Can´t survive on salary without benefits. Doesn´t seem right.

[Fashionesta]

Just wondered if anyone else was in the same boat as feeling a bit miserable. Recently started new job, 31K a year, felt happy with that, potential to grow. Having done all my calculations and bills, if it were not for getting some money towards housing, I would be 300 pounds a month short :(

After pension I get around 1800 per month. Rent is 950 and I have one of the cheaper properties in my area so no ability to find anything cheaper - its me and DD in a 2 bed. No luxuries at all. Basic mobile phone on giff gaff 8 per month, no SKY etc, old car although paying off car loan of 150 month which bumps outgoings up. By the time I have paid all my bills, council tax, loan, after school club for DD and swimming lessons for her which I feel is essential, if it weren´t for the fact that I get some help towards rent, I would be -300 per month.

I generally feel like I earn a decent wage and panicking a bit about the situation. Not asking for a solution really as I think I am quite frugal, also sensible so pay for life insurance, car insurance, pet insurance and house insurance. Pay TV licence and so on. Shop at Tesco.

Anyone else don´t feel like they are getting by on what I actually consider a decent wage (although I realise in MN terms I am probably not earning much at all).'

Argh I just hate feeling poor all the time and I shouldn´t have to rely on benefits when on 31K surely!

But atm the capital is beyond reach of all those roles

And it stills runs with public transport and hospitals etc!

Honestly, you say that you are budgeting well enough but you're really not. My rent is £100 less than yours a month. Mine and my partners combined income is less than yours, by about £5,000 and we do not receive any top up or benefits. I agree with other posters that benefits shouldn't be paying for pets and clubs. Benefits are for absolute essentials for those who have no other choice, not to fund the lifestyle that you can't budget for.

@Harmonypuss

The difference is that your mortgage payment (which ends) is substantially less than most rents (like about half to 1/3 for a large chunk of the SE) unless HA (which is difficult to get).

I don't think that after-school club (aka wraparound childcare), swimming and an insured pet is a massive luxury.

@Itsabeautifulday81

But atm the capital is beyond reach of all those roles

And it stills runs with public transport and hospitals etc!

Because the people doing those jobs get help with top up benefits. That's the whole point.

@ShadierThanaPalmTree. Don’t really think what the OP is describing is exactly a lifestyle choice - most of the top up is because UC kicks in more generously for children. Also what you’re saying is that benefit claimants should all be living an austere life with no relief - no hobbies, no pets and no pleasure. Wouldn’t be long before claims for disability benefits increased because of the effect on mental health. You seem to think that people should be punished for claiming and yet you seem fine with the fact that already wealthy landlords are making a fortune out of housing benefit which is part of the same system, designed to protect working folk, and which has now been hijacked to fund much better lifestyles than the OP’s. So let me ask you - would you be the one to explain to your kids why they cant go to after school clubs, and why Fido has had to be put to sleep. No ? Didn’t think so.

Housing costs are appalling, end of story.

Wages are stagnating, while housing costs continue to escalate.

It’s awful. Many people who don’t experience this cannot appreciate that it is the reality for so many people.

I live in a nice bit of the South East.
The lack of understanding around here that people that are needed to do ordinary jobs also need access to decent housing is frankly depressing.

You seem to think that people should be punished for claiming and yet you seem fine with the fact that already wealthy landlords are making a fortune out of housing benefit which is part of the same system, designed to protect working folk, and which has now been hijacked to fund much better lifestyles than the OP’s

^100% this

A huge proportion of MPs are landlords which is why they won’t change things.

Judging by some of the comments on this thread, the stigma attached to claiming any kind of benefit is alive and well.

