Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Is this a (financially) middle class household these days or not?

291 replies

Yealp · 12/01/2026 21:18

I don’t think so, my best friend thinks it’s completely middle class.

Income after tax per month 5,200
Household one adult and one dc
Mortgage payment 1k a month, equity 350k (4 bed detached)

OP posts:
lessglittermoremud · 13/01/2026 22:09

I’m not sure why you would be debating that with a friend or have a problem with being described as middle class. Your mortgage payment is pretty reasonable for the size of house you have and you have a good amount of money left over after paying it and lots of equity in your home. Lots of people earn less and have a bigger mortgage on a single salary.

PigletJohn · 13/01/2026 22:12

It is much higher than middle income.

I don't know your class.

Do you put your butter knife in the marmalade?

Walkingroundincircle22 · 13/01/2026 22:56

Wow. Yes, that's middle class and a huge anoubt of income per month.

Booboobagins · 13/01/2026 23:10

Yealp · 12/01/2026 21:23

@Octavia64 i think that’s a huge mortgage payment for one adult personally!!

I'm a widow, my mortgage is more than 2x that much. Why do you think £1k is a big mortgage?

In any case, there is no middle class or working class the terms are elitist twaddle and we should expunge them from our language.

Middle income is the right term and yes I would say with £4k pcm left after paying housing costs, that is a middle income.

ArtfulTaupeGoose · 13/01/2026 23:22

Money doesn't buy class.
I think you've proved the point beautifully!

Lamplight78 · 13/01/2026 23:25

LemonsMakelimes · 12/01/2026 21:25

Why is £1k a huge mortgage payment for one adult? Mine and DHs mortgage is £2100 together so over £1k each and neither of us make as much as you do (we both take home around £3.5k)

Is that £3.5k each or total joint earnings?

Popstarrrrr · 13/01/2026 23:26

I've checked the thread but cannot see it explained. Please can someone share examples of middle class hobbies? I'm fascinated and what to check if I already indulge in any.

Jukeboxjulie69 · 13/01/2026 23:40

Yealp · 12/01/2026 21:18

I don’t think so, my best friend thinks it’s completely middle class.

Income after tax per month 5,200
Household one adult and one dc
Mortgage payment 1k a month, equity 350k (4 bed detached)

Does it matter? Once upon a time the ridiculous class system was based on occupation, so you could be in debt up to your eyeballs but you’re a solicitor which was middle class. Now it appears it’s based on income but you could be renting and not even have your own home. It’s all total bollox! It’s called a snob system in my eyes.

EdithBond · 14/01/2026 00:59

Jukeboxjulie69 · 13/01/2026 23:40

Does it matter? Once upon a time the ridiculous class system was based on occupation, so you could be in debt up to your eyeballs but you’re a solicitor which was middle class. Now it appears it’s based on income but you could be renting and not even have your own home. It’s all total bollox! It’s called a snob system in my eyes.

Agree it shouldn’t matter - class is a social construct to help some people feel superior to others.

However, there’s still a lot of class prejudice. Over the years, I’ve had shocking assumptions made about me, and things said to me, because I’ve been judged as working class by people who’ve perceived themselves as middle class.

So, like other discrimination, we shouldn’t pretend classism doesn’t exist, or doesn’t matter, just because we think it shouldn’t happen. And it helps to measure it to identify and address discrimination.

However, it’s difficult to define and not usually based on income or wealth. Even wealthy working class people still face prejudice. A typical definition is whether your parents went to university. But that’s imperfect, e.g. it became easier for working class people to access higher education from 1960s and higher educated people can still be judged as ‘working class’.

OP: your income appears to be in a high decile. But, as others have said, it’s not only income after taxes (including council tax) but after essential expenditure (housing costs, energy costs, food etc.). People on high incomes who have to pay high private rents, high energy bills, care costs etc have much less disposable income than people on much lower incomes with inherited wealth/mortgage-free.

Also depends on how many people are in the household and whether they’re earners or non-earners. That’s why even above-average-earning lone parents can struggle to afford essentials, like rent, energy and food.

Jukeboxjulie69 · 14/01/2026 01:08

EdithBond · 14/01/2026 00:59

Agree it shouldn’t matter - class is a social construct to help some people feel superior to others.

