Why won't any political party focus or help the squeezed middle

[Winterday1991]

Off the back of another thread, has got me thinking about the next general election.

Why is there not a party that will focus on the middle earners in the squeezed south east , where both partners work full time, who are struggling juggling mortgages, cost of childcare and self fund everything and are over threshold for any help or subsidies ie child benefit, cost of living payments, free childcare via universal credit?

We are a middle/highish income family and are just so sick of paying into the system and getting nothing back! The amount of tax we pay is insane, certainly not anywhere near value for money. Labour just seem to want to focus on single parent families and those on universal credit.

Any party who focuses on the middle will surely win the election?

Does your ex partner help with your dc at all financially?

They won't pay all your rent. Most claimants have to pay the shortfall from what UC won't pay. Also you cant get away with working so little that your UC is unaffected. I am pretty sure you can only something like £300 or so and then they start taking money off you. You get pressed on how many hours to work. It really isn't the great thing you are thinking.

We are classed as the squeezed middle but only just. We are outside the scope of any financial support and we are really struggling. We are living frugally but just don’t have enough money to cover the full month. We struggle to buy food and pay bills. We can’t downsize as our house barely contains us as it is and living in the south east really isn’t cheap. If we sell our home we wouldn’t be able to afford the eye watering rental costs. As things breakdown we can’t afford to replace so we are just struggling through as best as possible. Our clothes come from charity shops as we can’t afford new, thankfully I love charity shops!

things aren’t as cut and dry as some people seem to think they are.

Easy. Vote for whoever gets or keeps a Tory out in your constituency. I agree the problems the country has are huge and it’s not obvious how any party will solve them. However what is obvious is that they were caused by various Tory governments over the last 13 years, with the incompetence increasing in the latter years. They won’t solve the problems for absolutely certain. Get them out.
On pensions, ours are amongst the worst in Europe. That doesn’t have to be the case. It’s a choice. Campaign to make whoever is in government make a different choice.

Really most immigrants work for the NHS do they? 1.2m a year of them?

I think you will find the UK tax base is gradually eroding as our most productive high earners leave.

@whatsinanameeh not all families on UC get free school meals or free holiday clubs.

the bare minimum unfortunately, he’s self employed and manages to fiddle with his income so he’s able to pay the bare minimum. Child maintenance are awful when it comes to self employment and what they can get away with.

The 16 hours thing is not relevant any more. That was a tax credits thing. UC is a different system.

You would think she would know that. 🤔

@glossypeach

So sorry to hear that

That will make FA difference. Labour aren't gonna start making life fair for middle income child free families.

It will be the same old tax the workers to give to the shirkers.
Here's more money and a house because you skipped the family planning lessons in school.

I think she thinks it's still the same as when she worked in the benefits office years ago, it's changed drastically since UC was introduced.

It isn't, it's based on income now, not how many hours you work. They reduce the money based on your earnings.

Yep I got that impression. I think a few others think the same and going to give up their jobs.

I used to get tax credits when DS was born and it was a soft approach. I just had to attend one appointment every 6 months until he turned school age. UC is a different kettle of fish, when I was made redundant they had me in the jobcentre every week, sometimes twice a week as I had separate JSA and UC claims going! I'm so glad I got a job quickly.

I've just been on entitled to and if I didn't work, I'd make more than my band (point 2) take home pay?! How accurate is it?.

Why do you care? It is funny in a way because you are going to get a similar amount I reckon to us if both of you earn together about 25k and child benefit/UC. You also have a mortgage like us which is cheap but going up like everything else. I think once you have to feed two children and cloth them you might realise it isn't a lot. If you formula feed them several times of that a week will soon make you and your husband worry about money. Do you really think a part time fast food worker and a TA is going to earn that much? Give over. The arrangement works for us and my children.

Show me where I said I don't think you'll get benefits?

You are in a different situation to me, you likely will get less benefits than I do, because I am a lone parent and rent. You have a mortgage and partner, so you won't get any help towards your housing costs and between the two of you will be expected to work more than me.

I just think you're under the impression that you will get more than you actually will. You will not get a council tax discount or free prescriptions or anything like that.

Again, show me where I said I don't want you to get benefits. I am merely correcting your wrong information.