Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

261 replies

Cupcakeicecream · 28/03/2023 18:54

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.

OP posts:
Meandfour · 29/03/2023 07:19

AuntiesWoodenLeg · 28/03/2023 23:17

Have those of you who say you don't know anyone who is struggling considered that some people might be but just not telling you?

I am struggling quite a bit now but I wouldn't dream of boring my friends about it. So I keep up appearances - always "got something else on" to avoid nights out, or only have one (cheapest) course if I do eat out as I'm "watching my weight" or "not hungry". Given up my hobbies as I "don't have the time" or "got bored with it".

They don't know I heat and light just one room to save on bills, shop in the yellow sticker sections for my food and just eat the basics, and am growing my hair colour out because I can't afford to have my roots done now, not to look cool in gorgeous grey (although I hope I do!).

My old car is a good excuse to cover for not driving as I can claim something needs fixed to avoid going somewhere when in reality I can't always afford the petrol.

So just because people still act like they're doing fine, doesn't always mean they are.

Giving up hobbies, not driving your car, having the 1 cheapest meal on the menu isn’t acting like you’re doing fine though is it?
I would think it’d be pretty obvious you were cutting back by doing the things you’ve listed.

Ionlydrinkondaysendinginy · 29/03/2023 07:19

malificent7 · 29/03/2023 07:00

I struggle to find pasta for 40p nowadays...even in lidl basics.

Asda sell it for 41p in there just essential range

MissyB1 · 29/03/2023 07:21

Ionlydrinkondaysendinginy · 29/03/2023 07:16

Considering a starting wage for a newly qualified nurse is around 25k a year id say say they are misusing foodbanks and should be ashamed of themselves. My income is less then half of that and iv never used a foodbank. I even use to donate to foodbanks until it started being put in the media that people on more then double what I earn use them.

Show quote history

I’m guessing rents are cheap in your area…..They must be to be able to bring up a family on 25k without having to panic about bills, food, kid’s clothes and shoes etc…

Ionlydrinkondaysendinginy · 29/03/2023 07:23

MissyB1 · 29/03/2023 07:21

I’m guessing rents are cheap in your area…..They must be to be able to bring up a family on 25k without having to panic about bills, food, kid’s clothes and shoes etc…

Show quote history

To be fair I do live in a very deprived area with low housing costs which obviously makes a difference

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 29/03/2023 07:24

So1invictus · 29/03/2023 06:47

This. I was just writing about how food in the UK has been cheap (possibly too cheap) for years.

I live in Italy and we can only dream of the prices in UK supermarkets. Both before, and after Brexit. For things like pasta. Go figure. We've taken photos of food in UK supermarkets to show people here. Same product, same brand. In the UK fridge- 99p. In my fridge in Puglia €3.45. (the brand is Italian)

Wages are lower here, bills are higher. Rents about the same . The energy/petrol bills everyone talks about in the UK have been normal for us for years.

It isn't a race to the bottom, no. But when in the UK you can buy a t shirt for £2 and a huge bag of pasta (on another thread) for 40p and tins of tomatoes for 19p, it's going to be a very tiny violin.

Unemployment is going to rocket. In retail and service. No shit. Ask the people digging their heels in about not going back to the office why that might be. The High Street is dead, and it's not because of Amazon.

Show quote history

Interesting, thank you for posting an outside the UK pov.

coffeemoon · 29/03/2023 07:24

Fairyliz · 28/03/2023 20:29

I keep reading that people are struggling to eat etc but I don’t see it. The pubs and restaurants are full and you can’t get a workman for love nor money and this is in an ex mining town.

This is misleading though. So many people are still using loans and credit to keep a lifestyle that they can't afford. It's very concerning.

Ilovemycatalot · 29/03/2023 07:26

Op you won’t get a balanced view on here as most ppl seem to earn 60k and have high earning partners. But in the real world your right ppl are struggling and it’s only getting worse.
The cost of living is pretty much out of control wages have stagnated for years and food prices are ridiculous . The UK has pretty much gone to shit.

Dontevenstart · 29/03/2023 07:33

Elvis1956 · 28/03/2023 22:49

Call you and yours on r4 today was about pension. The study quoted said you can survive old age (assuming you own your home and don't have a car) on £20k for a couplewhich is what the full state pension will be.

so no, the fact is bad news sells papers, there is an anti government push by the national broadcaster, the unions are pushing to get Labour elected and we have been hit by a worldwide pandemic and a European war.

UK growth over the term of this government (13 years) had actually been excellent

…for a few.

Untitledsquatboulder · 29/03/2023 07:34

Life is pretty unsustainable in many countries world wide: Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, Lebanon, Venezuela to name a few - luckily the UK is not one one them. Some people here really are struggling to stay afloat, some think they've got it tough but have no idea how much worse it could get and the majority are doing OK however much they tut about the price of food (better get used to that guys).

gogohmm · 29/03/2023 07:35

@EngTech

I agree, it's always busy, getting a dinner reservation on weekends is hard etc though of course you don't see the have nots, they aren't crossing into the space that I'm seeing, the poor are struggling at home or at low income projects not in the bars of the city centre. Through work though I see the people struggling, they are the hidden underclass - we calculated it's around 10% of the town I work in that aren't earning enough to cover their costs.

gogohmm · 29/03/2023 07:40

And of the people I'm working with struggling, most are struggling due to debts not income - even living on benefits it's doable if you don't owe money, but most people do and huge amounts, we do our best to renegotiate for clients but they are still paying £20 or so a week back, a lot when you are on benefits. Everyone i work with openly admits they spent on unnecessary things, impulsively spending even once they knew they were in trouble because it's "only a coffee" whereas I sit opposite with my coffee from home!

