A number of factors which influence the earning expectations of individuals have been identified.

According to a study conducted by Reed.co.uk of more than 850,000 jobseekers who registered on the firm’s website over the past year, age has a significant bearing on the pay expectations of workers, with candidates between the ages of 45 and 50 expecting to command the highest salaries at an average of £25,500.

In addition, location was found to have a bearing, with people looking for work in the south-east of England exhibiting earning expectations of £21,165, a figure higher than their counterparts elsewhere.

Commenting on the findings, Martin Warnes, operations director at Reed.co.uk, stated: "As we would have expected, jobseekers from the south-east demand the highest salaries.

"However, the salary levels are not as polarised as we might have expected, perhaps indicating that living costs have risen across the UK, not just in London and the south-east."

Earlier this month, research produced by Kelly Services suggested that 77 per cent of UK job seekers would be prepared to relocate to a new city for a job.