To think British people just hate anyone making good money

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I have seen countless posts where a poster who is high earner and will mention struggling and then they will get barrage of hate on being a high earner.
Most people on MN support the fact that anyone making over 100k shouldn't get free funded hours or child benefit as if their DC don't deserve anything.

Similarly seen so much hate on landlords and landladies as if everyone should give away their homes for free to other people. Even if they did sell it all, then there won't be much houses available for the renters.

Have seen hatred on big corporation and tech and even small businesses for charging £5 for a coffee.
Why do British people hate anyone making decent money or doing entrepreneurship? Are we in a race to bottom? Why can't we take inspiration from others who are doing well and try to do better for ourselves than the endless envy?

I think there's some truth in this. People in this country are intrinsically suspicious of high earners. Particularly female high earners. If anyone says on Mumsnet that they earn over £100k a long line of people will tip up to tell them they are lying. Because everyone knows women can't earn that much, obvs.

On the other hand it's a bit daft and tone deaf to describe yourself as "struggling" if you earn more than three times the national average wage on a talk thread where there are a number of people on minimum wage or benefits. Just why would you do that? It's obviously not going to land well.

Haven't read the full thread.

I think the real issue most people have is the huge inequality. Some people really do go from rags to riches but so many more are wealthy because they were born into wealth. That might not mean they've directly been given a leg up financially but they'll have been born into privileged situations where they've never had to struggle and are automatically more likely to go on to make more money themselves. It's the same with property. The more you have, the easier it is to get more and more. So the wealth accumulates. Meanwhile, on the other side of the coin you have those born into poverty who may work as hard as they possibly can at school, uni, work whatever but will have to scrimp and save to get by and will have likely never be as wealthy as the one who were born into it, no matter how objectively successful their job or career is. It's also a total myth that working hard = more money. Some of the hardest workers in society are on the lowest wages.

I agree that the cliff edge where the childcare assistance stops is strange, but to say anyone on over 100k is struggling is disingenuous and ignorant of privilege. I say this as someone who lives in Wales so gets no childcare assistance despite being nowhere near even a third of the way to the threshold.

I thought so. It’s weird because the PM of this country only seems to apply working people to some working people. And other working people don’t count as working people.

Well, largely because high earners seem to do nothing but tell those of us earning less that we should have done better at school, should just work harder, should have higher aspirations….they forget that some of us are in highly qualified positions in teaching, the NHS, social work etc but don’t earn huge amounts. And if we point that out, we are told to go for promotions and if we don’t, we lack ambition and are lazy. They also forget that people at all levels - from cleaners to rocket scientists - are required for an organisation to function effectively.

Personally, reading that a couple on £100k plus can’t manage when I am berated for daring to exist on a teachers salary with 3 kids is….too much. You want respect? Respect that we all play a part in a functioning society.

So where can people on higher salaries discuss it?

It’s one thing saying that complaining to your financially struggling friend about your money woes when you earn multiples of their income is tactless, of course it is, because you’re going out of your way to complain to someone directly when you know your situations are vastly different, but it’s quite another to judge people for discussing it on an open forum for parents with millions of users.

It’s the internet. There will be many people here on very low incomes, and also many on much higher incomes who can actually provide support and advice. Does the presence of lower earning MNers mean no parents earning a wage above 100K should ever be able to bemoan their very real struggles and issues and frustrations on MN in case someone with less (who the post is clearly not aimed at) views it as tactless? Do they all have to go and find a “by wealthier parents, for wealthier parents” forum instead so less well-earning parents don’t stumble across their threads? Do they need to provide disclaimers on their threads? Should people on an average salary get the same treatment in case they offend someone on benefits? Where is the cut off?

Well-off MNers starting threads looking for support aren’t going out of their way to find less well-off posters, but somehow it’s ok for their threads to be derailed with dismissal and snark because they earn well and therefore should put up and shut up and be grateful for the luck that came their way. Where is the decorum in that?

I like hearing stories of people who came from nothing and build a business like Alan Sugar or had a talent and worked to perfect it like David Beckham. It’s the post I earn £200k and can’t afford to eat posts that annoy me!

I don’t think MN in general hates medium to high earners. I think what people don’t like is the “We earn triple the average household income and we are struggling”
If it’s a struggle on 90k (ish) a year, imagine what it’s like on 25k.

Yes, and look at the outcomes. Higher infant mortality, lower literacy rates, declining average age on death, opiate addiction en masse, astonishing violence...I could go on. I don't want the UK to become like that in exchange for a few more billionaires.

I think teachers, nurses, carers especially, and most key workers, should be paid more. It’s actually disgusting to me, the relatively low salary’s of these people. I appreciate everything key workers do. Teachers especially given they’re educating our children, and given it’s such a tough job. So anyway thank you to anyone who does this work. You should be paid more.

