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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

The irony of a Great Ormand Street charity worker coming to my door....

155 replies

MulledWineAndMingePies · 14/12/2022 16:06

... asking for money when I'm a full time nurse with paediatric background that just today was accepted for an RCN hardship fund because we are so painfully broke.

I can't give 30p to a charity.

We don't have debt, we don't have habits like smoking or drinking, we don't even have a massive mortgage.

We are just utterly and painfully broke.

These strikes can't come quick enough.

OP posts:
Original poster
MulledWineAndMingePies · 14/12/2022 19:59

inky1991 · 14/12/2022 19:53

What's an average nurses salary...30k? Often more, sometimes less if recently qualified etc. I'm not saying that's exceptional to live on this day and age, but it's not bad?? I do think nurses deserve more, there's no doubt but I don't understand where this whole nurses living in poverty or going to food banks thing comes from.

If someone could provide an explanation that would be great, cause I don't see how the current salary is causing poverty. Most of the country are struggling hugely due to inflation, and not everyone can or wants to go on a strike. Earning 30k+ should not warrant going to food banks etc unless you are living far beyond your means.

Yeah im around 34k.

Things are so bad I had to ask for a hardshiP
fund from the RCN.

They ask for 2 months worth of proof that our outgoings are more than our income.

As I said, we have no debts, and we have no habits.

So this is general life.

We were accepted. The Royal
College of Nursing saw saw how broke we are and gave us money.

Thats how bad it is.

If you earn less than me and don't understand, it's for either 2 reasons -

The system supports you - and rightly so!

Your partner supports you - and rightly so!

But us?

we are fucked

OP posts:
grayhairdontcare · 14/12/2022 20:06

@HilarysMantelpiece lots of care workers do and did. For minimum wage

MichaelAndEagle · 14/12/2022 20:08

I think a lot depends where you live. I earn around 34k but live in a cheap place and its ok.

grayhairdontcare · 14/12/2022 20:09

@MulledWineAndMingePies how can you not live on 34k?
Not being goady. It's a genuine question.
If you have no debt then what are you spending your money on?

Butterlover1 · 14/12/2022 20:09

100bn on HS2....£50bn Liz Truss' budget tax cuts for the rich.....£35bn in tax lost in UK through non-payment, avoidance and fraud....£22bn on the restoration of the Houses of Parliament.....£10bn of spending on PPE written off. DON'T LET THEM TELL YOU THERE'S NO MONEY LEFT!

inky1991 · 14/12/2022 20:11

I earn slightly less than you, and my partner earns less than me again. We don't have kids yet (although I'm pregnant), so I appreciate that's a massive extra worry in terms of finances as well as being a single parent.

Money is definitely a constant worry for us at the moment, but I wouldn't say I can't afford to feed myself or heat my house. Lots of people would love to earn as much as 34k, seems shocking that salary is not enough to live on at the moment!

I hope you get a decent pay rise soon, and things improve.

Original poster
MulledWineAndMingePies · 14/12/2022 20:17

grayhairdontcare · 14/12/2022 20:09

@MulledWineAndMingePies how can you not live on 34k?
Not being goady. It's a genuine question.
If you have no debt then what are you spending your money on?

food, childcare, fuel, all the same stuff as you.

where else?!

OP posts:
inky1991 · 14/12/2022 20:19

Kitcaterpillar · 14/12/2022 19:59

If someone could provide an explanation that would be great, cause I don't see how the current salary is causing poverty.

Why do you care? Nurses should earn more. They do a hard job in difficult conditions and are degree (and beyond) educated professionals. They don't have to justify their personal finances to you. The government has plenty of money to pay nurses more, they simply choose not to. And now nurses, like everyone else, are fucked off. People shouldn't have to be struggling to get a decent wage.

As I said, there's no doubt nurses deserve more money. There are many other hardworking, qualified people who earn much less than 34k, but other professions hardly get a mention. There's no need to be antagonistic when I'm trying to get a understanding of how 34k can lead to poverty. We're either blamed for not trying to understand or blamed for asking too many questions...

IDontHaveTimeForFoolishness · 14/12/2022 20:20

I can't read and dash, sending hugs to you xx

Possiblynotever · 14/12/2022 20:21

34K were a good amount of money before Brexit, Covid, Boris, Lizzy and inflation.
Now they are not.
A babysitter earns £15 an hour, a cleaning lady between £15 and £20 an hour. Are they phenomenally wealthy? No. Do they struggle to make ends meet? Yes.
Do they do a less qualified job than a nurse? For sure!
£34K is now a minimum wage.

olivehater · 14/12/2022 20:22

My hospital isn’t stringing because there aren’t enough staff! The irony!

olivehater · 14/12/2022 20:22

*striking!

grayhairdontcare · 14/12/2022 20:22

@MulledWineAndMingePies that's a lot of fuel and food.

