Yes, it's tough! And yes, London is cold. The rest of the country is not like that. However, you're not really trapped yet. Reading between the lines you don't yet have children, and a huge mortgage and school fees geared to your banking salary. Which is where I was post GFC in 2009/2010. In that situation, with banks and HFs firing and nobody hiring at the salary you need to meet obligation, you are in a tricky spot. I saw some pretty nasty stuff happen at my employer in 2008/9/10. IMHO the solution is to move out of London. There's lots of interesting dev work outside London in Cambridge, Oxford, Bristol, Birmingham etc. And very healthy salaries too. Check my profile and email if you want more on how I solved this dilemma.