Nobody thinks children of £100k+ households don't deserve anything. In a country where a third of children live in poverty it is reasonable to look at where limited funds should be spent. Probably not there.

Teaching is known to be a low paid profession. I think teachers should be paid more to make it a more attractive career but it isn’t.

Earning a big salary for me was important as I grew up in poverty and it was bloody stressful, not knowing whether they’d be enough dinner for everyone that night, not wanting to ask for anything to be bought as you knew it would increase pressure on family finances. I researched careers, worked out which skills were valued most highly, did uni courses to suit, spent many years studying for professional exams in the evening. I don’t think I got lucky or committed crime to earn a decent wage. I was never going to be a teacher because that wouldn’t provide enough financial security.

It’s wrong to equate wealth with salaries anyway. Wealth lies in housing in this country. When you bought your house, what you bought it for and how much house prices have risen since is a much clearer indicator of wealth.

Vomit for ordinary working people ?

I think the reason a lot of people struggle with “we’ve got joint income of 100k and can’t afford to live” is because it’s so glaringly obvious there’s an issue somewhere.

My partner and I probably have circa £90k, and do struggle financially. But like most people I’m aware of why - we’re saddled with debt from when we had substantially less, that costs a fortune in repayments and this, combined with our regular outgoings everyone else has, means it’s very hard to save and pay it off in bulk.

I know that. I’ve done the various maths. We are where we are. All people need to do is make a spreadsheet of their expenditure vs income and work out the problem, if for some reason they don’t know already.

I also think it’s very poor taste to claim poverty as a middle-high earner. It’s relative, in that most of us can’t afford things we could a few years back, but if you’re cutting a holiday out and not struggling to buy your food shopping - you’re not in the worst position.

Even when our bank account has £7 in it, I wouldn’t dream of telling some of my team who are on NMW. It’s tone deaf at best. They’d rightfully assume we had money problems, as we shouldn’t be in that position.

It’s just about knowing your own financial issues, being accountable for them, and recognising that you having less isn’t the same as someone on a lower income having nothing.

We don’t qualify for child benefit, and don’t need it. I would resent paying £5 for a bloody coffee! Big Tech SHOULD be treated with suspicion… and I say this as a high earner .As for landlords - well, there’s a housing crisis so obvs people are going to wonder if one person should own several houses when they know their children will never be able to afford one I. Their own town…

Yes, there should be enough for everyone who wants one, they shouldbe housing of first resort not last resort. Social housing done right is profit making and reduces costs for the state, not increases costs. Council housing shouldn't just be ghettos of poverty and deprivation. What exactly is wrong with the idea of housing the public in public housing? People should be free to choose, rent a house/flat from the council, private rent, or buy your own place.

The difference on a forum is you don’t need to click on the thread whereas your mate can’t avoid it if you spoke to them directly about your finances.

A PP said “i think generally the British feel it is impolite to talk about money in public and particularly how much you have”
The problem is this is partly how the gender gap (and other gaps) persist for so long, as everyone is uptight about talking about money.

I read these threads as it is eye opening for me and I learn some useful tips from them, too.

Anyone earning £100k plus and moaning about their lot, probably should re-assess their priorities.

US?
No thanks.

Back off sunshine!

My brain is quite normal thank you. I believe that we should contribute to a decent society, and throwing insults around is not very nice is it now? Hmmm?

I agree. I grew up in a New Town and, in the 70s, couples could put their name down for a house when they got engaged. As a single person I had a small flat. It's all different now for obvious reasons.

@Neemie, we don't have a highly competitive job. But in 1991, my DH started a micro-business, with money saved during five years working overseas. The first year it operated, he paid to keep it going; in year two, it paid most of its overheads and in year three, it paid him back a little bit. In the background, my business kept food on the table, paid the rates and the mortgage. Since 1995, the business has washed its face more years than not. Our customers return, and we are not ripping off Joe Public because we don't sell anything at consumer level. We employ six people, none on minimum wage, and at 70 DH would like to retire without leaving our clients in the lurch, and making sure that the two people who have worked for us for 20 years have a solid redundancy package. How much more fair could you ask any business to play? I know from your attitude that you do not have a clue.

It's always been a thing here on mumsnet for people to lie about being high earners. I was on here years ago and noticed it back then. Not sure what people get out of it, but there you go.

The reason there's so much bitterness is because many people on here are scraping by and have hardly any money coming in. When they see someone talking about earning a lot, the jealousy and claws come out. Its just a mumsnet thing.

I think it very much depends on how they’ve made it. That’s what I find. If it’s somebody that’s worked hard and gained their money by honest means nobody I would imagine would have a problem with that.

So about 0.5% of millionaires then. I'm sure we'll cope...