To think a family of 5 can’t survive on 25k take home?

[Backpainagain]

Just that really. We are f**ed.

Is that your joint income? Including child benefit etc?

I suppose it depends. What is your housing situation? Rent, and other outgoings? Any scope for help from benefits?

Are you eligible for benefits on that figure? How old are the children?

Depends what you mean my survive but yeh, it’ll be a massive struggle. One of the problems of being poor is that it takes a lot of time and effort shopping around, looking for bargains/free stuff, filling in forms to get help, etc which makes life even harder. Good luck OP 💐

Are you both working? How old are DC?

Depends on your outgoings. Food bills will be high.

You’d be entitled to UC on that though which may help a bit.

Depends on whether you have a mortgage or rent. If rent then you may also get housing elements.

Is that before or after tax? If net then it’s tight but doable. I personally wouldn’t have had 5 kids on a combined income of 50k but you have them now and need to cut your cloth accordingly. You need to make every penny count - I know someone on a similar income whose wife works as a Uber driver from 5-4 every weekend and then he picks 3-4 late deliveroo shifts too on top of his job.

How much is your rent/mortgage?
Is there any scope for one of you to earn more - £25k take home is less than 2 x FT salary on minimum wage. So presumably one of you is PT. Evening work? Weekend shifts?

Does the £25k include Child Benfit?

I would also check a benefits calculation site to make sure you're claiming everything you're entitled to.

One income or two? As PP have said, check entitled to for any help you can claim. Realistically, it needs two full time working incomes for a family of 5 for most people

Nobody can say for sure - we know nothing about your outgoings, housing situation, savings etc.

I think a 'family of 5' means two adults three children. Not five children.

3 kids I assume, if 2 parents..........

@Wenfy sorry, posts moved on.

It would be very very tight. I earnt £25k as a single 23 year old in 2002. I shared a flat in an ordinary and slightly grotty area of London. I had enough money to go out, buy some new clothes, save a little, go on modest holidays (eg cheap flight, couple of days in a european city) and pay all my bills but that was it.

You will be entitled to UC.

Can you explain more about the situation?

You will be able to exist, but probably not have much of a life

OP, I think you need to give a bit more detail. No-one can advise without it.

its not a lot but it massively depends. What are your circumstances like? What has changed?

Surely it all depend, ages of kids (nursery fees etc), are both adults working etc etc, can one or both up their earning potential? nobody here can say without knowing the full story.

The only way to know is to sit down and do a proper budget. Use the MSE template spreadsheet and include everything, including true expenses (so the stuff that doesn't happen every month but still needs to be paid for).

As you well know it depends on a lot of things. Are you in London or another large city? North or South

is that joint income , do you both work full time. Do you rent, own? What are your outgoings

some will manage, some won’t

You don’t need to give more detail.

No, that sounds unworkable unless you have small children and everyone gives you hand me downs.

What's the monthly figure including all benefits?

How much is mortgage/rent?
Any childcare costs?