What standard of living do you think should be the minimum everyone can afford?

[MondayAgainnn]

What do you think the absolute basic minimum should be?

I think everybody should be able to afford:

Decent food
Safe housing
Any extra medical things needed, including dentistry
Internet package as it is completely necessary nowadays
Enough clothes to stay warm, dry, appropriate trainers for exercising etc
Enough for some discretionary spending - obviously this is harder to quantify, but things like Netflix, a coffee, cinema tickets I feel should be a normal attainable part of life for everyone
Enough to save a bit

Whether it is through work or through benefits I feel everyone in society should be able to have a lifestyle that is dignified, basically comfortable and with room for treats. Not just subsistence level.

What do you think the minimum should be?

Pretty much what you've said.

I think everyone should be able to have a holiday each year.

Sounds about right

I think this is more than the basics.

I think wages should be decent and pay more than benefits. So I think wages should allow for all those things, for basic jobs. And they benefits should be a little less than that. There should be the incentive to work for those that can.

A home
A basic car
Bills/food
A meal out once a month
One week holiday per year

And holidays are not basics! Holidays are definitely a luxury.

Despite certain demographics in society thinking it’s 1998, a smart phone/ device with internet is vital to everything.

I agree and would also add safe, appropriate transport. In a city bus/tram passes might cut it. In rural areas or for disabled people a reliable, well maintained car isn’t too much to ask.

For me this is more than the basics - basics literally mean what you need to survive surely. Discretionary spending such as netflix, cinema, coffees out, plus being able to save, are luxuries surely?

What for children?

Remember children can be taken away by school or some group like scouts on a holiday.

Or do you think it is ok for a child to never see the sea, countryside or a city if they live rurally?

Holidays are definitely a luxury

And yeah, I suppose it does depend on how this lifestyle is funded.

Do you honestly think people on benefits should never be allowed to have any small treats?

That their kids should not be able to watch a bit of Netflix?

Does that extend to disabled people who are unable to work? I know lots of disabled people are able to work, but plenty cannot. Do you think anyone who cannot work long term should never be allowed anything that could be considered a treat?

I think that holidays are a luxury, yes.

No, that is not the same as saying I think it’s ok for a child to never see the sea 🤨

We work full time, we can’t afford annual holidays. They are a luxury.

Smart phone (or phone and some type of computer) and transport costs are necessities these days. I don't think savings comes under an 'absolute basic'.

Saying benefits should NOT provide for the basics, as @SpringOn did, is obscene.

Or do you think it is ok for a child to never see the sea, countryside or a city if they live rurally?

It makes me so sad to think some people do think this is ok.

I work full time to pay for coffees and Netflix...these aren't essential to living and I don't see why there should be room to accommodate them within the benefit system. I don't share this view with benefits related to disability/bereavement.

Holidays are a luxury. So are streaming services, coffees and cinema tickets etc. A min wage job should cover these things, at least occasionally. But I don’t think benefits should cover it.

@MondayAgainnn

Benefits shouldn't provide a better quality of living than working would.

As long as mw is always more than you'd get on benefits (even if disabled)

Don't worry @SpringOn I doubt that many children whose parents have to rely on benefits to survive will ever have holidays. Can't have them getting too comfortable.

Internet package as it is completely necessary nowadays

Not to the 1.5 million UK homes that have no internet access.

• Enough for some discretionary spending - obviously this is harder to quantify, but things like Netflix, a coffee, cinema tickets I feel should be a normal attainable part of life for everyone.

Enough to save a bit*

None of those are absolute minimum basic essentials in my view.

As long as mw is always more than you'd get on benefits (even if disabled)

Wow.

So disabled people basically don't count, is that it?

@Botw1 most folk on benefits are working. Gone are the days of claimants living the life of luxury unless you read the DM or watch channel 5.

@MondayAgainnn

Huh?

Did you do any stretching before that leap?

All of my holidays abroad where while living with my parents fully funding by benefits.

my children’s holidays funded by work are U.K. based camping and caravan types.

@OhmygodDont And living with you parents being the point 🙄