In a bid to inject some realism into the figures being thrown around on living costs vs the take home pay for MF entrants, I did a bit of research.
Biggest single cost is going to be a roof over one's head. Checking out sites like Find-a-property for the going rate and a studio flat rental runs out at around £500pm if you live around the Hounslow/Feltham/Slough/Stanwell areas. Two bed flats come at around the £900 mark.
Monthly food bills - say £250. Travel costs - well, the areas are pretty close in to T5 so bus ticket would be c£80 per month. Mobile bill ? Reasonable price plans for c£30pm. OK So I haven't bunged in heating, lighting, council tax and personal spend, but so far the monthly outgoing is under £900.
That's 75% of the take home figure being quoted. If you opt to get a two bed place and share, the numbers get better. OK so you won't be able to buy your own place, but based on current property prices in the area, very few single people starting out can. In any case, as others have pointed out, on the money being paid, the likelihood is that there will be a reasonable staff turnover as MF joiners won't see is a job for life. Thus it is unlikely that they would wish to be saddled with a mortgage.
Yes, it is a bit on the tight side, but so are most starters I'm afraid.