issues down the line.
“While the UK tech scene is booming in major hubs, our research shows some cities and roles are falling significantly behind in terms of salary growth. In cities like Newport or Southend, IT professionals are earning less than half of what their counterparts make in Westminster or London. These gaps reflect not only local economic conditions but also slower digital investment in certain areas.
This disparity is unsustainable in a remote-first world. Employers in lower-paying regions must reassess their compensation strategies if they want to keep talent from jumping ship. At the same time, early-career professionals in low-paid roles need to be proactive: whether that means reskilling, relocating, or seeking remote opportunities that pay closer to market standards,” says Tech Expert, Dan Trick from fatjoe.
The UK's IT salary map is split between high-growth hubs and underperforming regions. As tech transforms every sector of the economy, cities and employers that lag in pay risk losing relevance. Whether you're hiring or job hunting, understanding where pay is weakest and why can help you make smarter, more strategic decisions in 2025.