Page 13 | To think it’s crazy that National Minimum wage is £27k

Butterflyfluff · 2026-10-09T19:08:00+00:00

Yet it’s not really enough to live on 😢 My first job paid £7.5k per year and I thought I was loaded! And I’m not ancient. Now 2 people on NMW earn over £50k between them yet it’s really not enough these days.

TrickyD · 10/10/2026 12:54

Differentforgirls · 10/10/2026 12:51

God, I don't know any that do!

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I’m trying to think of any who don’t, amongst our friends.,

Differentforgirls · 10/10/2026 12:55

Allrightonthenight1 · 10/10/2026 12:48

That is unbelievably low. We pay over £3k council tax, £2.5k gas/electric, £500 water, £750 phones and internet.

c.£7000

DF pays around £5k as a single person.

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£750 for phones and the internet? Jesus I though we were bad at £230!

Differentforgirls · 10/10/2026 12:57

TrickyD · 10/10/2026 12:54

I’m trying to think of any who don’t, amongst our friends.,

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You live in a different world from me. Probably a different country too.

rainingsnoring · 10/10/2026 12:58

Chewbecca · 10/10/2026 11:38

Did those pensioners live in a tiny flat when they were in their 20s? (I did).

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A lot of current pensioners were married in their early 20s and able to afford a decent, family house. The older folk I know were able to do this on fairly moderate wages. Some of them bought in London.

Constantrunner · 10/10/2026 13:03

Witnesses · 10/10/2026 11:02

Having no mortgage/housing costs puts you in an entirely different boat to other people. It's simply not even comparable. It's like saying you live on 21k but you and your partner don't need to eat to survive!

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I know housing costs can be insane, I said that. But even with those included say £20k a year, we still would live comfortably on £41k for a couple. The house next door which is better than ours, is rented out for £1400 a month, so in reality we would pay less housing costs than £20k a year.

Superhansrantowindsor · 10/10/2026 13:05

I’m late 40’s. Able to buy a house at age 23 which has set us up basically. A few years younger we’d never have got on the housing ladder when we did. Have managed to buy and sell a couple of times to be in our current home. I am well aware that had I not bought the first house when I did for the price I did my life would be very different. It irritates me when people don’t realise they were lucky to buy a house pre 2003 when things started to go tits up.

Constantrunner · 10/10/2026 13:05

rainingsnoring · 10/10/2026 12:58

A lot of current pensioners were married in their early 20s and able to afford a decent, family house. The older folk I know were able to do this on fairly moderate wages. Some of them bought in London.

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They worked full time from 16 and saved often from very young. Those who bought in London young though usually had family help.

Noodledog · 10/10/2026 13:05

Differentforgirls · 10/10/2026 12:57

You live in a different world from me. Probably a different country too.

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Yes, a PP seems to think grandparents paying private school fees for their grandchildren is normal. They clearly inhabit a different world to the majority. I also don't know any pensioners in 4 or 5 bedroom houses.

IzzyGone · 10/10/2026 13:07

Bjorkdidit · 10/10/2026 08:40

Sounds like a lot of people don't have a clue about how much wages really are/were.

Factory workers didn't earn £12k in 1980 I know this because when I started work in a factory in 1992, so over a decade later, I earned £6.5k, also when DP and I bought a house in the mid 1990s, we both earned about £8k.

The poster who claims her DH earns under £13k as a tradesman with a total household income of £20k for a decent lifestyle sounds equally clueless. You only need to look at a few bills and prices to know that's clearly bollocks. He's either under declaring his income big time, significantly underpricing, or owns his own limited company and pays himself significant dividends on top.

A decade later the union had gone - and where you doing a night shift with a 30% premium on your wages

By 1990s manufacturing was moving away, it has had its day

12 years to late for you

I was earning more than you for a 20 hour week in 1989, as I got an evening shift premium, than you were 3 years later

Allrightonthenight1 · 10/10/2026 13:07

Differentforgirls · 10/10/2026 12:55

£750 for phones and the internet? Jesus I though we were bad at £230!

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😆 It's £45 a month for home phone and broadband (until recently paid by DH's employer) and 3 x £6 a month sim only packages. I don't know anyone doing it much cheaper. Most of my younger colleagues are paying £50 plus for one mobile.

