For my year in industry i was lucky on the pay scale (maybe not on the job quality!) I was paid 17k, plus accomodation, and travel to the uk once a month ( i lived abroad) downside was that i worked from 8am - 8/9pm and constantly on duty.
As for my pay now increased - im on 18k with no benefits whatsoever. When i challenged this (as now i am qualified with a degree, surely im worth more than 1k more a year!) I was told i didnt have the experience in the field that i was going to be working in. So far in the month of so i have been here there is little to challenge me. I know that life shouldnt be all about the money, but when you have very little of it, all of a sudden it does!
If i could have afforded not to have a job and thought about what i wanted to do and the career path i wanted to take then that would have been my option - unfortunately my financial position doesnt afford me that luxury.