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Original poster

Household income. Where are you?

416 replies

chonka901 · 26/01/2025 11:43

https://ifs.org.uk/toolsanddresources/wheredooyoufitt_in

Using this link and putting in everything joint net income ,including child benefit and maintenance which I think it takes into account. It has us at 73 percent. Not a stealth boast before any states that. Genuinely surprised.

I certainly don't feel like this but appreciate people survive on less. It doesn't take into account mortgages, rent, generational wealth, inheritance, childcare etc so is a guide.

It is eye opening though.

I feel poor compared to my friends though. We definitely are not the London elite. Just public sector workers in the North. I guess the maintenance helps. My friends must be in the top 20 percent.

OP posts:
Batteredcodmushypeasandafalafal · 27/01/2025 19:25

12% 🥹. Single mum to four young children, two with additional needs, no family/friends to help, meaning I have to care for them and can't work full time.

JHound · 27/01/2025 19:21

TheOtherAgentJohnson · 27/01/2025 19:16

No, I'm talking about the actual statistics.

Show quote history

Source?

TheOtherAgentJohnson · 27/01/2025 19:16

JHound · 27/01/2025 19:13

You are talking about what you “feel” the top 10% income should be.

What it actually is is very different.

Show quote history

No, I'm talking about the actual statistics.

Teasloth · 27/01/2025 19:13

21% if I include child maintenance I get but 12% if I don't. Problem is the maintenance isn't guaranteed and it all gets spent on my child's hobby anyway so I guess most people are much better off than me 😂
We do get by on a very small amount but I just about manage and run a car so there are def people worse off

It can be a slightly miserable existence having to count every pound ALL THE TIME 🤦 but we have no debt and don't own anything on finance etc

I'll probably have a miserable old age but for now me and the kiddo are doing OK!

JHound · 27/01/2025 19:13

TheOtherAgentJohnson · 26/01/2025 16:10

We are a household of two on ~50k gross each, no kids. I put in the net income and we're 91% without household costs, 87% with.

50k gross is a decent income, but it's not top 10% - you need to be above 70k for that.

Household income percentiles are not the same as for individuals—this calculator is about households.

Edited
Show quote history

You are talking about what you “feel” the top 10% income should be.

What it actually is is very different.

JHound · 27/01/2025 19:12

Allatonce2024 · 26/01/2025 15:27

38% which feels about right. Pretty much in the middle. We still go on nice holidays abroad every year, have a new TV, gym memberships and a car.

Edit: 14%!! I didn't realise you're meant to put net income...

God, now I feel kind of shit about my life a when I thought I was doing well!

Edited

Feel proud! You are doing all that on 14%. Shows you manage your money well.

JHound · 27/01/2025 19:11

Butchyrestingface · 26/01/2025 11:51

“you have a higher after housing cost income than around 94% of the population - equivalent to about 62.9 million individuals.”

That calculator is fucked.

It’s not. UK salaries are just low.

JHound · 27/01/2025 19:10

According to this I have an income higher than 96%. I have done this before so it is in line with what I expected but it shows just how crushingly low UK salaries are. I wonder why that is?

If I was in the USA or Australia I would be much lower down the distribution.

littleluncheon · 27/01/2025 19:07

ColdWaterDipper · 27/01/2025 19:02

70% which I would think was about right - we don’t earn loads as both public sector but we are quite senior in our organisation. Our mortgage is reasonably low due to inheritance / family money but our council tax is high and our children do some very expensive sports, and I own two money-put horses. So we tend to refer to ourselves as cash-poor but lifestyle rich. We manage to save a small amount of money each month and have a hot holiday and a skiing holiday each year.

Expensive sports, horses and skiing holidays in cash rich and lifestyle rich.

nellythe · 27/01/2025 19:02

SatinHeart · 27/01/2025 18:58

I bet it's that. Mine was 96% when I put in gross income!

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I just tried with gross income and got 96% also! With tax rates, I’d have to be earning pretty much double my actual gross I’d imagine to be taking that home as net!

