To think lockdown has revealed a glaring class difference?

[TexanBlueNeck]

Filled in a survey & read some of the latest "lifestyle" columnists in UK (digital) newspapers.

No, some people are not using lockdown to browse around buying clothes and home accessories or patter about experimenting with new recipe ideas from inventive food combinations or try out a new food box delivery service.

Some of us are at breaking point between juggling childcare duties, supporting vulnerable or elderly relatives and neighbours, working from home or not at all, using the last tin of smartprice tomatoes that could be bought at an empty supermarket shelf (in person, because full-time worker parents aren't a priority group). While worrying about job security. Not whether to buy new sofa cushions while the cockpot experiment cooks!

I honestly think some commentators' experience of lockdown isn't even on the same planet as a huge portion of the rest of the (working class) UK

Definitely not a class issue. Everyone’s circumstances are different & I agree, depending on your circumstances you may find it a struggle. Maybe because it’s not what you are normally used to & you’re having to cope with change. Those that are panic buying are the affluent ones maybe, maybe it’s because they’re not used to their freedom of choice being taken away. I remember when I was young, that shops weren’t open on a Sunday, supermarkets weren’t 24hr but we all survived didn’t we? So we can do it again. It you’re not used to multi-tasking, you’re probably finding this difficult. Having been through single-parenting most of my life, working, paying the bills & trying to ensure my kids did their homework, were disciplined when necessary and taught morals, keeping them safe, well, happy & ate what they were given. We got through it. You will too

I've spent the last two weeks really thinking about all of this (to put things into perspective, tonight is my last night of total isolation from a member of our household being sick).

It's not class. It's a mixture of income, assets you already do or don't have, being a keyworker or not, being healthy, unhealthy or disabled, having children (at all, or still at home), and a personal kicker - is there a garden where you live.

These are the majority factors I've figured are causing people to pitch off at each other because of.

Today, someone told me I have it good because I've only been stuck in for two weeks but they have to isolate for twelve weeks. Err, I'm meant to as well, I'm in several risk categories. I also am at great risk of self harm/ suicide, so being able to break isolation tomorrow means more to me than being more at risk - I'm sensible and standoffish as it is.

We've done really well considering many of the factors listed at the start of my comment. Two kids with special needs at home, I'm disabled and have mh problems, we have a mortgage but one income and live closer to the breadline than I did when I had gov assistance, the flat is too small for our family unit, there is no garden...

No garden to escape into, for fresh air, to turn my back on whichever of the children (or partner) is whinging away at something...

We stuck hard and fast to the rules. Absolute isolation with no daily walk because of a householder being sick.

Kind of want to ram it down the throat of the person who whinged at me.

But if I did, I'd only be passing on the vitriol and pointless oneupmanship that I'm seeing (mostly on MN).

If there's one thing which this pandemic shows, is that it is indiscriminate of class. Though who gets tested without being in hospital in ICU does seem to depend on whether you're an actor or politician.

My other half is a keyworker and is going back to work this week. Shifts mean I don't have to worry about what to do with the children when I do grab essentials. Rules mean I can't help my friend who is a single parent, who cannot leave them home or with someone when she goes to the shop.

She is unable to get anything delivered, but neither have my middle class parents.

That’s not a class thing is it? I know plenty of MC families juggling work/kids and worrying about jobs/money.
We’re not going to be buying any cushions anytime soon but we are painting our house as we’re WFH.
Oh, and we are trying new recipes - because were now cooking every meal at home, and because we using ingredients that we don’t usually because of shortages in our local super market.

I agree with PPs. It's not a class issue. I don't even think it's an income issue.
It is situational. I know people on high incomes who are stuck in a city flats and are juggling jobs and childcare. Equally I know people on high income who have house, garden, and don't have issues because they have been furloughed or one works from home while other watches kids and vice versa. I know more lower income people with garden than high income. The latter seems to prefer flats in a city centre. That's probably normal for that age group.

This notion in UK that everything must be a class issue, everyone must identify as some class and classes must not get along is dangerous, obsolete and people must stop giving class that big importance overall in my opinion.

One of the glaring differences has showed its very ugly greedy head this week. Back room staff at football grounds around the country, cleaners, groundskeepers etc etc have been furloughed, and yet the FA and very comfortably off footballers are balking at the thought they have been asked to give up some of their very expensive pay packets. Well done to those footballers that have agreed, but come on 30% of their wage is nothing in comparison to what the back room staff even earn.

It's also environmental. There's a thread going at the moment with the OP just not understanding why people are still going out then goes on to say she has an online delivery slot once a week and a massive garden full of play equipment for the kids with enough room for them to ride their bikes and run around..

It's also environmental this

I feel quite guilty about how easy lockdown is for us. I can't imagine how people are coping in flats and cities and hope lockdown can be lifted soon.

Agree that it is mostly about circumstance
There are those with high incomes who may be business owners and are more at risk during lockdown. They may have a large house with a garden but are worried about paying huge mortgages.
There are those who are wealthy, but live in small flats in central London.
There are those who are on benefits who are managing because they are used to scrimping and saving. They may have a house with a garden
There are those with very young children
There are those with elderly parents.
There are key workers who have an income, but are risking their lives
So many variables
I have a decent sized home and have three teenagers. If this had happened ten years ago I would have found it difficult as I would have had to deal with three young children.

I think there is still a class of people who live off income. They are vulnerable right now.

There is a class of people with wealth to fall back on whether through their own savings or family money.

Then there is a class dependent on the state. Their lives haven’t just much at the moment, but could get very rough in hard times if public finances come under intense pressure.

@Womenwotlunch Anyone on a tight budget is majorly struggling at the moment because getting cheap food is very hard. My food bills have soared.