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

@OneShyQuailwhere are you getting your figures from please? Because this isn’t true as far as the ONS goes reporting on this

The main disadvantage would be time, i.e. working a five day week and only taking home what you earn after 10am on Wednesday (person A). The disadvantage would be relative to someone not working at all (person B) and having a comparative lifestyle. How does an economy or society continue to function if we continue to tax Person As out of existence.

I remember before the last general election I watched someone whose name i cant remember predicting a Labour government would turn us into Venezuela, I thought he was mad, guess I was wrong!

I think this thread has derailed.

OP was asking whether full time working families have less and less breathing room... then we have people coming on saying well im worse off than you so how do you think i feel!!

Its not a race to the bottom, the point is that almost everyone has had to cut back on something in their life due to the uk crisis.

Yanbu. I got sick of the grind in 2024. My ds is older now but I still need to drop him at the school bus in the morning.
As a lone parent, working full time, I took a 10% pay cut and moved to a local job. Rather than commuting to London, I have a 4 mile drive. It saves me £80 a week, more in winter.

I've regained an hour a day. I can cycle safely to work in the school holidays saving more money. I don't have to deal with SWR any more. Despite the pay cut I am better off. I am far less stressed. I get to work with people in my home community.

More time to cook, healthier food. Fewer upfs. Lower costs. I have time to grow salads and fruit. More savings.

Each little saving adds up. I feel significantly better off.

YANBU - I have a friend who in the past week has gone out to eat three times, and gone to a gig. I have no idea how she is affording it! I have a wedding in a month that will cost me 150 for accommodation plus 50 in petrol, and I need to buy an outfit too, meaning I can't afford any other expenses for the next month or two. Our household income is over well above average so we shouldn't be finding things so tight, but we are.

Well, it's my life. I never thought I'd have a wheelchair using child either but here I am.

No one thinks it will be their life until it is.

Not one person complaining about benefits has listed their income and outgoings, including pension contributions and savings, that's very telling, as it would actually give us something useful to debate, but we don't want that do we

Unfortunately if you choose to have children it has an impact on your finances meaning your buffer to absorb any cost rises is much lower or non existent and means sometimes have to cut back on a few things.

Everyone is having to deal with increasing costs not just families and many who don't have children will also be feeling the pain too.

I do feel more sympathy for childless people there is never any help for them in the same way that other groups are always prioritised with financial help.

Just to correct a point, only one third of working age claimants on UC are in work. The working requirements are also very part time. A couples AET is less than one full time job between them for example.

I can understand how someone on six figures is struggling. It’s around £5 k a month after deductions. It’s often in high cost of living areas, and if you got a recent mortgage, you’re probably looking at £2.5k to £3k a month on a very basic three bed semi. You’re then not eligible for childcare subsidies either. Childcare costs are now in excess of £2.5k per child per month if not receiving subsidies, as they put the fees up to subsidise the costs of the funded hours. My unfunded childcare bill for example went up to well over £5k a month for two children - an entire £100k salary.

You are saying you fully agree there’s nothing left… you must be putting alot into your pensions and savings if you say your mortgage is low and you can only afford a weekend in Chester on 200k+!!!!

Sorry but i don’t think you come into the category of having nothing left.

Good to see the OP @fatface001 is engaging with their thread

I am 10 years before state pension age.
Where is this £60k a year into my pension coming from?

I don't understand your point?

I think there’s a real mix. It’s also heavily 1) salary dependent 2) outgoing dependent.

My husband and I have three children, a sizeable 4 bed detached house in the South East and savings in the bank. That’s not to boast, we both started with nothing and were conservative spenders. No abroad holidays yet, no new clothes (love Vinted) and no gym memberships (we run) or debts. We were lucky to both stay at home until we had deposit money so haven’t had to rent.

Had we not been able to stay at home and save, we’d probably also be feeling the pinch. Or if we had low incomes. I also know lots of families who are still holidaying multiple times a year.

One thing is for sure, there’s less disposable money than there was.

We are small businesses owners and it is hard right now. People are spending less. The outgoings are extortionate (wages, rent, electricity etc.). The quality of staff is abysmal.
We’ve taken to working over 100 hours a week between us because the staff just aren’t worth the expenditure.

But if you have a high wage and can afford to you can salary sacrifice up to £60k tax free into a pension fund just for you, so you can benefit in later life and if you save enough get off the hamster wheel with a decent income 10 years before state pension age.

There are no disadvantages to higher earning.

Yes, but there are really niche cases. How many people have wheelchair using children? Do you think this is common?

What is your income, and what are you outgoings - given you are in the ‘broadest shoulders’ camp?

'Broadest shoulders* refers to those who bother to go to work, someone needs to support all those who know the right words to say to get signed off work.

previous tax years expenditure on welfare/pensions/Debt servicing:
2021/2022 39% of my taxes
2022/2023 41.9% of my taxes
2023/2024 44.4% of my taxes
2024/2025 44% - so down slightly

I don't see this trend improving

Yes, we earn over 6 figures as a household and this week I got my hair cut at Supercuts the discount hairdresser at a walk in price as I can not afford my hairdresser anymore and havent had it cut for 6 months, I booked a The Sun caravan holiday for 100 quid as we can't afford a holiday and bought my kids their summer clothes from Shein.
We were earning similar money ten years ago and shopping in waitrose and john lewis, holidaying in the carribbean and I had my hair and nails done reguarly.
I do know I am fortunate enough to be riding out the storm with food in my cupboard and shoes on my kids feet.. but it does feel bloody pointless sometimes to keep trying.

Bottom line is this isn't sustainable. You can talk 'til the cows come home about the deserving poor but if less tax is coming in than needs to go out, something is going to have to give. People on £50k a year shouldn't be in the higher tax bracket. It should be about £80k if it had kept up with inflation.

I think it's very clear that if you are in a salaried job, even if you are doing very well at it, the tax burden is huge and getting worse. The government has to ensure that tax works to incentivise the behaviours we need to see for the economy to thrive or there will be nothing left for any of us. Unfortunately though, that seems to be the situation we are heading towards. There has to be jobs and there has to be social and financial pressure for all physically able people to get out into the workplace to support the economy. It is just not enough to work three days a week for work/life balance or take time off for minor things. I've worked for 45 years full time and I'm sick of taking on so much of the burden.

Totally agree.
I’m really worried about the coming 10 years and the economy.

I forgot the attachments. If you log into HMRC you can see your tax expenditure breakdown

Yes pensions.
And you are right, private sixth form is a choice (and maybe one we won’t feel sufficiently secure to make.) We’ve not been private since nursery.
Holidays - so this Easter we’re having a long weekend in an AirBnB in Chester!! It’s not exactly living the high life.
My parents used to take me on 10-day hotel holidays in nice places (think lakes & mountains) abroad. Our household income back in the 80s was less than £15K.
This is too costly nowadays - we either go for a week in a hotel or do AirBnb if it’s longer.