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

[Backpainagain]

Just that really. We are f**ed.

Hard to say as you have not included any details, could be realistic or it might not. Who knows!!!

I would say it’s not impossible and you most likely will get UC top-up.

What’s changed that you’re worried now?

We are a family of 4 living off about 17k a ear so can be done but it's difficult and depends on housing and bills and lifestyle

25k inc cb and uc? It's doable but tight. Depends how much your rent/mortgage is.

So many variables impossible to answer

Completely impossible to say without any further detail.

Is that net/ gross?
Do you have rent/ mortgage?

I think far more context needs to be provided for people here to be able to realistically comment or offer advice.
Are your children young? Are they teenagers? Are you claiming all benefits that are relevant to you? Are there two parents working etc etc etc.

Tight, yes.

Fucked, probably not. There are a lot of people/websites out there geared to help and signpost.

You will get through this. Take a deep breath and keep being analytical about each problem you face.

You have £2K a month.

Whether that is manageable or not depends enormously on what your rent/mortgage is and if your children are of an age to require childcare.

Can you give those details? Then people can give specific advice.

I don’t think that figure includes all benefits etc? Help with housing costs?
it really depends on your outgoings. If you’re living with family or own a house outright it could be absolutely fine.

Ok. As others have mentioned, but to summarise.

Is 25k per year the amount you actually take home? By which I mean the amount you receive after;

• Tax/NI deducted
• Pension deducted
• Child benefit and Universal top ups have been included

Most people who post their yearly income don’t account for these things which makes any calculations grossly incorrect. If you actually have 25k in total per year this means you have approx £2083 per month to survive on.

In which case, I mean dependant on individual circumstances (where you live, childcare, savings/family help…etc) no that’s going to be really tight. I would think you’d need more than than as a family.

If this is the salary then yes it can be done.
Of course it depends on your rent etc.

Most people are on a similar wage with a SAHM and 3 kids.
You will most likely get some UC top up too and child benefit.

You could both get a FT job but that would involve paying out childcare and so you have to weigh up the pros and cons.

What may be better would be if one parent worked FT and the other got a PT evening job.

£25k take home is £2kish a month which I think is fine if you’re housing costs are relatively low but it all depends what your costs are

£25k in 2002 would be £52,033.93 today.

I get a bit less than that but there is just me and one child. I think it would be a struggle for 5. I don’t have much left over although I can pay the bills.

Where did you get those figures from? When I was on 30K I wasn't even taking home 2K

Obviously it depends on your rent/ mortgage and outgoings but you would be entitled to UC and CB for at least the 2 DC depending on age
Years ago, I was on disability benefits with 3 DC and it was very tight then

Nothing in this post is useful, at all. You had the equivalent of 50 grand a year.

OP says £25k take home so after tax/pension/NI deductions = just over £2k a month.

@faban She says take home in title. £25k take home is £2083 a month. The gross salary will be some way above that.

The title says £25k take home!

Not the 25K, the 2K take home. That dosent make sense to me because when I was on more I was taking less home

Oh sorry. Get it.

Your right. You can't live on 25k a year it's not possible. I'm on my own and I need £30k to

1. run my house
2. run my little 5 year old car
3. buy high street clothes once a year
4. dentist
5. two week-end mini breaks a year
6. Two nights out a month

And food obviously. I eat good quality food I'm not skimping on that.

I consider my lifestyle to be very simple. If I can't have nice food and a couple of nights out a month then i'm not fucking working. I'll just go on the sick.

OP no it isn't possible for a family of 5 to survive on 25k a year. Or if you do, you'll be eating a dangerously nutriet deficient diet.