How do people on low incomes manage to live in London?

[YourPithyLemonUser]

How do ppl on low income survive in London?

I know some ppl with low incomes i.e. cleaners, creative types, freelance artists etc.

Yet I see them eat out, go on holiday, have a good time etc.

How is this possible? Only with financial support from their parents does this happen

Unless they live in social housing they can't afford to live in zones 1 or 2. They might just about be able to live in private rental that's overcrowded or substandard in somewhere further out. But they'd almost certainly be in rent poverty unless they worked all the hours of the week.

Lots of young-ish London-born adults 20-30 are still living with their parents who were able to buy houses in the 90s/2000s before property became insane.

Our Primary school in zone 1 has lots of young, recently qualified teachers who are still happy to live in shared houses/flats. As soon as they want to rent on their own or, heaven forfend, BUY a flat, they have to move out of town - Kingston, Croydon, Brighton or back to their family’s area.

We have no 28-45 year old teachers.

Then we have a wodge of 45-65 year olds who either are on a second career or who bought back in the 80s or who have a partner with a helpful income.

@KingscoteStaffI worked in a school before & all the young teachers left after a bit, many travelled quite long distances. The older teachers live local in the 1m houses & walk to work.

I was paying £100 a month to commute in London in the 1990’s! My monthly car costs are less than that now. Commuting is not cheaper than driving in rural areas

This. I bought a flat in London in the 1990's, on quite a low income, with no support. If I was still living there now I'd have no mortgage and my outgoings would be much less than where I live now, things in London are so well subsidised or free (I'd be travelling everywhere for free with the over 60s pass). I'd have been able to drop to a less stressful part time low wage job that I've got no chance of doing where I am now.