If there is anything more depressing than U.K. rent it's its seasonal ticket rates:
Of course I tried many ways to use that time, but after a while it's just a burden. And it's making your day more exhausting.
I'm moving now to the City, I'll pay the high rent, but I'll walk/cycle to work in 5-10 mins. F* that train commute.
( and it seems like Brexit will force me to leave London for good anyway )
I'd say just don't do the long commute at all :) Pay the rent to be close to where you work or go live/work somewhere else, that's my solution.
I'll live another year in the centre of London, and then go to an EU country that's accepting my passport.
Buying is cheaper, but not considerably so than in the outer zones of London, but again you'll get more.
The commute costs offset and even can make it more expensive than paying London rent for properties below 2000 GBP a month.
Many people commute because they own properties outside of London, often through inheritance or other familial ties.
Sure you have the outliers like Luton but frankly you wouldn't want to live in any of the areas in places like Luton where rent is cheap and available.
For the most part if you live in places like Richmond, Oxford, Cambridge etc. you are more than well established financially and can afford London rent, and possibly even property prices. Those who chose to commute do it because they chose the quality of life that living in a nice suburban lush area just a spitting distance from London often because they have or starting a family.
Those who do it for financial reasons often cannot rent in London to begin with they either do not have a steady job, or they do not earn enough to pass a credit check when renting in London.
What some people mentioned before is correct, most landlords will not accept tenants (especially single tenants) if the rent more than 1/3rd of their post tax salary since it's a risk, renting a flat share from property management companies comes at a pretty high administrative costs, entering or leaving a managed flatshare can easily cost you 400-500 GBP each time.
Higher rate (40%) tax payers therefore only pay £3,000 for a £5,000 season ticket (less if you include NI and other deductions)
It's also a case where those who can afford it more easily and can also afford London rent get discounts while people that earn less do not.
At least, in none of the companies I've worked for has it been pre-tax
My effective marginal tax rate because of this (income between £50k and £60k) is 60% -- 40% income, 2% NI, 18% reduction in child benefits. The company has to pay employer NI too. That means for every £1138 they spend on a payrise for me, I get £400.
While my income is in the top 10%, our household income is pretty average for people with 2 children because my wife only works on occasional freelancing projects to keep fingers in the pie (say 10 days a year), and I work from home the majority of the time - we don't want to outsource the upbringing of children. If we do pay for child minding, it's an inlaw, which means petrol costs and a bottle of wine - which all comes out post-tax, so doubles in price compared to sending kids to a factory tax free (or "childcare").