Original poster
MulledWineAndMingePies · 14/12/2022 20:23

Income per year 34k

Outgoings per year 36k+...

does that help?

OP posts:
grayhairdontcare · 14/12/2022 20:23

@Possiblynotever 34k is really not minimum wage.
Minimum wage is minimum wage .

ScreamInBlue · 14/12/2022 20:24

inky1991 · 14/12/2022 19:53

What's an average nurses salary...30k? Often more, sometimes less if recently qualified etc. I'm not saying that's exceptional to live on this day and age, but it's not bad?? I do think nurses deserve more, there's no doubt but I don't understand where this whole nurses living in poverty or going to food banks thing comes from.

If someone could provide an explanation that would be great, cause I don't see how the current salary is causing poverty. Most of the country are struggling hugely due to inflation, and not everyone can or wants to go on a strike. Earning 30k+ should not warrant going to food banks etc unless you are living far beyond your means.

I'm glad someone said it.

Toomanybooks22 · 14/12/2022 20:28

inky1991 · 14/12/2022 19:53

What's an average nurses salary...30k? Often more, sometimes less if recently qualified etc. I'm not saying that's exceptional to live on this day and age, but it's not bad?? I do think nurses deserve more, there's no doubt but I don't understand where this whole nurses living in poverty or going to food banks thing comes from.

If someone could provide an explanation that would be great, cause I don't see how the current salary is causing poverty. Most of the country are struggling hugely due to inflation, and not everyone can or wants to go on a strike. Earning 30k+ should not warrant going to food banks etc unless you are living far beyond your means.

Completely agree

Hulahulahulahoop · 14/12/2022 20:32

Band 6 is £37k I think; you're genuinely struggling to feed your children on that salary? And you have a mortgage, ie probably less than private rent? And you still get UC? I rent privately in the SE (£1200/month) and have a child in full time nursery at £1k a month, earn £40k and my partner earns £35k and we're fine. Unless your husband earns very little? I support strike action but £37k is a good salary, and not one I would expect you to need much 'help' from the taxpayer etc on

BrookeDavisQueen · 14/12/2022 20:33

AdelaideRo · 14/12/2022 16:35

I get cross with GOSH fundraising so far out of area. There are children's hospitals all over the UK many of whom don't have massive endowments that could really do with financial support and don't get a look in as the GOSH fundraisers are so aggressive.

I finally managed to get the school to stop collecting for GOSH and to collect instead for the local children's hospital. This is the hospital that provides the majority of secondary/ tertiary care for the pupils and is where they go if they have a playground accident. It's also a newish children's hospital and doesn't have a tonne of funds.

i work in the NHS I know how useful charity money is. It basically pays for all the good stuff - art work, improved parental information, support nurses, staff psychology (essential post COVID), financial advice for staff (also currently essential). so huge thanks to those who do donate.

I know a few people who have children treated at GOSH. They don't really do playground accident type work. They treat really sick children - like the girl on the news yesterday who had incurable cancer until GOSH doctors found a new treatment.

Original poster
MulledWineAndMingePies · 14/12/2022 20:35

37k

Eventually I hope

OP posts:
nocoolnamesleft · 14/12/2022 20:36

I'm afraid last time a GOSH fundraiser came to my door I pointed out that it would make more sense to be raising money for the regional children's hospital where the vast majority of our complex paediatric patients go, and that GOSH are notorious for being crap at communicating with the local hospital (where the children go if they deteriorate at home). I think he was a tad taken aback.

whynotwhatknot · 14/12/2022 20:36

I do feel for you its not right and you all work so hard

i do like GOSH though its not about where you live its the treatments they give

Hulahulahulahoop · 14/12/2022 20:36

Oh sorry, from your earlier posts you mention being a single and then a married mother so thought you now had a partner too; I certainly wouldn't be managing my £1200/month rent and £1000/month nursery fees on my take home salary of £2500/month (which is all £40k is) and I'm glad the RCN were able to step in and help and sorry for the stress you're under

Original poster
MulledWineAndMingePies · 14/12/2022 20:36

Hulahulahulahoop · 14/12/2022 20:32

Band 6 is £37k I think; you're genuinely struggling to feed your children on that salary? And you have a mortgage, ie probably less than private rent? And you still get UC? I rent privately in the SE (£1200/month) and have a child in full time nursery at £1k a month, earn £40k and my partner earns £35k and we're fine. Unless your husband earns very little? I support strike action but £37k is a good salary, and not one I would expect you to need much 'help' from the taxpayer etc on

Help from the tax payer?

I have never asked for help from the 'tax payer'.

And I assume you mean me and everyone else?

OP posts:
Brefugee · 14/12/2022 20:37

As I said, there's no doubt nurses deserve more money. There are many other hardworking, qualified people who earn much less than 34k, but other professions hardly get a mention

unionise.