Honestly, once again some of the comments here are just infuriating. So little empathy or understanding of the system and telling people how to budget? I am actually going to stick some references in here. Quality and affordable housing is the biggest factor to reducing poverty (Joseph Rowntree Foundation), the housing market stock has been kept artificially low to inflate house prices (yes, the lack of affordable housing is purposeful) (Atkinson and Jacobs, 2020), people can't just move - housing and travel costs are prohibitive if you are in low-paid work. Yes, people could just get a better job - but for society to run we people need to do what are considered to be those low skilled and low paid jobs. In 2017, 17000 affordable homes were sold off and comparitively, only 6000ish were built (Shelter, 2018). The housing crisis is growing and affecting those even those who earn what was considered to be a living wage - Shelter estimate that 3.1 affordable homes are needed. People moving and travelling in to work - what about families and support networks? Class enclaves - that is one of the biggest problems we have here and it perpetuates inequality. I wish people could see beyond their own nose or the value of their own property. We need a decent living wage and affordable property. Call me a leftie or old fashioned but a secure, affordable and quality home should be a fundamental human right.

people can't just move - housing and travel costs are prohibitive if you are in low-paid work. Yes, people could just get a better job - but for society to run we people need to do what are considered to be those low skilled and low paid jobs. In 2017, 17000 affordable homes were sold off and comparitively, only 6000ish were built (Shelter, 2018). The housing crisis is growing and affecting those even those who earn what was considered to be a living wage - Shelter estimate that 3.1 affordable homes are needed. People moving and travelling in to work - what about families and support networks? Class enclaves - that is one of the biggest problems we have here and it perpetuates inequality. I wish people could see beyond their own nose or the value of their own property. We need a decent living wage and affordable property. Call me a leftie or old fashioned but a secure, affordable and quality home should be a fundamental human right.

This, absolutely 100%

Every society needs affordable housing for the so called low paid.
Unless we want to pay double the taxes, which we dont! Councils need to offer good housing that teachers nurses cleaners transport workers can live in and afford not struggle. No one is saying that we should all live in beautiful spacious homes but paying vast amounts every month for moldy boxes is a disgrace

@Ddot

Every society needs affordable housing for the so called low paid. Unless we want to pay double the taxes, which we dont! Councils need to offer good housing that teachers nurses cleaners transport workers can live in and afford not struggle. No one is saying that we should all live in beautiful spacious homes but paying vast amounts every month for moldy boxes is a disgrace

Yes tax payers paying money towards people's rent and the money is going straight to the landlords. I'm amazed that there is no more of an uproar about this use of tax payers money. As usual the landlords get richer and the chance of home ownership for the lower paid gets further from their reach.

I’ve scanned the comments but honestly what world do we live in where people think you should uproot your whole life and move and give up your dog. Horrid people 🤯

To all those that are suggesting the father should be made to contribute. I would be grateful for the Information you have on how I make that happen?

My children's father moves from employed to self employed jobs every 6 months or so. The CMS are involved. Have his address. Phone number and bank details. Yet nearly four years in I get a months money. Then he changed jobs. So go six months or longer without any contribution.

I have asked. Begged and pleaded with him to support the children. He doesn't want to.

So please tell me what else I can do?

Absolutely this. Also to mention that as a couple on about 38k jointly paying £750 in rent and also paying childcare we are also in receipt of Universal Credit (shock horror). People suggesting just move or buy a house if you don't like it have no idea. Moving from one rental property from another costs thousands as it is. Most landlords these days will chance their arm and attempt to take the majority of the deposit. There is also a wait of months often even if the full deposit is returned. I have noticed this trend recently (I have been renting for 25 years). I'm by no means saying all landlords are evil however (often spurred on by rental agencies) they will often try to squeeze tenants as much as possible. Local housing allowance is also nowhere near the rent prices in most areas. Yes, I would love to buy a house and not be turfed out every few years but no chance to save for a 30-40k deposit with the cost of housing, bills etc. rising at this rate. Most of my home-owning friends have only managed to buy with inheritance/gifts from parents or family. We struggle as a couple and I cannot imagine how a single parent like the OP manages. Stop being so judgmental.