Ffvv666gg · 29/03/2023 07:43

I think it really depends on where you live and accommodation. Anecdotally sell my friends who live outside London are fine - they are in their 40s with tiny or non existent mortgages and are carrying on as before. My friends in London are fine so long as one of them earn more than 100k.

But there are large groups of people who can't be fine. Rents in London are 2k per month for a two bed flat so I have no idea how a single parent nurse would survive or a teacher for example. Same with pensioners who rent in London or South East. Some people's mortgages would have gone up by 800 pounds per month with interest rate changes so again thats a massive change.

Have a look at school stats- lots of kids on free school meals and you need to be really poor to qualify. Am assuming those families are struggling

MintJulia · 29/03/2023 07:47

I don't agree OP. I'm a single mum, live in the south and travel into London every week.

London is busy and flourishing. Companies are struggling to find staff. There are plenty of opportunities. The businesses that are normally the first to go in a downturn are flourishing - nail bars, tattoo parlours, coffee shops etc.

In rural Hampshire there are just as many companies looking for staff. Plenty of opportunities to take second jobs, evening work, part time etc.

Costs have gone up, so yes people may have to cut back their holiday, have fewer luxuries, eat at home etc but they are not at risk. We are coming out of a long winter with a high oil/gas price. (Thanks Putin!). It's been tough but costs will come down.

The real concern is for those who cannot work because of caring responsibilities, ill health or old age. They are the truly vulnerable.

Twinedpeaks · 29/03/2023 07:52

Hellsmovie · 28/03/2023 20:04

I dont see our household income as big 65k. And were not bearly surviving. Were still saving a decent amount each (around 1k) we can go out when we want ,eat out when we want, by branded stuff. We have no debt and if we need a bigish purchase we use our savings or credit card with a balance transfer. I'm not classing that as debt as its paid within a few months

But we dont have kids and live in social housing(hence the saving to get out) so I understand were lucky in that way .

I can see why people with kids and mortgages might be feeling the pinch though. Hopefully things will start getting better

A household income of £65k puts you in the top 20% FYI. It's not below average!!

Median household income is £32k.

Hellsmovie · 29/03/2023 08:02

Twinedpeaks · 29/03/2023 07:52

A household income of £65k puts you in the top 20% FYI. It's not below average!!

Median household income is £32k.

Show quote history

Definitely no way am in tye top 20%. Do you have a link to show these stats?

HelloDaisy · 29/03/2023 08:07

In my experience the divide in this country of those that can afford to live and those that can’t is getting bigger.

I work for a crisis charity and demand for our help has grown by over 70% in the last year, whilst on the other hand the restaurants around here are always fully booked so if I want to take dc out at a weekend we need to book a few weeks in advance.

BrightYellowDaffodil · 29/03/2023 08:14

To me, op's post sounded desperate. Maybe AIBU is not the place for it. It is not a dissertation in which the objective is to refute her assertion. It is ok to show empathy and imagination. Do you think she feels better or worse that posters are telling her that they've paid their mortgage off or can save £1000pm?

As you say, the “Am I Being Unreasonable” section of a discussion forum is probably not the right place. But since that’s where is is posted, you can’t be surprised if people a) discuss and b) disagree. You can empathise with someone’s personal situation and still disagree with something they’ve said.

Callmenat · 29/03/2023 08:15

MissyB1 · 29/03/2023 07:08

Yet again just because you don’t personally know any it can’t possibly be happening eh? 🙄 Well I do know two single parent nurses both having to use a food bank.

Show quote history

They need to budget better. Nurses and teachers salaries aren't insignificant.

holachicas · 29/03/2023 08:18

I work in a school and we’re hearing more and more of families struggling. They can’t afford food tech ingredients, can’t afford credit on phones to contact the school, etc and we’re in an affluent area.

Taxi drivers say that it’s really quiet for them now as people aren’t going out like they used to.

I think a lot of people have their heads buried in the sand at the moment. They’re eating into savings and spending on credit cards thinking it will be temporary until prices fall but they won’t for a long time - it will be in a few months time that I think people will really struggle, no savings and a mass of debt.

holachicas · 29/03/2023 08:20

@Callmenat
It depends on their circumstances…I’ve always thought that nurses childcare bills must be huge as their shift patterns don’t really fit in with family life, school runs, etc

HettyMeg · 29/03/2023 08:20

I agree and it's not going to get better until we get this Tory government out. This is all the result of years of deliberate underfunding, cuts and bad leadership.

Pifflepuffin · 29/03/2023 08:22

HettyMeg · 29/03/2023 08:20

I agree and it's not going to get better until we get this Tory government out. This is all the result of years of deliberate underfunding, cuts and bad leadership.

I agree, but oddly I only know one person who's willing to vote Labour...

Some of whom work in the local hospital. (I know, I know..)

AllOfThemWitches · 29/03/2023 08:27

1 in 5 people in the UK is in poverty. OK, it's not the majority but it's not exactly a handful. And many, many more will be struggling badly without being considered 'in poverty.'

Hellsmovie · 29/03/2023 08:28

berksandbeyond · 29/03/2023 08:05

https://ifs.org.uk/tools_and_resources/where_do_you_fit_in

this will tell you where your income ‘fits in’

Better off than 93% of the country according to that lol.

I wish my home / area that I live in reflected that