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

I pay £1k a month on my rent, as does my son. (Me, no deposit, him, does not want to buy as yet)

Really? What's a "middle class mortgage" then?

Reason I ask is when we bought our first house (2.5bed 30s semi, starter home, £155k) our mortgage was £890. So £1k really doesn't seem high.

Yes comfortable!

My dc will never be able to confidently say whether they’re middle or working class online, such a shame. A 16 year old mum with a rubbish job but a professional dad with multiple degrees. No online essays about the typical working or middle class childhood for dc

Absolutely.

I grew up on a council estate (rented) and believed the idea of owning a home or paying off a home would make me middle class. I still kinda believe it, that's not to say people aren't cash poor but if you have two cars, paying off a mortgage you're doing pretty well. You have assets. Growing up without a car, a rented house, electric off half the time and eating spam for the third day that week adjusted my world view.

The last 100 years was an exception, I think there will be more living to survive as we revert to the mean (unfortunately)

I would dare you to tell my proud working class friend he was no longer working class just because he lectures at a university. He'd probably write you a thesis discussing it.

(Also, being a part-time University lecturer no longer equates to having a profession.)

Don't understand the bit about the mortgage, is the cost or the fact of having one? I live in a bad area and the average rent for a tiny terraced house round here is close to a grand, I don't understand how having a mortgage makes someone middle class, surely it is about earning enough to save for a deposit

I don't know how you grade social class?

Isn't it more to do with education level or career? Or just about how much money you have in the bank? Who your parents are and what property they own?

Does it matter?

I mean my parents both went to uni, dad had a high paid job, (long deceased) some of my family are multimillionaires, (no siblings) but I left school at 16 and I'm a benefits claimants who's previous career was office admin. Haven't a penny to my name.

I've never felt the need to consider which social class I belonged to. It's not like it helps; labelling yourself.

Unless you're middle-class and have a child at 16.

Definitely working class for having child at 16..

No, once you have a degree and/or a profession you move sociological categories and ‘become’ middle class. Ie you may have been born working class but you are no longer so.

But yes, a middle class person can choose to become a plumber - many of the investment bankers I worked with, once they had enough money to pay off their mortgages and invest in savings, became plumbers and carpenters. They remain middle class because they had degrees/a university and professional education. They are simply middle class people pursuing a trade.

Is it!

Jesus how are people surviving out there! And we live somewhere cheap.

it is an extremely comfortable income.

Wow we would LOVE a 1k mortgage , that’s so low!!

You could also be a part-time University lecturer and working class or a middle class plumber. I know both.

Agree. I pay £1400 in rent and soon to be similar in mortgage and I earn 1k less than this example. I still save around £500 plus per month after paying bills etc. I’d like it to be less, but I live in an expensive area.

Does your income determine your class? I’m a higher rate tax payer but i’d never consider myself middle class now as I earn more. Like a pp said re Wayne Rooney as an example, I think your class comes more from your roots and values. I haven’t started calling tea supper just because I earn more.

@Yealp
£1k mortgage for a post tax household income of over £5k is completely reasonable.
It doesn't matter that 1 person is earning it.

We have a mortgage of £2.4k - 2 people earning - are we crazy?

Class isn’t about earnings. You can’t jump up I’m afraid. Tell us more about yourself and we’ll tell
you what class you are 😂

I'm confused about what you're saying it is if not middle class? Do you think owning a 4 bed home with £3k disposable income a month is working class?

However, the distinction between middle class and working class I always took as being related to education or earnings and not at all related to birth.

I would say a degree is also in lifestyle choices and values.

If you are earning a pile as a self made scaffolder but think the pinnacle of the social season is Aintree with a hell of a lot of fake tan, filled lips, a boob job & bling, you are probably not middle class.

If you are earning a relatively modest salary as a degree educated social worker, and you value education, music & the arts, you are probably stereotypically middle class.

There are trickier borderline cases. The pupil with relatively low a-level grades who squeezes onto a degree course in golf management at a low ranking university, does not really tick the "education" box in the same way as a stem degree at manchester or bristol.

I feel this is just a showing off post

Same. This countries obsession with class is so boring it’s embarrassing.

Salary of around £100k. What else is it?