Why Location Can Make or Break Your Income as a UK Locum Optometrist (And 5 things you can do about it)

Most optoms think maximising locum pay is all about what you charge... the hidden truth is: it's where you work.

If you’re based in South Wales, Scotland, or the South Coast of England, you’re sitting on a goldmine. Average £400 per shift — and competition is thinner.

But if you’re in the Midlands or North England, you’re in the opposite boat.

Rates dip as low as £300–£325/day — because oversaturation drives them down.

Here’s the ugly reality of it: Two locums with the exact same skills can walk away with £20,000+ difference per year, purely because of geography. One’s thriving… the other’s scraping.

That’s why you shouldn't just “go locum” blindly: use data, tools, and a strategy to choose the right locations and shifts — otherwise you’re just guessing.

So, let's say you're based in the midlands/north England - Do this

1) Learn to work the whole market (not just sticking to the comfortable one or two optician types you like) to unlock 100%, not be stuck at 20% of the market.

2) Relocate in your home-town, but closer to a major travel link (think motorway, or if you're more remote then an A road.

3) If you're more serious: do blocks weekly in high-rate areas and come back to rest/recharge on your days off (In this case, chunk your days off together. Some locums like to work one on, one off - this doesnt work with block bookings)

4) If you're serious about your earning, perhaps you want to do a block away from home for a few years and then settle back after earning £100,000+ more over those years - Relocate to a high-rate area temporarily.

5) The easiest, fastest way to outsmart the market while staying home is to use something data driven to make your decisions. We earn £50/hour, so spend 1 hour's worth and get something powerful like 'The Smart Locum's Toolkit'. (This is just one tool within it).

A filterable heatmap showing rates, repeat booking highlighters, density & company maps all across the UK. A shift comparator to find your real take-home after travel/parking. Templates, calculators, and checklists so you don’t lose money to rookie mistakes.

If you’re serious about earning what you’re worth as a locum — stop guessing and start using the data. Grab the Toolkit, secure your giveaway entries, and set yourself up to win (in more ways than one) www.theoptomcoach.com