Nursing in Leicester: Studying, working, and living guide
Find out about nursing in Leicester - where nurses can find jobs, the hospitals they might work in, colleges & universities to study in, plus living information.
Leicester is a city in the East Midlands of England and lies on the River Soar. It is also the county town of Leicestershire.
It is one of the oldest cities in England and the largest settlement in the East Midlands.
Leicester is easily commutable to other parts of the UK.
For Nurses, Leicester could be the ideal place to live, work and study.
From cost of living and travel through to culture and nightlife, it is an end-to guide for Nurses wanting to study or work in Leicester.
Where do Nurses work in Leicester?
Leicester has many Hospitals, Care homes and hospices throughout which specialise in diverse types of nursing and treatments for all adults, children, and babies. Some of these places are the biggest employers within their healthcare sectors.
Leicester General Hospital
Leicester Royal Infirmary.
Glenfield Hospital.
Nuffield Health Leicester Hospital.
There are thousands of live vacancies for Nurses throughout Leicester offering a vast variety of work for anyone wishing to relocate here.
Where do aspiring Nurses study in Leicester?
Anyone aspiring to become a Nurse in Leicester can study at the University of Leicester or De Montfort University.
Both universities have campuses across the city of Leicester.
The University of Leicester is ranked in the top 25 universities in the Times Higher Education REF Research Power rankings. The University of Leicester has start dates available in September for anyone wanting to become a nurse.
De Montfort University in Leicester, offers a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate courses in all aspects of nursing which start in September and has its campus close to Leicester castle.
While tuition fees are the same country wide, Leicester ranks in the top quartile of 50 UK cities according to the Good Growth for Cities Index and is therefore considered an ideal city to study, live and work in for nurses.
Find our nursing university guide here.
The average monthly rental cost in Leicester is around £700 per a month. As a city it is considered one of the most affordable in the UK.
Where do Nurses live in Leicester?
Nurses in Leicester live all over the city, but the city centre is extremely popular with students and Nursing professionals.
The most popular locations in Leicester for Nurses:
Leicester city centre, Popular with nurses due to it being close to all amenities as well as having the city's best restaurants and pubs.
Oxford Street.
A short walk away from the city centre and both the university of Leicester and De Montfort University.
Clarendon Park.
To the south of the city Is a good place for students, young professionals, and families to live due to the schools, shops, and amenities in the area.
Aylestone.
A suburb to the city’s southwest would be the perfect place for any Nurses who enjoys the outdoors, fishing and have a passion for history which can be explored around Aylestone Garden.
Highfields.
In the inner centre of Leicester and has great public transport links and places to shop. There is also Highfields Library which offers a quiet space for students to study.
What are the living costs for Nurses in Leicester?
Leicester is in the top 10 most affordable cities in the UK according to a ranking published by NatWest and would be a good place for nurses to live.
Here is a general guide to some of the different costs of living in the city.
The average price for a home in Leicester is currently £276,000 which is lower than the national average of £293,000.
The average rental price for a property in Leicester is £700 per month. But if you are looking to rent a room in a shared house you will pay a little over £500.
The council tax across Leicester for residents in a Band B property is currently £1,616 a year which works out to just over £135 per a month.
Other bills like shopping and utilities are priced the same as the rest of the UK but given its affordable city status, eating out and entertainment is below the UK average.
Is travel easy in Leicester?
Leicester is well served by the major road network particularly the M1 which links London and Leeds but is also within proximity of the M69 and M6 from Birmingham, Wales and the southwest. Birmingham is just under an hour drive away while London can be reached within two hours.
The nearest airport to Leicester is East Midlands, just 30 minutes away while alternatively Birmingham airport is a 45-minute drive. Both offer flights to a multitude of UK and European destinations.
Leicester is also well served on the rail network and is located on the East Midlands Railway line with London just over an hour away at its quickest.
Leicester is well connected for all your transport needs no matter where you are located.
What to do in Leicester walks, culture, nightlife and eating out
Leicester has lots of options for you to do in your free time.
Culture and attractions
Leicester is a great place for tourists to visit from all over the UK and around the world for its attractions.
There are many wonderful places to visit in Leicester such as the Roman Jewry Wall, Leicester Cathedral which houses the tomb of Richard III and the multi-award-winning National Space Centre.
Leicester has many open green spaces to walk around and explore, for example, Abby Park for its stunning riverside scenery of the River Soar as well as Leicester Botanic Garden and Attenborough Arboretum.
Leicester has everything to offer for the music and arts scene. A couple of the best places for music are De Montfort Hall, The Soundhouse Leicester- an independent music venue, and The Shed a live music venue specialising in local and underground acts.
Leicester’s Theatrical Traditions highlight its strong links with the art headlined by the Curve Theatre. Visitors also head to the Leicester Contemporary (art gallery), Leicester Museum, Curve and Attenborough Arts Centre - all wonderful places to spend time in.
Leicester City Football Club play their matches at King Power Stadium.
The Leicester Tigers Rugby Club, considered the most successful team side in the country, play their matches at the Mattioli Woods Welford Road.
Nightlife and eating out
Leicester offers endless possibilities for nightlife, with lots of bars and clubs.
There is something for everyone in the city of Leicester from cafes to restaurants.
Highlights include:
Firebug, known for its nightlife and extensive drinks and cocktail range as well as home-cooked food during the day.
Herb. Number one TripAdvisor restaurant in Leicester.
The Windmill Inn, Brascote, known for being a Gastropub which has the “best Sunday Roasts” according to Trip Advisor.
John’s House, is a Michelin Star Restaurant.
What are the school options in Leicester?
If you are also thinking about where you might need to send your child to school, Leicester offers a vast range of school options.
Leicester has 107 Primary schools and 40 Secondary schools and 26 private independent schools.
The performance and quality of schools according to Ofsted rating varies across the city but there are 94 outstanding schools across Leicester.
Population and demographics in Leicester
Here are some of the population and demographic facts in Leicester:
The metro population of Leicester is 562,000 with 357,000 within the city boundary.
Its population density is 4,827 per square mile.
Leicester is ranked among the top 10 most affordable cities for students in the UK (NatWest).
Leicester dates to the first century B.C. and is one of the oldest cities in the UK.
3.0% of Leicester’s population is unemployed – Lower than the UK average.
In summary: is Leicester a good place to be a Nurse?
No matter where you live, study and work for those who provide nursing care is entirely subjective as various places suit different people's personal preference.
Leicester has many wonderful places to visit and lots of things to do as a student or a nursing professional.
Leicester has great transport links to and from other places across the UK and Europe as well as lots of open green spaces to visit, walk around and explore.
There is plenty of work on offer in Leicester and Living costs are lower than the national average.
Nurses earn an average of just over £37,000 per a year in Leicester.
So, your salary as a registered Nurse goes much further. Here are a couple of examples:
As a newly qualified Nurse on an NHS Band 5 salary, if you rented a house, you would still have more than £1000 left in your pocket each month for everything else. Your disposable income in the Southeast would barely reach half of this figure, for example.
As a Band 6 Nurse, you would easily be able to borrow enough money to buy a joint mortgage an average-priced flat in Leicester In fact, in many parts your salary would cover the cost of buying a house.
As a nursing student or Nurse in Leicester, you will have a superior quality of life with lots of places to explore and things to do in Leicester.
