This may be unpopular - but what about the squeezed middle?

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They are talking about raising taxes on the average person now. Which will really effect lower middle class families who are already feeling the pinch due to increases in cost of food, gas and electic, increasing childcare costs and rent or morgage increases. They are going to increase pensions and benefits with inflation but lots of middle class earners are not having their wages increased with inflation but will now have their taxes increased. What about help for the middle class, especially lower middle class and working class who earn slightly to much to qualify for any help but will now stuggle with all these increases.

I don’t know, OP. It’s going to be rough on all of us. I am a single parent, I don’t qualify for benefits but am on a very average wage. It is worrying.

I’m a teacher, DH is a social worker. Fixed mortgage due up in feb. Heating bills about to skyrocket.

I'm also worried.

It's the price demanded by so many of the vocal people on here who want raised benefits and health spending. Someone has to pay for it.

Jut want to add that squeezed middle doesn't mean middle class, but people in the middle. Like people with average or below wages and JUST above tresholds for any entitlement for help.
Considering the class hate on here, just wanted to mention it.

What exactly are we defining as the squeezed middle? I don’t ask to be difficult, it absolutely exists, but not sure we’re all thinking about the same thing

Everyone's going to take a hit (except the super rich) and it sucks. Personally though I think it sucks more the less you have. We're facing into maybe missing a foreign holiday, not going to restaurants on a whim etc. within the context of eating/heating etc, I'm painfully aware of just how privileged this is. We're helping where we can, but I know that others will be more worse off. You're not being unreasonable, this sucks.

Its the people who work eg public sector workers whos wages are very much behind inflation levels. They dont qualify for housing or benefit help and end up worse off than if they didnt work.

They are talking about raising taxes on the average person now

Who is ‘they’?

The people who always take the biggest hit are those with are net contributors and don’t qualify for any help. They are the cash cows. And their resentment of concern is understandable.

Worried too. Ok salary but just above threshold to be able to claim any benefits. In education in so well below inflation pay increase, mortgage on my own plus all the bills - 2 kids, co parent so no financial support from ex apart from sharing costs for the children. Really starting to feel the pinch as everything gets more expensive. Find myself jealous of all my still married / partnered friends who have 2 salaries coming in. I miss having a partner to share the worry, and the bills, with!

It’s actually horrible how the people that keep this country ticking over by working hard, doing the middling necessary jobs, that are not without stress, are expected just give their wages to these incompetent governments and receive noting in return. Terrible health care, poor schooling and the possibility of black outs due to terrible energy planning. Squeezed middle should stop being so bloody responsible. We are just punished for working hard, investing in education for ourselves and our children, stop keeping our streets tidy, stop volunteering, giving to charities and food banks. Is boring mumsnetters that have tried to create stable lives and therefore societies are punished for it.

I presume you mean middle income rather than middle class?

I think those people on middle income will be impacted considerably. However fewer will go hungry or have to send their children to school with inadequate shoes than those who are on NMW.

All except the very highest earners are going to be affected. Hopefully those with middle income have a buffer and those on low income will be given financial help.

I had a bit of a look in to this after a recent thread. Apparently fewer than half the people in this country are net contributors via tax which is much lower than it was say 50 years ago, largely driven by the percentages of retired people. This makes it much harder to raise support as fewer people are worth taxing so you need to raise their taxes more for the same outcome, and at a point where all their costs are going up too. I don't know what the answer is.

It's going to be shit for them, tbh not as shit as those on very low incomes who have absolutely no buffer but shit nonetheless.
Of course if we had a just government we would be doing it on a sliding scale that taxed the wealthy more during this but heyho we voted for the Tories. And this is what Tories do

It will also lead to some others being screwed too. I'm in the middle and not particularly squeezed. Don't need help.

But as the cost of essentials has risen without my income correspondingly doing the same, that means the discretionary spending that some other people rely on to feed themselves will be cut. I will have less money for that kind of thing. Extrapolate this across the population and I'm very worried about the impact.

What exactly are we defining as the squeezed middle? People earning average wages or wages just above tresholds for any entitlement for help. Depends on where you live (rent and morgage costs) and how many children you have and their age (childcare costs or one parent working part time or staying home and not working due to childcare costs). Not households on here with combined incomes of 100K complaining they have less disposable income for treats etc

Lots of EEA immigrants are net contributors. Well until we leave since we are not wanted🙈

Lots of people think it's just millionaires who can be net contributors. With the demographic changes, as you mention, it will be getting harder and harder to fund everything, yes

Or cut services. This is what happens when low growth becomes cyclical.

Just feel this needs repeated before all the 'what on EARTH do you mean the middle class have nothing to worry about!!' starts...
*Applesandcarrots · Today 08:03

Jut want to add that squeezed middle doesn't mean middle class, but people in the middle. Like people with average or below wages and JUST above tresholds for any entitlement for help.
Considering the class hate on here, just wanted to mention it.*

There's already millions every year unclaimed from the benefits pot. They could be reapportioning that.

But ultimately there is no fractional reserve limit on printing money at the BoE so it can literally be conjured up from nothing.

Where do you think money comes from? How do you think it is created?

People did vote for this.

Brexit has cost the country 10s of billions, we voted in a buffoon and then allowed the Tories to give us Truss, again voted in by their membership.

or as a leading equity boss said this morning "the UK economy is doomed due to decisions made over the last 6 years"

Can't complain you've got what you wanted.

Especially when we tax earned income more than wealth.

Perhaps lots will use their Irish ancestry passport to escape UK and start again in mainland Europe? I’ve certainly seen a few take off for new lives recently France, Spain, Portugal. It’s what happens when people are cornered they look for an escape. So who do the government turn to milk when their usual cash cow has fled to pastures new? Will the lower income or those on benefits suffer whilst the super rich avoid supporting them? Sounds like a recipe for a revolution

The current economic climate is rough on all those on benefits and anyone working.

Most people live slightly beyond their means ergo It's not about how much people earn but how much disposable income people have. Some have more opportunity to cut back than others.

I've said this before, but we are all only a few pay checks away from homelessness. Only the 1% have some buffer, but even they can lose everything through bad investment. (Downton Abbey springs to mind).

The whole situation, globally, is a sh1t shower and having a competent government is obvs fundamental. We need a general election to vote one in! Taxation is to control inflation and spending, but honestly it only works if we stop spending.

I've been out catching up with friends and family this weekend (first time in c 6months) and every pub/restaurant etc that we went to were packed to the gills. Makes you wonder economic crisis, what economic crisis....

A very valid point by PP, we'll be able to cope with the rises as we have kept our outgoings low as our wages have gone up. However, as the disposable income is reduced, we'll be spending less on things other people rely on for their income eg beauty treatments (we don't have a cleaner or spend much on entertainment but those things will be the first to go for many people).