Low salaries not actually low?

[highchairhell]

I'm probably being unreasonable here but it really frustrates me when people say 'we manage on a salary of £24k' etc but conveniently forget to mention the tax credits, child benefit, subsidised school lunches etc that bumps the salary up considerably.
On threads where someone says they struggle earning £50k there are always posters who are incredulous and outraged that people aren't living like kings on that but fail to realise that there would be little to no help for families on that wage whereas the lower wages are propped up with tax free benefits and housing pay that means they have more disposable income than the on paper huger earners!

I'm a single parent of 3 on an NHS Bursary. I get child tax credits and child benefit, but no housing benefit. My total income including benefits is £19.5k. I don't get any maintenance.

Not true. I think the maximum you’d get topped up to on benefits is about £25,000 net? Particularly for new claimants as they’ve capped benefits at two children now. Whereas £50,000 (assuming no student loan repayments) brings in about £36,000 net. And if the £50,000 is a combined salary then that’s about £40,000 net. I think the real problem is that certain living costs (mostly rent, house prices and childcare) have risen too far ahead of salaries.