Back in 2018 Northern Ireland was named as the place with the lowest average locum pharmacy rates. The city of Newry (£16.59) was the highest average rate out of the top 5 lowest rates. Having analysed 300,000 shifts in 2018, Armagh City came out as the lowest average rate at £15.25 per hour. The best city in Northern Ireland work in 2018 was considered to be Bangor, which had an average pay of £17.07.

Our recent 2020 locum rates study (LINK), analysed 225,000 shifts posted, applied for, and booked on the Locate a Locum platform between January 1st, 2020 and December 31st, 2020, we revealed that Northern Ireland is no longer the runner up for the lowest average rate. Instead, the lowest averages in 2020 came from a range of different places across the UK. The three lowest average paying cities in 2020 were Newcastle upon Tyne (£18.20), Armagh City (£18.39) and Omagh (£18.62).

Surprisingly the rates in 2020 for Armagh City, which was our lowest rate in 2018, has now increased by 17% from £15.25 in 2018 to £18.39 in 2020. This is an increase of £3.14 in two years.

The best city in Northern Ireland to work in 2018 was Bangor (£17.07). Fast forward to 2020 and this has also changed with Lisburn (£18.72) now becoming the best city in Northern Ireland to work. Lisburn has seen an increase of £1.60 per hour since 2018.

The infographic above shows the lowest average rates from 2018 compared to 2020. In 2018, Derry/Londonderry was the third lowest average rate in the UK which does not appear in the 2020 lowest average rates showing that rates have gone up in Derry/Londonderry since 2018. By 2020, Belfast has increased by nearly 20% since 2018 by £3.10 per hour. Following this, the rates in Omagh and Coleraine have dropped since 2018 as they are now making an appearance in the 2020 figures.

Let’s now take a look at the lowest average locum salary based on our two lowest rates in 2018 and 2020. In 2018, the estimated weekly salary in Armagh city would have been £571.87 and the take home salary would have been £29,737.50. In 2020, the estimated weekly salary for Newcastle upon Tyne would have been £682.50 and the annual take home pay would be £35,490.00. This is an increase of £5,752.50 between the two lowest cities for locum rates.

Want to know what your city’s average locum rate is? Find out more by clicking HERE.