To think the cost of living crisis isn't really a "crisis" for most people?

[buzzheath]

Not meant to be inflammatory at all. I'm well aware of the hardships that some people and families will face. But for the majority of people in the UK, will it really be a "crisis"? Isn't around half of the population middle class?

We’re not really finding it a problem tbh.

I don’t like the tone of threads like these.

If even one family out there is having to resort to food banks or having to choose between heating or eating then it’s too many.

It doesn’t matter if there are a lot of people out there who aren’t struggling. Many, many are.

I don't think any of us can conceive what's coming. Until those bills start to roll in! I think even the most robust incomes will come under some strain unless truly wealthy

@BalloonsAndWhistles Yeah, same, and I'm not a high earner at all. I don't have a car so don't need to buy petrol, don't need to buy expensive train tickets and I suppose it's summer too so not using much gas. Plus, I live in a small flat so even when it's cold I usually just use an electric heater in one of the rooms.

^^ This

I don’t think it’s really hit yet. The problem will be when the recession comes and if people lose jobs and/or income. Then along with interest rate rises and mortgages and rents increased, energy costs going through the roof, and the cost of living crisis, well that’s when things will start unravelling more.

I think 6 months to a year is when it will start to hit people.

We aren't going to starve, but we are certainly cutting down on things, and noticing the increase in food prices. I think it will hit hard in the winter, when the price of electricity goes up again. I feel like we should save now to cope with prices then.

@Afterfire The tone? I agree, nobody should have to genuinely suffer in modern England. I'm not making a value judgement or trying to be like "look at me!" I was genuinely curious about the numbers, that's all, and on how much and in what ways it'll impact people.

@ThroughThickAndThin01 Yeah, for sure. The point that I was trying to make was more that I think many people will just be insulated from it due to their circumstances. For example, if you're a homeowner and are on a fixed rate mortgage for say, the next 5 years, sure, you might have your bills and food shop go up, but I'm not sure how much that alone might impact a couple on a combined 6 figure income, for example.

But you won’t find that answer here because Mumsnet is well known for being very middle class and full of higher earners.

If you join some of the energy groups on Facebook (one has 60k members) or the Martin Lewis forums you’ll see sheer terror and panic. People are genuinely frightened. They don’t know how they’re going to cope.

How wonderful for you. I’m glad you’re in such a secure position but the fact is lots of people do have to buy expensive train tickets or run a car, not for shits and giggles but to get to work and provide essential services or get children to schools, appointments, etc.

And things haven’t even really begun to bite yet. I sincerely hope things continue so wonderfully for you, but seriously, get your head out your backside.

The media is dramatizing things as per usual. Its the way of the world - the more inflammatory and 'shocking' the headline, the more clicks. I'd say most people are managing ok atm. Jobs are plentiful for those and can and want to work.

However, as another poster above has pointed out, things could deteriorate for lots of people IF a recession develops, and the unemployment rate spikes. This is the great unknown. Would love to be able peak 12-18 months in to the future and see what is coming! (Or maybe I wouldn't..)

The tone of my post seems to have been misunderstood - as if I'm suggesting that it's "not a big deal because lots of people are fine". Sigh. I'm not suggesting that at all. It's just as the title of my post asks - I was just wondering for how many people the crisis will actually be felt as a crisis, as opposed to "oh, that's a bit annoying, had to spend more on XYZ this month.

Bit annoyed at having to justify this. I'm not a high earner, I don't have financial support from anyone, and I regularly donate to food banks and other homelessness/poverty charities in the UK.

as if I'm suggesting that it's "not a big deal because lots of people are fine"

That’s very much how it sounds.

On a personal level we should - should - be fine and able to weather any financial storms. But we are in our 50’s and built up savings etc. we have dc in their 20’s we’ll be able to help out if they need it.

whether we are in the minority of being financially secure, I don’t know. Maybe it’s a stage of life thing.

I do think it will get very tough for a lot of people because of the rapid price increases of just about everything, no respite with anything it seems, coupled with slow or no wage increases.

The media may be highlighting things but the crux of it is that prices for energy are going to dramatically increase in October and it’s going to affect everyone. Whether people can afford it or not. Here’s the projected costs -

@Ducksinthebath Jesus Christ! I was just responding to other poster who had said she hadn't felt the impacts of it, explaining the specific reasons why I hadn't either. I'm well aware that if those reasons didn't apply, I'd be in a different position. Why are you so pissed off?

It's a problem for me, as a student nurse with two small children. A massive problem really, when I qualify then it shouldn't be this bad for me

You are, of course, right. The question is to what degree.

I don't think it's obvious yet how much it's going to impact. We have a high household income, but I'm already thinking about how we'll manage energy bills in the winter. Not panicking, and I know we're lucky not to be, but we will have to make changes. Many are in much, much worse positions.

How lucky you are OP. You sound very smug. It will affect me. I have had to take a second job to pay the bills .... on top of full time work and caring for parents.

Your class doesn’t dictate how much money you have. There are working class CEOs and doctors and there are middle class unemployed and minimum wage earners.

To know if it’s a crisis it would be better to look at stats showing how many people are unemployed, on minimum wage, unable to make ends meet, how many children are in poverty etc.

It's only getting started. Check in with people again in a year.

I think it's a little naive to think rising fuel prices won't affect you as you don't drive. They will drive up the cost of everything that has to be transported (ie pretty much everything) and presumably public transport prices at some point. I think it's unlikely anyone won't feel the pinch tbh as the increases are across the board - mortgages, energy, food. If you are on fixed rates which have not changed you may not be feeling it but I'd be surprised if you don't at some point. Of course a lot will still manage to meet the costs but many won't.

There are working class CEOs and doctors and there are middle class unemployed and minimum wage earners.

Derailing the thread to pick this up, but not in any meaningful sense, no.

@Pieceofpurplesky I'm really sorry to hear that. As I said in my post, I fully appreciate that many, many people will struggle. I'm not sure why you think I sound smug. I'm not on a high income, don't have a lot of savings, don't own my own home, etc. I was simply curious about how this will play out across society.

Would you have been less annoyed if I'd phrased it "for how many people is the cost of living not going to be a crisis?"