To be shocked when adults have absolutely no savings at all?

And this is the problem isn't it? Not just in care (where people don't want to pay from their own pockets but also don't want to pay more tax either) but in most jobs that serve society in one way or another, no one wants to pay more for them, in order for those delivering the service to be paid a wage where they could cover their living expenses and then have a savings buffer. Oh quite happy to use the services, and complain bitterly the services aren't good enough, yet don't believe the people delivering them are worth a decent wage.
"Work hard! Sacrifice! Get a better job!" They cry whilst sipping the coffee made by a minimum wage barista, after dropping children at a nursery with minimum wage staff, doing the weekly shop staffed by minimum wage workers and then visiting aunty in the care home - staffed by minimum wage workers.
I'd be more inclined to believe it was genuine to be 'confused' and to judge people who don't have savings if the majority of people weren't benefitting from the work of the very people they're judging and sneering at.
Nothing more than hypocrisy really. Don't like that people need benefits to survive while working? Or don't have savings that match those who consider themselves the great and the good? Get your hand in your pocket and start paying more for the services you use then!

I had way more savings in my 20s than at any other time!

If you mean you're shocked that people who have the capacity to save, choose not to, then YANBU. But some people live pay cheque to pay cheque or are constantly in debt because they don't have a job that earns enought to even pay for basic living needs, let along savings. It's a horrible state to be in.

That £10k should cover your winter heating bills if this skirmish in Iran keeps going. HTH

COL has recently hit me too and I’m back on Lidl and Aldi shops, though Sainsburys for convenience sometimes as they’re the nearest. I switched a few bill options too recently. I also walk more but this is more eco friendly and I have the time to do this.

My DM was very poor when younger so I like others in similar situations have made efforts so I am never like that again. I don’t count my chickens though and realise I could be poor at any time.

I have been sort of poor when younger and first moving out, living away from home but that was money management. Luckily I’ve never been that poor, always worked.

We only have significant (for us) savings now because I was made redundant. The last lot got used to replace our very leaky roof and our 40 plus year old boiler.

I didn’t save for years as I didn’t earn a huge amount. But then I had a couple of inheritances and now save. Mostly 6 month notice savings account and investments but low to medium risk. I have dipped into my savings now as I’m not working after a mental health episode where I was hospitalised. I’m also lucky that I have income from family owned properties.

I think it's a precarious situation to be in but many people have no choice. What's shocking is that wages and cost of living don't allow people to also save, especially given the future situation of the state pension with declining numbers of young people.

I am currently one of those people who no longer have savings. I always had $40,000 in savings and no credit card debts and no loans and my husband and I had financial freedom. One wrong turn, one bad year, and one life decision changed all of that and now my husband and I are having to rebuild. Life happens, financial freedom and savings can vanish in front of your eyes. For some people its been their entire life and they cant get out of it and for others like myself its just a bad phase of life. Shaming people for what they dont have is ridiculous. You should just thank your lucky stars you havnt had to start over.

How do you save if on a minimal salary, high housing costs and bills only just covered by income?

We have no savings. I have no pension either. It’s not a nice position to be in.

Mostly but I haven't really started any businesses retail, hospitality or care where the vast majority of minimum wage workers work. I'd love to set up a care business with properly paid care workers but I don't think the clients would be prepared to pay enough to make it work, too many families want care to be cheap.

Universal credit does not stop at 6k ! The limit is 16k. Savings between 6k and 16k incur a small deduction on the monthly amount they receive. Above 16k they would stop altogether.

This is the exceptionalism of the American Dream writ large. If I work hard enough I’ll be recognised for my labours. It’s bollocks. It’s a trap. Business owners perpetuate it because it benefits them if the average worker assumes they’ll succeed based on grit and determination. The capitalist system is rigged against them.

We have been fortunate, as well as hard-working, and now we are 70, we have some savings. We also assist our apprentice DC in an expensive town in the South east, and are happy that we can ensure there's a roof over their head, because a single person earning NMW struggles with the COL, as did we in our 20s in the 1970s. Then I lived in my overdraft too!

Just to clarify, what’s your point about people without children? That we shouldn’t be entitled to any benefits?

I think age is a huge factor. When you have small children, nursery fees, maybe one person has gone part time, huge mortgage, 2 cars etc, money can be very tight, and you find yourself maxing out credit cards.

Later in life, the kids leave home, the mortgage gets paid off, you may get an inheritance or two, you may get a tax free lump sum from your private Pension, and before you know it, you have a lot of money left over each month, as your outgoings have shrunk hugely (no nursery, no childcare, no mortgage). Then the savings can build up rapidly, as you're earning interest on interest, and adding to it every month. That's been our experience. Mid 50's has been a game changer for us.

I know a woman who is nearly 50 borrowing money from her parents. It’s not because she doesn’t have money, but spends it foolishly. That’s the type of behavior that baffles me, not people that have had a run of bad luck and have no savings for those reasons.

I suppose you pay all your employees above NMW right?

You know who also claims UC? Teachers, TA’s , nurses, police personnel etc., and most other services that keep the country running. Are they not allowed holidays?

Not a lot of people plan for it, but that’s how things are. Because we need people to be in NMW jobs all their life or as long as possible.

Yes I do. Cleaners who work hard catch the focus of their boss. They can then become cleaning supervisors or co-ordinators. Some realise that they are better of reducing their employed hours and taking on private cleaning work. Some people run very successful cleaning business, cleaning other peoples homes. If I had to start from scratch now - I would consider it. Easy to get clients using social media - clients generally provide the equipment and products so hardly any running costs. Get the first few to pay in advance to pay for the insurance then boom - good business.

Cleaning can be well paid and is certainly nothing to be ashamed of.

It is so easy to start a business in the UK - it used to be taught in schools through Young Enterprise, I'm not sure if that is still a thing.

I don't think there are many jobs at all that don't give you some skills that can be built on to another role.

You’re being harsh OP, or ignorant. You can see on here that some people live month to month. I’m sure they’d love to have enough to save, but they don’t.

In real life, I have no clue how much our friends have in savings. It’s not something we talk about.