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?

When hospitals resort to laying on food banks for their staff, then it's safe to call it a crisis.

Are we just talking about the English, or is this conversation for the whole country?

Sure, but the answers are all very emotion-driven "ZOMG HOW DARE YOU".

What did you expect?

It's poverty, severe financial difficulty, having to choose between heating/eating/feeding your kids - that sort of thing. I'm not sure that 50% of the population will experience that level of hardship. Do you disagree?

I'm not the one who started the thread so I don't see why you think you have the right to go all Jeremy Paxman on me. It's clear from your posts that you haven't considered many the most basic points...that the winter energy hike hasn't happened yet, that all sorts of businesses will fail if people stop using them, that aid agencies will gain clients while losing resources, that this is a long-term issue and so on.

I think the more pertinent question here is: how many people have to have their lives worsen, and to what extent, before you personally consider it a crisis? Or to put it another way: what level of poverty in the UK is acceptable to you?

Just because you're in work doesn't mean you can pay your bills. Many people in full time employment still get UC.

Pop back to this thread in 6 months OP. YABU.

OK. I'll bite.

Op...

For a significant minority things have already reached crisis point. Some time ago actually. I run a foodbank and we are busy. Much busier than last year.

For a significant number of people things will reach crisis point this winter. Huge rises in energy bills, food prices rocketing, fuel prices going up...add to that record inflation and interest rate hikes...staff crises in social care and NHS and retail/hospitality.

For those who are managing now it's reaching a point that they won't be able to manage anymore.

You seem utterly determined to believe everything is fine. I hope it remains so for you.

I lived through the 70s the first time. Strikes, power rationing, lack of choice in food, high inflation...

I wanted better for my kids.

The sooner we rejoin the EU the better. (It was, of course the generation that fought in WW2 who voted to join the EEC...)

I never believed we would see war in Europe again. Or the rise of the neo nazis and fascists.

What a fool I was.

I have a feeling its someone who makes money from supplying branded school socks...

Just because it doesn't affect you you start a goady thread. I'd it affects even 1 person then it's a family but of course you know it's affecting millions of people. Be glad it's not affecting you

One thing people rarely factor into the equation is debt. So a lot of people on paper'should' just about get able to get by but can't due to previous sustainable debt levels - if they are private renting too they darent not pay debt as getting a CcJ or debt plans can affect their ability to pass checks for renting. It's a lot more complicated than it looks on paper, even for many decent earners!

Yep.
Unsecured debt on the UK is astronomical.
Klarna and the like should be far more careful in lending

OP the more I read your nasty (and blaspheming) responses, the more you come across as someone who is demanding answers on here (how many people, how much are they suffering, who's suffering, and why why why yada yada) just to satisfy your own salacious smugginess of not feeling like there's a crisis. Why do you care, why does it matter that much to you ....?

Deeply unpleasant.

I'm a single parent, earn higher than average. Just qualify for child benefit but that's it. We've always been fine, in fact pretty solvent with no money worries.

At the beginning of the year, I started cutting costs. Looked at subscriptions etc Cancelled various things. Got better deals on bills. Just sensible stuff. Managed to cut back on outgoings. Nothing that caused any hardship.

A few months later I started to cut back on treats. So if we are driving somewhere for a day out, we will car share to save on petrol and parking. We'll take a packed lunch and a flask, rather than having lunch out. Cut back on meat and fish and eat more veggie based meals. Extended time between hair and eyebrows appointments. Again, no real hardship.

I'm pretty worried about this winter though. I'm now looking at things like heated throws and making sure we have enough indoor warm clothes, in case I have to ration the heating.

I'm a well educated, professional, living in a first world country. It shouldn't have got to this. This isn't supposed to be a woe is me post as I know I'm still far better off than a lot of people. My point is, if I'm feeling the pinch, how bad must day to day life be for others earning less than me.

Absolutely.

And many will be in the same boat.

People will cut discretionary spending like subscriptions, take aways, meals out, beauty treatments, hairdressers, coffees...and those businesses will close.

I've cancelled a few things myself but we all watch streamed tv much more than terrestrial TV so they are staying for now.

And thats for those households that were able to do those things...many weren't and have nothing to cut back on.

Definitely get a heated throw! I was very grateful to be given one for last winter when I couldn't afford to put the heating on. It helped, enormously.

Oil filled radiators are good too
And heated airers are cheaper to run than tumble dryers overnight

People will cut discretionary spending like subscriptions, take aways, meals out, beauty treatments, hairdressers, coffees...and those businesses will close.

That's a good point. A lot of those businesses have also had to put their prices up, to cope with increased costs too. So it's a double whammy.

Thanks @Chevyimpala67 I'll take a look. Tumble dryer has been emergency use only so far this year.

If this article is accurate then 66% of people are confident that they can live within their means, this is down 7% on May figures.

So the majority seem to feel that they are not personally heading for a crisis. However, how many are correct in that assumption remains to be seen, I suppose.

www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/10-ways-households-are-fighting-the-cost-of-living-crisis-from-forgoing-holidays-to-driving-less/ar-AAZJYob

While I can see your point, I disagree. if we accept that actually lots of households could make fairly easy lifestyle changes to counteract the crisis with very limited impact on their standard of living, we could concentrate help on those who are already stretched to the limit, or, for whatever reason, can't limit their usage (e.g. the very old/young/ill).

Just one example - the govt is now giving every single household in the uk £200 off their energy bill. Wouldn't it be better to give the poorer 50% £400 off? or the absolute poorest 20% £1000?

Putting my hard hat on but going by mumsnet and my real life experience, apart from the financial crisis we are in a global climate crisis yet millions of people waste energy completely uncaring of either. If all those households where every member has 2 showers a day, all clothes are washed after they are worn once, hot tub is run through the summer, water is spent on hosing the fucking lawn daily, tumble drier used because its easier than sticking clothes on the line, over used 3xpeer day because difference family members eat different times, everyone has their own car they use for 5 minute journeys, 'need' for multiple holidays abroad per year, huge amount of food is wasted because they don't meal plan or want to treat themselves to a weekly takeaway....they could easily half their fuel consumption while still living a more luxurious life than 90% of the wold's population.

I suspect all or most of those wasteful habits will very soon be history in a lot of households in a few months @latetothefisting. And a good thing too. Some of it will have a knock on effect too - clothes last longer if they’re not being washed when they’re not dirty.

My best friend (single parent) is a genius at budgeting, eating well, finding low/no cost activities - truly a marvel. They work minimum wage job but also studying.

Over the past 3 years (even in minimum wage job) they have managed to pay for housing, heating, food AND to save a little bit of money. They had a plan to use their savings over the next 2 years (while still working) to support the family until they graduate.

NOW (even before the autumn and January fuel price rises), they cannot make ends meet. They are using their small amount of savings at a rate that is unsustainable.

Fortunately for my friend, they will graduate in 2 years time and will increase their income. So over the next 2 years they can access and accept some debt (knowing that they can pay it off in future). But thier friends... the ones who don't have the prospect of an increase in income... The crisis is real, and now, and geting worse.