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

This is the deeper point of this thread. Not benefits, and who gets what; that’s irrelevant. Benefits exist to help the most vulnerable in society (yes a minority abuse them, but it’s a small fraction. Most absolutely need them and are entitled what they receive) The point the Op makes is that EVEN the well paid workers who are able to work and earn are being shafted as never before. They then can’t spend or buy any luxuries which will lead to hardship and job losses across the board. I think it’s a time bomb and we’re seeing it play out in real time.

Yes it's temporary, but another 3.5 years for us! Not exactly light at the end of the tunnel status yet. I'd like a holiday before 2030 if possible!

Oh for God's sake.

Leaving aside the fact that the savings might have accrued before the UC claim was made...

It is sensible to allow people on UC to have some sort of cushion for when the washing macine/boiler/car breaks down etc. It would be a really stupid and spiteful policy to not allow this.

As I said, your venom is misdirected.

I’m ’benefit People’ (to quote an earlier post)
lone parent, two jobs and still not enough to survive so receive a top up.
Have to rent and cannot afford to drive; I assure you we are not ‘winning’
The resentment that oozes towards those with considerably less is pathetic.

If a higher earner is telling you they can’t afford x, y and z anymore, you can be concerned about the state of the nation’s economy or you can respond with a trite ‘well people on benefits can’t afford Pizza Express anyway so I’m sure you’ll cope’. It’s such a regressive pov.

I wasn’t a high earner when my dc were in nursery and my mortgage was pretty big at the time and we could still afford a holiday and a few meals out. Netflix wasn’t an unimaginable luxury. The cost of living has gone through the roof for everybody, it’s nothing like it was 5-10 years ago. Fixed costs you cannot budget out of are absolutely taking the piss.

This might also be the mounjaro effect!

A friend runs a cafe in a local attraction. A few summers ago, visitors would have bought tea/coffee, sandwich and cake. Then majority stopped buying sandwiches, next they cut back on cake to biscuits, and now most just have tea or coffee. It's an indication of how people with extra money are cutting back. She's had to reduce hours and offering and cut back on staff too.

Being disabled is shit enough so shouldn't that poster be able to have some sort of enjoyment even if it is a cafe in a cafe or do you begrudge that?

Oh how terrible for them penalised by £4.35 per month because they’ve managed to have savings collecting money from the tax payer. It’s an absolute joke.

I just have to worry about the likes of Reform getting in and wondering what on earth they will do with people like me who they clearly think very little of.

The increases also don't really benefit considering everything else is also increasing.

DH & I are what most ‘normal’ people would think of as having a high household income and we have always felt quite flush but this last 6-12 months has been quite a bit tighter.

We still have money left but do not appear to have a home and lifestyle that matches our income.

We aren’t ‘Mumsnet’ high though - that’s reserved for £200k plus according to some threads I reckon.

Nursery is temporary though.

Brexit, oligarchy, ramifications of lockdown, illogical oil fuelled wars(no pun intended), religion, cunts like Trump & Farage. Those are a few of the shitty things UK could be doing without right now.

I take it that your monthly mortgage payment is taking up a very large percentage of your income, the interest rate having shot up in the last few years.

I do. Even with a payrise I have nothing left at the end of the month. And I'm not on a bad salary. Just, the price of everything is so bad. And I don't even have car finance. We were able to buy that outright 4 years ago.

I have a normal set of outgoings/expenses, and a good salary, and yep, abs. olutely nothing left.

Completely and utterly YES. I bought some cakes in a box the other day. I had to get out a magnifying glass to find them. I think we are being monumentally ripped off by the super rich and large corporations.

Because the government make sure you get inflationary increases and you dont have to worry about fighting for a payrise/searching for a slightly better paid job etc. Top ups and childcare costs paid. Rent paid or subsidised. I'd say thats winning financially in some respects, compared to those who have high private rents or mortgages and bills coupled with wages which have stagnated rather than increased with inflation.

As @Kirbert2 said people on benefits are not winning. I’m too ill to work. I’m not on the breadline and I’m very grateful for the support I get. I lead a very simple life and budget carefully. I have a lot of
extra expenses due to my health issues too. Eg greater need for heating, have to pay for various healthcare things that the NHS doesn’t provide.

“those with the broadest shoulders” contributing more” refers to the highest tax rates imposed on the highest salaries.
What’s your household income? Eg if you’re on 45k each (household income 90k) then you won’t be paying any higher rate tax so the broadest shoulders doesn’t refer to you.

However at this level I can potentially see why you feel like there’s not much left after childcare, commuting costs, mortgage (assuming it’s fairly big) and food/petrol/bills.

No one has suggested you do. But maybe just don't moan about how hard it is for you!

I think the majority of people feel like this. Feels like we're working for nothing.

Yep was exactly the same as you, OP, and then I lost my job before Christmas. It was getting tight before then and now I am living on air as everything stripped back. If you have the energy, are there any side hustles you could do? I made quite a bit on Vinted.

Yep. And for more of that crap to really ramp up, vote Reform...

I’m a high earner and I am not going to be chastised for not living like I’m on benefits - what’s the point in having it if I live like I did when I didn’t have two pennies to rub together? Being a higher earner doesn’t go as far as it did though, lots of nice to haves will go for everyone if not enough people can afford them. Hankering for Communist Russia where we’re all in the four hour queue for the state loaf of bread seems to have some kind of appeal to a lot of people, which I don’t understand.

and some people judge without even bothering to know how benefits work such as you currently have to earn a tiny amount to get free school meals. You certainly aren't getting it if you earn anything close to £30k.