To be a bit surprised that 60% of us think of ourselves as working class?

[BlancheBlue]

www.theguardian.com/society/2016/jun/29/most-brits-regard-themselves-as-working-class-survey-finds

This really. Does this this figure surprise you? I thought more people identified as middle class or I suppose it depends on company and context!

Of course class is hard to define ranging from being "a state of mind" to people basing it on income, background, how you describe meals etc etc!

*Natsku,
*
A = blue collar job (manual tradesman)
B = Aircraft engineer
C = doesn't work
D = at university

Mango. You have not given enough detail !

Regarding Person C I do not know whether she has had some 'bad' luck such as becoming 'ill' or her partner /husband walked out on here leaving her in the 'shit'.

Suramar mom . Don't take the 'rude' and stupid comments personally !

I know I shouldn't sandyholme but it is difficult when you are classed as something that sounds like it lives under a rock.

A = working class
B = probably working class (I think it would be classed as a working class profession here but not sure about the UK)
C = not enough info
D = not enough info

Sandy, you're spot on re person C btw.

They're all me, over the last 2 years.
I couldn't continue to work in my former job due to chronic sickness, then my marriage broke down and I went from living a very comfortable life to free school meals claimant in a matter of months.

I would have always said I'm working class btw at every stage of my life.
The UK class system is an outdated pile of pish really and I've never understood the obsession with it all.

Yes you're working class mango. Interesting life!

Who cares? It doesn't actually mean anything in real life.

I know a Manual tradesman 'Painter' whose family left him £2 Million .
He went to public school, but left at '16' with 1 O Level.

The only thing he wanted to do was fix things or paint.

Likes to read the 'SUN'

His wife is an Oxford Educated Lawyer his eldest daughter is in a Music Conservatoire having gone to Public school and Cambridge.

What class is he !

This highlights the stupidity of stereotyping people based on their jobs, there are always back stories to everybody !

Suramar, like Sandy said - don't take it personally.
It's only a very few people that think like that - most people are lovely.

We're all just an illness or life changing event away from shitness.

Arsethesizeofasmallcountry

Obviously being working class doesn't mean being in poverty. I've never said that. Taxi Drivers, Builders, Railwaymen, etc.. can all make great money and enjoy a really good standard of living. I know this and good luck to them!

It didn't happen by chance though. This is all the result of gains made by the working class in the 60's and 70's. The direction of travel is the opposite way now. It would be complacent not to aknowledge that.

Also, since this is mumsnet, can I point out that the best paid working class jobs are traditionally male. Working class prosperity, even at its height has often passed women by.

I see a lot of women going into the traditional male working class jobs these days, at least studying for those professions

Thats really positive Natsku

I think there's always been a bit more equality in that way here though - I read a travel book written by two British women in the 1800s who visited Finland and commented on the surprising amount of female builders.