Are other full-time working families finding there is nothing left?

Neither can most people on benefits.

@MidnightMeltdown ..I know there are people on mumsnet who have said this and I also know a couple of families where I live who rely soley on benefits with no intention of working. However,I have worked with many people in various sectors who work damn hard and due to not being paid enough for a full time role which can include nights,split shifts etc( are in receipt of UC). Once again we really should stop the bashing. But I don't expect that will happen.

Let’s introduce more taxation and legislation on these ‘greedy’ businesses and individuals, see if we can push the unemployment rate into the double figures.

Most working families these days can’t manage to save the £6,000 unfortunately 😭

100%. If working full time isn't enough to get by and means they need to be topped up with benefits, there essentially the taxpayer is subsidising the employer. But the business makes enough profits to pay dividends out, which aren't taxed anywhere near as much as wages. All these people rushing to blame benefit claimants when the real issue is greedy businesses.

I remember watching that on the news in New Zealand. People in the UK walking away from houses they had bought and then couldn't afford when interest rates skyrocketed. Remember watching some people smashing them up. Also really bad unemployment in people that would normally be gainfully employed. Was bad here, but worse over thereI think.

Feelings of shame and inadequacy can be uncomfortable.

Is it those with very high mortgages or rent plus nursery fees that have suddenly felt the cost of living the most?

I’d be interested to hear outgoings for those who earn 70/80k+ as that a lot more than we earn and we are comfortable.
We have a mortgage in the south east although not a huge one but are looking to upsize.

I also think our timing has been lucky as we’ve finished the huge nursery fees (2 under 2) times and working very part time - which was miserable as we had nothing. So we’ve lived frugally for years and as we’ve earned more it’s easier not to spend on luxuries.

The couple rate has just gone up to nearly £1600.

Il say it again, you have to earn over £980 a month if single, £1400 in a couple to get a UC top up on your wage. You cannot work only a few hours anymore

The system is flawed though, because if you work a few more hours, you might earn more money but yoir UC is deducted from more so people are no better off so they get trapped

Unless they can move from a 13k salary to a 23k which isn't an easy ask if you are in low wage work as thst means a totally different job

Pensioner spending is not the biggest cost in where my taxes are spent . HMRC breakdown confirms welfare comes top and a separate category further down for pensioners .
I do agree though the younger generation are screwed because there’s so few working now to build up pension savings and state pension maybe be severely curtailed to only the very needy .

Has to be . No one else would be so stupid . Why should anyone billionaire or not express a view on everything. JKR did plenty in the fight for women’s rights.

How many millionaires are going to the trouble of applying for PIP/DLA?

Why would it be uncomfortable for me?

Maybe unpopular but I think PIP and DLA should be meanstested as well. You got millionaires receiving PIP/DLA they do not need. And don't get me started on anxiety eligibility- it should be vetted better and coherently. Those who need it should absolutely get it- those who don't shouldn't.

It is the highest earners and the ones skipping tax etc with their clever accountants etc (which happens more than Ms Smith committing benefit fraud btw) that should bear the brunt of this

Who are we talking about here with regards to higher earners? Because higher earners on PAYE are paying a lot of tax, very much in line with other European countries. It’s the low and middle earners who pay less but as I have said a large barrier to changing this is high housing costs.

Young family A. Couple kids. Both work. Rent. Unable to save due to cost of living crisis so survive pay cheque to pay cheque, less than £500 in bank paying tax to support family B. Family B, £500k equity in outright owned home (bought from inheritance), savings of £5k and on full means tested benefits?

I also think that care in the home should include house value (a charge in the home). It’s much more common than going into a care home but people get it regardless of housing wealth.

How on earth a 500k house would be run and maintained on a means tested benefit income is beyond me. The council tax would be a fortune for a start.

Why do you think that? CT isn’t based on current house prices….

This is out of date. The amount they have to earn if in a single claim is about 19 hours and I guess double that for a couple. I can get away with one shift a week because my husband earns over the AET but I am looking after my youngest.

The thing is an ageing population is going to put pressure on the benefit spend since pensioner spending is the biggest cost. I would pause the triple lock but people won’t vote for it.

It’s obscene how much wealth is in this country and how much has been sucked into fewer hands.

The top 50 families hold more wealth than the poorest 50% of the population. The top 50. (Equality Trust figures).

The Times Rich List has 156 billionaires on it, where there were once, pre 1980s, 2. Most of those were born into it or born into the company that gave them wealth, and take a look at the mismatch between their list of richest and the list of the UKs biggest taxpayers.

Im off to work in an underpaid and undervalued job in the NHS today and wonder some more about dropping my hours or handing my notice in as we’re expected to do ever more with ever less. It’s not worth it to me to break my health at 50 to keep the baby boomers going at 90. Who will you get to do it next? The money doesn’t gain me anything due to the insane property prices even of the poorest crap thrown up in Victorian times. Those billionaires are the cause of it all.

https://www.thetimes.com/sunday-times-rich-list

https://highpaycentre.org/sunday-times-rich-list-2025-our-reflections/

https://equalitytrust.org.uk/evidence-base/billionaire-britain-2025/

This is not true. Only around a third of UC claimants are in work. Many of these will only be working a few hours a week (so that they don’t lose benefits). You see it on here all the time - people saying that they could increase their hours, but it not worth it due to loss of benefits. So basically they’d rather have extra days off and have other people work and pay for them.

Yes this is me - salary not much more than it was 15 years ago but all the bills and food have gone up massively.

It’s only this year that our pay at work will go up 4% - previously it was well below inflation while the CEO’s wage has risen 80% over those 15 years.

Working full time doesn't automatically equal being able to buy everything you want when you want and it never has. Most people wouldn't just buy their kids the new England football kit for £135 unless it was a Christmas present. If you think this is normal spending its not surprising you are disappointed in what spare money you have. You can say no to your kids you know.

Absolutely this.

I would also like to add that those on UC are not immune to food costing more, higher utilities etc.

And a high proportion of those receiving UC also work and pay tax and do not have free prescriptions, dentists etc etc.

CurlyhairedAssassin

Be careful with any card administration charges, expiry date etc.
Those one4all cards are a rip off if you don't spend them fairly quickly.

yes, that’s true I wouldn’t get one for all vouchers, I just get shop dependant ones, eg Tesco/ Aldi/ Boots and our local hairdresser/ beautician who has been around years- am in Ireland and all vouchers by law here have a 5 year expiration date now by law