To think many people are barely surviving Life in uk is unsustainable!

[Cupcakeicecream]

To think a normal standard of living is out of reach to the majority of the population. People are barely surviving as is.They have cut back as far as they possibly can and it's still not enough.Next month prices are rising even more. I know most people would say cut your cloth accordingly dont live beyond your means. If you stopped netflix and takeout coffee everything will magically be solved. That's not realistic there is people out there stressed wondering how they will afford the Bill's barely eating sitting in a cold house as they cant afford to heat the house. Yes there will be people on their high horse saying things are not that bad. But the uk has gone to pot. Wages arent high enough. Food prices are too high. This is just a general rant as its constantly on the news. And some people are just oblivious to the fact people in uk can actual be in poverty and really suffering right now even though we arent a third world country. And it seems will only get worse.

We had a gas bill for £600 for the last quarter. That's for 2 of us in a very small house with the heating on the bare minimum. We've got a reasonable amount of money so goodness knows how people on low wages with kids manage.

I don't think the problem is the Tory government. This is happening in other countries too and I don't think labour would do better.

Agree with all this. I am a high earner but I know that there are so many people really struggling right now. Eg some mums, mentally unwell people who cannot afford rent, never mind extras.

I thought MN was a place for educated and intelligent people. Clearly not.

I too see restaurants and theatres in London being packed. Guess what? They don’t represent everyone. Cringeing at some posts here.

Some single mums*.

And just to add that our health service being shit will affect everyone eventually. The private sector employs consultants. If our juniors are leaving (and they are) there will be fewer appointments in the private sector too. A and E staffing is critical in some areas. We will all struggle with the current way the NHS is going. And that’s pretty scary. Life may ‘literally’ become unsustainable for many.

According the the Joseph Rowntree Foundation one in four British children are living in poverty. It's really tough for lots of people right now.

I posted upthread about the poverty I see working with schools, economic poverty meaning childrens’ basic needs are not met.

Thinking further, there are also families who economically their childrens’ basic needs are met, but emotionally those basic needs are not.
The other side of the ‘ I am doing fine financially, I see people with plenty of money to spend’

There is such an increase in attachment disorders, increase in children without the relationships and emotional stability to meet their basic needs. An emotional poverty caused by so many parents having to work such long hours. Children of parents who haven't the time or energy to spend with them, read to them, eat around a table together, talk. Children who are passed between providers, clubs and relatives.
The effects of not meeting these basic needs are as much a cause for concern as lack of money.

Yeah I agree with you about this phrase. Its popular because its alliteration, but applies to a small minority.
Myself and my circle are all below / average income, and no-one is choosing between heating and eating.
As others have pointed out, there have been a reasonable amount of money given out ( £67 towards energy bills per month - yes I know its ending - and Cost of living payments, to people on benefits).
I'm really worried about the direction we're heading, state of public services, housing crisis, etc, and I loathe this government, but the majority of people aren't barely surviving. Just factually inaccurate.

Well according to mumsnet they must be lying through their teeth, because the majority of people are apparently eating out all the time, shopping till they drop and booking holidays….. And apparently it’s only a small minority who can’t afford to do all of that

people are barely surviving lol. The takeaway delivery car is out every night delivering meals so cant be that bad.

It was reported recently that debt levels have soared to highest level ever which could be part of the reason some people seem to be still managing / buying stuff.

a lot of pubs/beauty salons etc are closed down making demand for those still open higher/busier. We are quite a densely populated country too.

I agree that people who have gone without food or heating due to costs are unlikely to shout it from the rooftops - there is a stigma to being poor ! I think there are a lot of people who have taken on extra jobs or overtime to enable spending too.

I teach in a school in a fairly deprived area and this is who it has hit the hardest. He have a staff member regularly taking food parcels to families. Kids wearing shoes too small and not eating breakfast.
Yet the pubs and restaurants where I live are full. We have noticed a massive increase in outgoings and had to rely on credit now and again. Never had to do that before. I think it depends on your circumstances but yep people are struggling to feed themselves and their children. All the kids in my class absolutely gobble down a hot meal. Veg and all whereas my kids would moan about the veg!

I also see this. There is also the impacts from Covid and lockdowns, increasing reliance on screens as babysitters for busy parents, health issues such as obesity which will be exacerbated by rising food costs and increased MH issues with huge waiting lists. Whether you are feeling the pinch or not these things will impact us all as a system already broken is stretched further.

Depends where you are and who you are comparing too. Some people are able to pay more for everything without even feeling it, others, well every penny is counted. I would say that the gap has widened....,

Lots of pp have said 'there are always people at the bottom who will struggle' but come on, it's a long time since it's been this bad. Inflation at 10%, energy bills at record highs, mortgages rates and rents soaring, wages not keeping pace. Even if you think it's all down to Brexit, Covid and Ukraine, that they're all unprecedented events and nowt to do with the tories, you can see that these once-in-a-lifetime events have conspired perfectly to make life pretty tough, much tougher, for people below or near the poverty line.

I do think it varies massively by area. I won't go into detail because too outing, but I volunteer regularly in a local community organisation which helps low income people in my socio-economically mixed corner of the small town north, and its worse than pre-Covid, but also not as bad you'd assume from national cost of living coverage TBH. I think it probably comes down to pretty affordable housing, including a reasonable supply of council housing. I have no idea how a single parent family on a minimum wage income copes in the south-east though.

If people are struggling why don't they retrain and get better jobs. Absolutely no shortage of jobs out there, quite the opposite.

What are they meant to live on whilst retraining? Retraining seems to involve going to Uni meaning a potential severe reduction in income, or doing an apprenticeship. Are there an abundance of jobs where you can retrain on the job and miraculously come out a few months later with a much higher wage?

LOL. You know 'retraining' takes time and money?

You're right, after reading my comment back it's ridiculous and ill considered. I retract it fully!

Also I see a lot of vacancies which require qualifications but still only pay NMW or just over

After bills, mortgage and food I have £80 disposable income a month. Before the price rises it was £500 a month.
if the prices go up then we will have to reduce what we buy.
I am sick of being told how to budget. It’s not possible if what you get in just about covers the out going’s.

Is this the new "why don't you take in ironing?".

We don't know how the bottom 20 percent live. MN users are not representative of the population as a whole. MN users are highly literate (e.g. they're able to write in, on a public board, on the internet).
The general public, particularly the working poor, are not that literate. They'll be on certain corners of FB and shit social media like tiktok, that's it.
Their voices won't be on here, at all.

I think there’s a lot of people complaining about the cost of living while feeling entitled that they can’t possibly cut back on their lifestyles. For example, they absolutely can’t give up their holiday abroad, buy takeout every week, drive the car for the shortest journey instead of walking, hair regularly coloured and nails done, multiple tv subscriptions - these are not people who are really struggling, they absolutely can cut back but they don’t want or actually need to.
I actually find it really poor taste when people like that constantly bang on about the price of their food shop going up 🙄 The people who are really struggling have to pick between eating and heating, or skip meals so their kids can eat.

Well when people feel that their standard of living is going backwards, through no fault of their own, they are going to feel disappointed and grumble about it aren't they.

You don't have to be in a desperate situation to feel miserable right now. You might feel relieved that you can absorb increased costs by cutting back on non-essentials but also feel miserable that you are cutting back on the things that make life a little bit nicer in order to pay your mortgage and energy company hundreds of pounds more each month.

If you are used to getting your hair and nails done, having tv subscriptions and an annual holiday then it is sad to give them up to pay more interest to your mortgage provider.