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?

@Completelyovernonsense It won't be a crisis for the majority of people. Doesn't mean the significant minority for whom it is don't matter.

Poverty is generally defined as not having the resources to meet your minimum needs. Inevitably, there's going to be a bit of blurring around the boundaries of what that means exactly. It is also relative to some degree, based on the current median and average wages. There isn’t one single catch-all definition. Which is good news for those who want to backtrack on an earlier statement without admitting that they've reconsidered.

Since you claim to have started this thread in the best of faith, OP, and are now accepting that things are about to get very shit for a lot of people, you can read this or this if you want to know a bit about what poverty means.

I'm a teacher so in the grand scheme of things not a bad wage but I am already feeling it and I'm worried about the next price hike! My fuel bill has gone from 100 per month to 400 per month! We literally have around £100 per month "spare" once bills, childcare, food, petrol etc is paid.

I think it will be a proper crisis for a significant minority. Very uncomfortable for a lot more people and there will be then a small number who are well cushioned enough to not really notice. And of course there are those who have so much money that they will be able to take advantage of the situation and buy things like property on the cheap and society will become even more unequal.

Tbh what I'm really worried about is the situation in Germany with their reliance on Russian gas. If Russia cut them off and they can't power their industry then I really think it will be a situation that goes way beyond a normal recession. I hope I'm overthinking things, but it feels to me that it could trigger something massive. Hopefully it won't happen....

@ReneBumsWombats That's fair, and thank you for the links. I was never in any doubt as to how badly this will affect many people. It seems like your objection isn't with me personally (how can it be - you don't know me) but rather the absence of detail and nuance in my original post - which, to be fair, is understandable, but I just didn't think it was necessary at the time to clearly delineate every view I hold, describe my background, and make disclaimers about being a "poverty denier" or some such. Anyway, thanks for the links and I hope you have a good week.

Bloody hell, she only asked a question and stated her own personal circumstances. Why so touchy ?

I think you’ll find it will. Three million children living in poverty now - and this crisis has barely begun.

Most people who got Covid didn't die or have permanent health problems. It was/still is a crisis.If all you're claiming to be saying now is that NOT EVERYONE will be freezing, starving and homeless, well...OK, but yet again: how many have to be before you decide it's serious? In the circumstances it seems a pretty weird point to fixate upon, certainly to the extent that you've been shouting at people over it.

@Completelyovernonsense Yes, but "directly affected" doesn't mean "severe financial hardship". Everybody is already directly affected - nobody is denying that. My food and bills have gone up, as has NI. I'm not personally experiencing a crisis.

Out of interest, do you support Black Lives Matter? I sincerely hope you do.

I think the way energy, fuel and food is increasing it does have potential to cause a lot of hardship. Food price increases are ridiculous at the moment, noticing things every week. I think I shop wisely but spent a ridiculous amount this week. I hate the thought of having to compromise with food for the kids.

@Completelyovernonsense Do you accept that Black people have historically been and continue to be unfairly targeted by the police, are subjected to regular police violence and brutality, and are exponentially more likely to be murdered by police officers than white people are?

Goodness, that was a swerve.

I agree. We've noticed a bit of a difference in our weekly shop etc, but it's definitely manageable and we're not particularly bothered.

@Completelyovernonsense It sounds like we both care about racial and social equality. Good day to you.

@WelliesandWine88 But going by this thread, you are "disgusting" for saying so! How dare you deny poverty????? Get out of your backside etc etc

@Blossomtoes This thread broke me

I still can't get over the irony of being consistently told off, preached to, called "disgusting" etc. by somebody on this thread who's said multiple times she's in the top 5% of wealth in the UK.

Wow @buzzheath you're really showing your true colours by insulting peoples intelligence because they dared to offer up a different opinion to yourself, an opinion the poster was able to form from experience of poverty and her incredible charity work.
I couldn't cope without the help of people like her, running pantrys, food banks, giving to crowndfunding campaigns, donating to charity etc etc.
My family is already being hit tremendously hard by the increasing cost of living. I don't know why you think it's not the same for most people. Most people are going to be affected. Most people will feel the pinch and struggle. And not just those of us who don't work (before any fucker jumps on me for that I'm disabled and mentally ill. I worked all my life until 2 years ago) my mum and her partner are struggling immensely already too. They've had to cut back on what they're spending, they have stopped watching as much TV because of the electricity it uses. My 20 year old brother has been buying their shopping as well as paying board because my mum just can't afford to. She's my full time carer so her cash all goes on trying to get to me at the drop of a hat when she doesn't drive and taxi services have recently become unreliable as they've no drivers because they can't afford to hire anyone new. (Told to us by the taxi firms)
My brother and stepdad both work full time on more than minimum wage. My mum, as I said, is my carer. Yet they're struggling. They don't drink, smoke, drive (my stepdad sold his car to try and get themselves some extra cash)
Most of the UK is not rich and will suffer the consequences of this crisis