What counts as a 'middle income family'?

[Latenightpharma]

BBC reporting today about middle income families being worse off made me think what that means exactly. What is a middle income family to you? Surely this is also influenced by where you live and whether you have children. I do not and think I'd be classed as a high income family where I live, but was wondering about people's opinions.

[DeliaDinglehopper]

To me a middle income family is one who is not eligible for any state support but still has to keep a close eye on their spending.

[Dollywilde]

Well, the average household income in the UK is about £30k, so I'd say that? Although I'm in a corner of the SE where that would be considered low income, so who knows.

[KingsleyShacklebolt]

I would take it to mean households with children under the age of 18, not couples or retirees whose children are grown up. Middle income - well as the average salary is about £25k -£30k full time, I would say and family (assuming 2 parents working full time) on a joint salary of £45k to about £65k.

[Latenightpharma]

@KingsleyShacklebolt

I would take it to mean households with children under the age of 18, not couples or retirees whose children are grown up. Middle income - well as the average salary is about £25k -£30k full time, I would say and family (assuming 2 parents working full time) on a joint salary of £45k to about £65k.

I was thinking something like that, but wasn't sure. When people say 30k, that seems interesting because that's below the average for a single person. Not every household has two working adults in it, but I thought that average household income would sit about 30k as quite a few families have dual earners. Not sure what the earning threshold is for not being entitled to benefits (other than child benefit). Was thinking maybe 20k, but I could be wrong there.

[Fairyliz]

Well according to the BBC this morning middle income families will lose £3000 per year which represents 2% of their income.
So on those figures a middle income family earns £150k per year!
Some more meaningless statistics spouted by people who don’t know what they are talking about.

[LemonSwan]

So on those figures a middle income family earns £150k per year!

Wow! That is mad

[Ifailed]

The median household income (after tax) was £29.5k in 2020 and the mean was £35.9k.

[GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER]

So much will depend on where you live and the cost of housing.

[PatriciaHolm]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-59076532

refers to middle earners "on about £25k"

[TractorAndHeadphones]

Since were talking about income - families where all wage earners are in the basic tax bracket (20%). Similar for self-employee etc.

Discussions about expenses etc are relevant to the extent of the area’s income statistics. Whether you have no kids or 5 doesn’t count.

[PatriciaHolm]

@Fairyliz

Well according to the BBC this morning middle income families will lose £3000 per year which represents 2% of their income.
So on those figures a middle income family earns £150k per year!
Some more meaningless statistics spouted by people who don’t know what they are talking about.

That relates to a (deliberately, I think) confusing report from the Resolution Foundation, and incorporates the hit in household expenditure (not income) from increasing business taxes over the next 3 years which they have assumed will be passed on.

So the 2% referred to is on income thanks to increases in NI, for example, whilst the £3,000 includes extra expenditure required as a result of the increased taxes on businesses. It doesn't mean that £3,000 is 2% of their income.

[TuftyMarmoset]

Anything below about £35k would be a low household income and probably above about £125k would be high so the middle is quite broad to me.

[Fairyliz]

@PatriciaHolm
Thanks for explaining. But again it appears that the BBC is reporting someone’s opinion as fact.
Does anyone actually know where you can get totally unbiased factual news from?
Even with my limited intelligence I can use pull apart most news reports.