Bjorkdidit · 10/10/2026 13:11

Allrightonthenight1 · 10/10/2026 12:48

That is unbelievably low. We pay over £3k council tax, £2.5k gas/electric, £500 water, £750 phones and internet.

c.£7000

DF pays around £5k as a single person.

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You are unbelievably out of touch if you think those amounts are normal. Our water costs are similar to yours, but our other costs are less than half.

Seeing as we're talking about people on low incomes, they're unlikely to be paying anywhere like those costs or living in the big houses that need over £5k pa in utilities and council tax.

Differentforgirls · 10/10/2026 13:12

Noodledog · 10/10/2026 13:05

Yes, a PP seems to think grandparents paying private school fees for their grandchildren is normal. They clearly inhabit a different world to the majority. I also don't know any pensioners in 4 or 5 bedroom houses.

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I know! I had to look at that that twice. Private school fees 😂

Bjorkdidit · 10/10/2026 13:13

Allrightonthenight1 · 10/10/2026 13:07

😆 It's £45 a month for home phone and broadband (until recently paid by DH's employer) and 3 x £6 a month sim only packages. I don't know anyone doing it much cheaper. Most of my younger colleagues are paying £50 plus for one mobile.

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You can get fast fibre broadband for about half that. Anyone paying over £50 pm for a phone contract is paying for an expensive phone so a luxury that's not an essential, especially when we're talking about people on low incomes.

TrickyD · 10/10/2026 13:13

Differentforgirls · 10/10/2026 12:57

You live in a different world from me. Probably a different country too.

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No. East Midlands, same country but cheaper housing than in London.
à
No school fees for sons or grandchildren. If you work teaching in the state sector it behoves you to support it.

Differentforgirls · 10/10/2026 13:14

Allrightonthenight1 · 10/10/2026 13:07

😆 It's £45 a month for home phone and broadband (until recently paid by DH's employer) and 3 x £6 a month sim only packages. I don't know anyone doing it much cheaper. Most of my younger colleagues are paying £50 plus for one mobile.

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Did you mean a year? We're £230 A MONTH.

Superhansrantowindsor · 10/10/2026 13:15

Differentforgirls · 10/10/2026 13:14

Did you mean a year? We're £230 A MONTH.

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£230 a month for phones???

Allrightonthenight1 · 10/10/2026 13:16

Differentforgirls · 10/10/2026 13:14

Did you mean a year? We're £230 A MONTH.

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I did wonder if we were talking at cross purposes. Yes, £750 a year.

Allrightonthenight1 · 10/10/2026 13:19

Bjorkdidit · 10/10/2026 13:13

You can get fast fibre broadband for about half that. Anyone paying over £50 pm for a phone contract is paying for an expensive phone so a luxury that's not an essential, especially when we're talking about people on low incomes.

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Not where we live. We could maybe get it down to £38 with a home phone line. DH checks regularly.

Lots of people pay £50+ a month for their phones. Complete madness in my view.

AllIwantForChrismasIsAKitchenAidStandMixer · 10/10/2026 13:19

Differentforgirls · 10/10/2026 12:57

You live in a different world from me. Probably a different country too.

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Uk here and exactly the same as this poster - they all have large family homes and tons of spare cash

Differentforgirls · 10/10/2026 13:20

TrickyD · 10/10/2026 13:13

No. East Midlands, same country but cheaper housing than in London.
à
No school fees for sons or grandchildren. If you work teaching in the state sector it behoves you to support it.

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Different country.

Differentforgirls · 10/10/2026 13:23

Superhansrantowindsor · 10/10/2026 13:15

£230 a month for phones???

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No. Internet, broadband, tv packages, three mobile phones and a landline.

TrickyD · 10/10/2026 13:24

Differentforgirls · 10/10/2026 13:20

Different country.

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I have already said we live in the East Midlands. UK if you need more clarification.

VastMeridian · 10/10/2026 13:24

Where is national minimum wage £27k? I work in a uni and earn £25.7k for a 37.5 hour week.

Differentforgirls · 10/10/2026 13:24

AllIwantForChrismasIsAKitchenAidStandMixer · 10/10/2026 13:19

Uk here and exactly the same as this poster - they all have large family homes and tons of spare cash

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Uk? Which country?

Differentforgirls · 10/10/2026 13:25

TrickyD · 10/10/2026 13:24

I have already said we live in the East Midlands. UK if you need more clarification.

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Yes so a different country.