Hi, I totally sympathise with you OP. The costs of living is much higher than the average wage. You are earning a lot more than I am, but then your rent is stupid high. Curse private landlords and the huge rent they charge.
So it looks like you need to revisit your budget. Create a budget sheet using Excel. Only add your month net salary. Don't calculate other non guaranteed income. I don't calculate Universal Credit as I know it can be changeable or they could suddenly whip it out from under me. If you are a single parent do you get child maintenance from the child's father? Could that pay for the swimming lessons?
Now that you have a pet it wouldn't be good for your child to put the pet up for adoption just because you can't afford it. This is especially true if you only have one child. Perhaps you can get help or advise on running a pet as cheaply as possible from the PDSA?www.pdsa.org.uk/ Also, the charity Gingerbread, www.gingerbread.org.uk/ gives financial advice to single parents. Also, Martin Lewis gives heaps of great advice on saving money. www.moneysavingexpert.com/ If you are struggling with debt your local Citizens Advice Bureau can help as can the charity Christians against Poverty. capuk.org/ Hope this helps? Eowyn x

I think a lot of the people on small top ups are people like nurses who are stuck on basic pay/hours because they are single parents so can't do the better paid unsociable hours shifts due to lack of childcare outside traditional hours. If you have a rented home that is just big enough the traditional cheap live in childcare of an au pair (middle class staple) is not possible.

Once you are comfortably off it's so much easier to stay that way - space for a chest freezer, stock up on staples when on offer, buy expensive appliances that last years (our Miele is going strong 10 years on and cost only 3 times as much as a basic washing machine that tends to last 2 years unless you're lucky). More frivolously expensive footwear lasts much longer than Clark's/supermarket shoes, so if you buy well they can last 20 years plus making a much lower cost per wear!

Renting is much more expensive than paying a mortgage (even with a 10% deposit) on the same property but high rents limit savings opportunities!

The reality is that that salary is pretty small in many parts of the country. Now why thats the case is clearly political but the reality on the ground is that it's not that much money even if its both a mean and median salary etc etc. the uk is now a low-wage economy. That means that the majority of people are poor especially if they are renting. In say london and the South East - 32k to raise a kid is crap. It's just not enough. The government recognizes that and tops up your benefits. Now it would actually be cheaper for the country if the government paid the public secotr more or introduced rent controls. But the tories are mostly interested in transferring public funds into private hand - and this is a clear example of that.

A decade of austerity/plus now covid has meant that a lot of people just cant afford to live on their salaries. it's really shit for the public sector because for them that was clearly a political decision. it's also bad in the private sector because businesses are not prepared to pay for things anymore.

This is quite a good piece in the atlantic about it.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/12/life-simpsons-no-longer-attainable/617499/?fbclid=IwAR2DVscBClrWcF2Wlxn6AlkUziyGV1zOTyK61pbxdfYCH7XHmNGGZW4gbhM

If you can legally ask any amount in rent well why not. BRING BACK RENT CAP if the government will top up the extra in rent the private landlords will ask for stupid money. When I was young landlords could only charge what the house was worth. It kept rent fair, not cheap but fair. Now the sky's the limit. I live up north, two up two down no garden £550 a month, council tax over £100, minimum wage just over £8 an hour

And the curse is not private landlords but the government. If people want things to change vote differently.

@Itsabeautifulday81

I see what you mean - no one has a right to live anywhere. However if you have only rich areas and only poor areas you end up with ghettos.

A decision was taken in this county years and years ago to have rich and poor housing alongside each other to avoid this.

And what do you do if all of the local areas near your job are expensive? (Ie If you’re in south east?) Are all of the cleaners, nhs workers, shop assistants etc going to have to commute from the midlands every day for work?

It's a joke these days. I know single people in London in their 40s who are working in decent enough jobs who are still having to house share. Even the rent of a one bedroom flat or a poxy studio is extortionate! And these are people without kids.

11 years of Tories have destroyed this country. And yet the sheep will vote them in again I fear because no one challenges them.

A wage of 31k is not that of a cleaner......that's a lot of professional jobs that only pay that much in the southeast. that means no teachers, no nurses, no one to staff libraries, universities, schools, local government, museums, zoos, galleries, music venues, restaurants, doctors surgeries, hospitals, etc etc etc.

those saying just move are wrong. it's not that these individuals should stay but that if they all leave the whole of the southeast would essentially stop functioning. the entire eco-system of London and the southeast would disappear if people earning 31k and below left.

therefore there is something bigger going on there which is beyond one individual moving up north