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Original poster

Is this a (financially) middle class household these days or not?

291 replies

Yealp · 12/01/2026 21:18

I don’t think so, my best friend thinks it’s completely middle class.

Income after tax per month 5,200
Household one adult and one dc
Mortgage payment 1k a month, equity 350k (4 bed detached)

OP posts:
noworklifebalance · 12/01/2026 21:42

anonlawyer · 12/01/2026 21:36

We are all working class these days. If you are reliant on your wage to pay your bills how are you anything else.

The middle class have always worked - it’s the nature of the professions that various generations undertook that partly defined the class.

Glowingup · 12/01/2026 21:42

lol yeah this is living on the breadline. Can’t be middle class unless you have your mortgage paid off dontcha know. And only 3k disposable - how do people cope?

Pogpog21 · 12/01/2026 21:40

Zobra · 12/01/2026 21:39

Genuinely how do you know what class you are if it’s not income? From what I’ve seen on here I’m middle class for owning books but underclass for having a kid at 16? Definitely not working class because I hate football and chips with gravy.

Genuinly how are you working out what class you are? I don’t know if I’m middle or under class.

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its based on your parents occupational type and your own.

Zobra · 12/01/2026 21:39

MotorbikeStuntRider · 12/01/2026 21:36

Income and class are not related. 95k is in the top 5% of earners. I don't understand what you think it is.

Genuinely how do you know what class you are if it’s not income? From what I’ve seen on here I’m middle class for owning books but underclass for having a kid at 16? Definitely not working class because I hate football and chips with gravy.

Genuinly how are you working out what class you are? I don’t know if I’m middle or under class.

OnTheBoardwalk · 12/01/2026 21:39

This again. I like the Rooney example from @idontcareabouttennis

I worked for someone many years ago worth 12m. They owned bars, offices , car parks in major city. Private education etc

She once picked me up in the rolls but mainly the jag from my house but was also more than happy for me to pick her up in my micra

she always said ‘I’m not middle class I’m working class with money'

Thepeopleversuswork · 12/01/2026 21:39

Class isn’t simply about income or assets, its a much more complex question. So someone’s mortgage doesn’t define their class.

Having said that, this is a comfortable wage and a manageable mortgage. As far as we can tell from the information here this isn’t someone who is struggling.

noworklifebalance · 12/01/2026 21:39

Yealp · 12/01/2026 21:25

@Purpleturtle45 i guess mortgage paid off? Bit more disposable income as I guess after bills the actual disposable is more like 3k

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i guess mortgage paid off?

The “middle class” nowadays are more likely to have large mortgage payments but large equity.

JaquelineHide · 12/01/2026 21:38

Oh ffs.

ImmortalJillyCooper · 12/01/2026 21:37

pottymouth40 · 12/01/2026 21:36

I agree with this. DH is a top 1% earner but we are working class with an upper middle class lifestyle - holiday homes, fancy cars, dcs in private school etc.

Do people really care about this stuff? Isn’t pretty much everyone MC nowadays? Even my window cleaner drives a BMW and has just had a new Wren kitchen fitted 😂

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Fuck me im in the wrong business. Surely its a money laundering scheme!

MotorbikeStuntRider · 12/01/2026 21:36

Income and class are not related. 95k is in the top 5% of earners. I don't understand what you think it is.

anonlawyer · 12/01/2026 21:36

We are all working class these days. If you are reliant on your wage to pay your bills how are you anything else.

pottymouth40 · 12/01/2026 21:36

idontcareabouttennis · 12/01/2026 21:20

Class is very little to do with income (Wayne Rooney is never going to be anything other than working class, for example, even though he is loaded) - but I’d say that’s a fairly ‘middle’ income

Edited

I agree with this. DH is a top 1% earner but we are working class with an upper middle class lifestyle - holiday homes, fancy cars, dcs in private school etc.

Do people really care about this stuff? Isn’t pretty much everyone MC nowadays? Even my window cleaner drives a BMW and has just had a new Wren kitchen fitted 😂

YorkshireGoldie · 12/01/2026 21:35

Why does class matter?

Hate these humble brag posts

Original poster
Yealp · 12/01/2026 21:34

TomatoSandwiches · 12/01/2026 21:34

Better get that mortgage paid off asap there won't be a middle class soon.

Edited

@TomatoSandwiches i don’t understand

OP posts:
TomatoSandwiches · 12/01/2026 21:34

Better get that mortgage paid off asap there won't be a middle class soon.

SunandWine · 12/01/2026 21:33

Are you very rich? Just what does someone need to earn for you to consider them worthy?

That take home income that would put someone in the top 10 % of earners and a mortgage of £1,000 per month on a 4 bed house would be impossible very low in most parts of the south east.

Nothing to do with class though.

SquirrelRed · 12/01/2026 21:33

Yealp · 12/01/2026 21:25

@Purpleturtle45 i guess mortgage paid off? Bit more disposable income as I guess after bills the actual disposable is more like 3k

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3k a month disposable income is loads. Genuinely. Thats more than we earn before any bills come out

Zobra · 12/01/2026 21:31

fuck me 😂 upper class

enough of the tendency on this site to claim being that well off is “middle” anything

ImmortalJillyCooper · 12/01/2026 21:31

Odd question, but the figures imply a decent professional income which is typically considered middle class. That mortgage is really quite small for a 4 bed house. I still don’t understand what you think OP.

InveterateWineDrinker · 12/01/2026 21:30

For fuck's sake. £5200 per month after tax is about £95k gross - top five percent in the UK.

Do you really have to ask?

mummyofhyperDD · 12/01/2026 21:30

Your friend has done well to keep up a high earning role as a single parent, it’s a very good salary . I don’t think £1,000 a month mortgage is a huge payment at all - I have found that affordable on a much lower salary with no child maintenance.
Class is not based on income in the UK but it’s a healthy salary

blackpooolrock · 12/01/2026 21:29

I don't think class has anything to do with income. It's new money i guess?

Equalizer · 12/01/2026 21:29

Doesn't it depend on how much is outstanding on the mortgage, current pension provision and higher education payments....depends on the age of the child too.

Purlant · 12/01/2026 21:26

Do you mean middle class or middle income? Class has little bearing on income!

namechangetheworld · 12/01/2026 21:26

Yealp · 12/01/2026 21:23

@Octavia64 i think that’s a huge mortgage payment for one adult personally!!

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We earn far less as a couple (just under £3000 per month) and pay a £1,150 mortgage. It would be perfectly doable on that salary!