ColdWaterDipper · 27/01/2025 19:02

70% which I would think was about right - we don’t earn loads as both public sector but we are quite senior in our organisation. Our mortgage is reasonably low due to inheritance / family money but our council tax is high and our children do some very expensive sports, and I own two money-put horses. So we tend to refer to ourselves as cash-poor but lifestyle rich. We manage to save a small amount of money each month and have a hot holiday and a skiing holiday each year.

SatinHeart · 27/01/2025 18:58

nellythe · 26/01/2025 15:24

Did you put in net or gross income?

Even for Mumsnet, there seems to be a very skewed amount of 95%+ on here so I’m wondering if people aren’t putting their net income in!

Edited
Show quote history

I bet it's that. Mine was 96% when I put in gross income!

PigInAHouse · 27/01/2025 15:35

timetodecide2345 · 27/01/2025 15:17

I think the fundamental flaw is people don't understand what net means! It's not the calculator.

No, I know exactly what net means. I put in our net income three times, and got three slightly different answer. I then put in our gross income and got a lower % (higher than 97% with net income, higher than 95% with gross) which obviously makes no sense. The calculator is flawed.

timetodecide2345 · 27/01/2025 15:17

I think the fundamental flaw is people don't understand what net means! It's not the calculator.

KStockHERO · 27/01/2025 11:52

With a household after tax income of £2206 per week, you have a higher income than around 97% of the population - equivalent to about 64.9 million individuals.

unlimiteddilutingjuice · 27/01/2025 11:49

I find it interesting that the people who "don't feel rich" are either at under 10% or or over 80%
The majority of people on average or below average wages are expressing gratitude for what they have.

unlimiteddilutingjuice · 27/01/2025 11:48

Allatonce2024 · 27/01/2025 10:50

Yeah, I'm wondering what rich is classed as if earning more than 94% of the population isn't.

Imagine saying "I'm taller than 94% of the population...so not tall".

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Its not just more than 94% of the population in the UK, either.
Its vastly more than the overwhelming majority of people alive in the world now. Or who have ever lived.

A lifestyle unprecedented in human history.

Janedoe82 · 27/01/2025 11:12

Well amongst my peers it is pretty normal and as I said I know lots who have much more. I am very sceptical of the accuracy of this tool.

Allatonce2024 · 27/01/2025 10:50

Cnidarian · 27/01/2025 08:09

Errr.....you rich.

Show quote history

Yeah, I'm wondering what rich is classed as if earning more than 94% of the population isn't.

Imagine saying "I'm taller than 94% of the population...so not tall".

Cnidarian · 27/01/2025 08:09

Janedoe82 · 26/01/2025 12:44

94 %. Comfortable but not rich.

Errr.....you rich.

Agix · 27/01/2025 07:52

75 with housing costs factored in. Very surprised.

TunipTheVegimal24 · 27/01/2025 07:49

gano · 26/01/2025 23:17

34%, but as it doesn't take into mortgage/investments/debt, it's not very accurate.
I don't earn a lot at all, and I'm a single mum. But my mortgage is paid off, I don't have any debt, and I do have investments.

Your investments go in your income.

There is also a check-box where you can add housing details.

gano · 26/01/2025 23:17

34%, but as it doesn't take into mortgage/investments/debt, it's not very accurate.
I don't earn a lot at all, and I'm a single mum. But my mortgage is paid off, I don't have any debt, and I do have investments.

TrellisMonday · 26/01/2025 22:44

74%

I have £3500 disposable income every month though and feel very comfortable/secure, so thought this would be higher but the country must be better off than I thought?

Pussycat22 · 26/01/2025 22:38

rainbowunicorn · 26/01/2025 17:55

It is appartant from the replies that a huge amount of people haven't read the instructions on what to include. They also don't seem to understand that it is solely an income calculator. Typical for mumsnet right enough. The reading comprehension on most threads is dire at the best of times. It doesn't matter what you drive, whether you are sending the kids to private school or have huge mortgage none of these change your income.

Don't you mean apparent? Oh the irony!

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