I believe that the minimum wage should be enough to enable a working couple to feed and clothe a family of four and keep a roof over their heads.

[Mamarsupial]

I don’t think I am BU for a moment, interested to see how many agree with me.

What are you disagreeing with? That's exactly what the OP said, isn't it?

Ideally I'd like to see subsidised childcare, actual affordable housing and linked wages

Yes. If the two people are working. They should also get free/ almost free childcare. Surely you have to design minimum wage for this situation

Yep - can't remember it off the top of my head but there are incremental differences at different ages.

Minimum wage came from other countries first and was intended to enable the man of the house to support his family. That's one adult working. I certainly believe that two working parents should be able to live on a minimum wage job each.

The cost of living has shot up. Inflation has gone crazy but minimum wage has gone up by cribs and drabs, nowhere near matching what we have to pay out.

Completely agree. A roof over your head and food on the table is not exactly asking for the moon on a stick, if you’re working full time in one of the richest countries in the world.

I believe two parents working minimum wage jobs should be able to afford 2 children and a decent family home of 3 or 4 beds inc all bills and a little left over to save.
They should also be able to afford modest birthdays, and Christmas for the kids.
a modest holiday each year, healthy food for their children.
no one on minimum wage should be afraid to put the heating on or go to a food bank, it’s insulting the country is on its knees and people SHOULD BE ANGRY!!

On mw?!

I think it is not unreasonable to think that two adults working full time in regular jobs could afford the basics of life - which are, IMO, housing, heating, food, basic transport, basic clothes/purchases.

The issue is that in the UK housing, fuel, transport, food and childcare have now risenin price far more than wages.

UK has a MAJOR wage stagnation issue, we haven't had a pay rise since 2010.

Completely agree. 50 years ago a family could live on one wage as it was mainly the husband that worked. However poverty was around. My dad would walk to school with third hand boots on and there was no central heating, ready meals, going to restaurants then. I’m 57 and we would go out a couple of times a year for a meal. No foreign holidays etc etc.

2 adults over 25 working full time on NMW would bring home £2757.50 a month. Plus child benefit of £157.00 per month.

Where I live ( Bucks) a 2 bed rents for £1,100 per month. Council tax would be £128 per month. Other utilities would be around £150 per month.
Weekly food shopping of £100
Add in a yearly clothing budget of £500

My calculations mean that still leaves over £1000 per month......

Yes I agree, and I would include being able to heat the house, affording transport and some luxuries/contingency money (a TV, replacing a broken appliance etc).

I really wish we could stop with the 50 years ago a man could provide for his family pish.

Women working are not to blame for the current economic crisis

It's also not even true.

The 70s had their economic hardships and poverty and women have always worked

I completely agree with you that minimum wage should support one child and one adult. A working couple with two children comes to the same thing?
(In fact you are more generous than my original post because if housing can be covered by one salary my family of 4 should have a bit left over for savings).

I think it should be enough to support one person. so each person earns enough to support themselves. If I'm looking to support others and have children etc then I'd expect to need to be in above min wage roles.

I think that a nmw job at that level of pay wouldn’t leave any space for starting out wages and jobs. Mw jobs are entry level. Being paid enough to support kids would be a lot for a young single person living with their parents. Also a lot on mn seem to think that there is just endless money in business. If mw rockets, jobs will be replaced by technology and costs of care, supermarkets, etc will spiral. There is also the issue that trained people such as nurses will want a larger differential. I think nurses should be paid more but the country is in dire straits. A big increase in salaries would be unaffordable.

Agree. A person working full time should be able to support themselves. Obviously on minimum wage, I'd imagine it wouldn't be a lavish lifestyle but it should be enough to cover the basics like shelter, utility bills and food.

I actually have come to the conclusion that a lot of jobs salaries are at a level where you are not expected to support yourself on it. The wages are such that you are expected to have a partner who is earning more...ie. I really think many jobs particularly those that women often do are priced at pin money wages rather than an actual wage which can support you.

Not everyone can or wants to move up a pissing ladder. Have a day off

Why not?
Christmas and birthday presents are hardly an extravagance. Or should we be start wrapping Samaritans Purse Christmas boxes for the children of working parents in our own country?

Of course on mw. Fuck me what's wrong with you?

No full time working person should be struggling.

NMW should be about £30,000 a year. It's stupid to have artificially low wages that are then topped up by benefits. Just pay people enough in the first place.

You are not wrong OP. But the prospect of that ever happening was killed by the tax credits. Labour govt chose to set up a system to subsidize low wages so employers neither paid workers the going rate, not forced to invest in automation if they couldn’t afford to pay the going rate. This is the root of the low productivity problem in our economy. It has damaged the economy economy and individuals.

I see minimum wage as an entry level job. Minimum wage is a place where you start and I would say the majority of people don’t start with a family of four to clothe and feed.

Are there any countries where this is the case?

Also one person’s definition on food and clothing is different to another’s. Are you talking home essentials and basics or Waitrose and M&S

MW jobs aren't all entry level. There are some jobs that simply pay minimum wage to everyone in that job, regardless of time in service etc.

Young people already have a lower NMW - you don't get the full NMW until 23, and there are lower levels at points all the way down to under 18s.

I know these days a lot of 23 year olds will be single and may live with parents (though that assumes a reasonably financially comfortable parent?). But surely they should be paid enough to at least plan to move out.