However, there’s still a lot of class prejudice. Over the years, I’ve had shocking assumptions made about me, and things said to me, because I’ve been judged as working class by people who’ve perceived themselves as middle class.

So, like other discrimination, we shouldn’t pretend classism doesn’t exist, or doesn’t matter, just because we think it shouldn’t happen. And it helps to measure it to identify and address discrimination.

However, it’s difficult to define and not usually based on income or wealth. Even wealthy working class people still face prejudice. A typical definition is whether your parents went to university. But that’s imperfect, e.g. it became easier for working class people to access higher education from 1960s and higher educated people can still be judged as ‘working class’.

OP: your income appears to be in a high decile. But, as others have said, it’s not only income after taxes (including council tax) but after essential expenditure (housing costs, energy costs, food etc.). People on high incomes who have to pay high private rents, high energy bills, care costs etc have much less disposable income than people on much lower incomes with inherited wealth/mortgage-free.

Also depends on how many people are in the household and whether they’re earners or non-earners. That’s why even above-average-earning lone parents can struggle to afford essentials, like rent, energy and food.

I work for my money. Sod all to do with class. You being judged by others just makes them judgemental and thinking they are better than you. They aren’t

pineapplesundae · 14/01/2026 01:57

Then you’re being silly. People would cut off their right arm to have a mortgage that low.

OlPennyRadford · 14/01/2026 03:37

Absolutely flabbergasted at so many people saying a £1000 pm mortgage is a lot. Not hating, good for you! Current first time buyers may have something to say about it though!

Upper class - Trust Funds, Offshore, upper 6 figure salaries
Upper middle class - OP
Lower middle class - Renting long term except the top 20% of earners
Working class - Council house, minimum wage jobs (probably different for previous generations)

PigletJohn · 14/01/2026 05:04

@OlPennyRadford

Council house, you think?

Were Thatcher's efforts in vain?

OlPennyRadford · 14/01/2026 05:22

PigletJohn · 14/01/2026 05:04

@OlPennyRadford

Council house, you think?

Were Thatcher's efforts in vain?

Hahah, 'Council house' as opposed to 'ex council house'! As in actually renting from the local authority. I wanted to add on something about an actual working class culture but it's too late at night/early in the morning for that.

SunConure · 14/01/2026 06:38

Sounds like showing off

LostAndConfused1990 · 14/01/2026 08:07

Yealp · 12/01/2026 21:25

@Purpleturtle45 i guess mortgage paid off? Bit more disposable income as I guess after bills the actual disposable is more like 3k

3k is more than mine and my partners total income 😂 (we feel fine financially by the way).

Mortgage Paid off is not a sign of middle class, it’s a sign of being in your 50s/60s if you’re lucky. I think it’s really common for middle class families to have big mortgages.

LostAndConfused1990 · 14/01/2026 08:10

OlPennyRadford · 14/01/2026 03:37

Absolutely flabbergasted at so many people saying a £1000 pm mortgage is a lot. Not hating, good for you! Current first time buyers may have something to say about it though!

Upper class - Trust Funds, Offshore, upper 6 figure salaries
Upper middle class - OP
Lower middle class - Renting long term except the top 20% of earners
Working class - Council house, minimum wage jobs (probably different for previous generations)

I know very few working class people in council houses, you can’t get them. Lots in private rented houses/flats, some (like myself) in affordable homes with mortgage, despite minimum wage employment.

Didimum · 14/01/2026 08:29

Yealp · 12/01/2026 21:23

@Octavia64 i think that’s a huge mortgage payment for one adult personally!!

Huge salary though. My take home is £3.9k and my mortgage contribution is £1k. What’s the difference?

peachesinblossom · 14/01/2026 09:24

Class isn't about income and outgoings - it's usually defined by the family generations. Having said that - her circumstances is typical of middle-class. And those saying 1k month on mortgage is a lot - I personally think that is less than most. I have a 4 bed detatched, daughter, income of 4.7k after tax and paying 1.3k a month (alone). Difference is, I have a partner who I also support. She's doing well considering.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 14/01/2026 09:37

Assuming you still think it’s a Thing (as many do) TBH financial status has little to do with class. Plenty of MC people are pretty skint.

Pushmepullu · 14/01/2026 10:04

Does it matter? Do people go around describing themselves as middle class?

Missj25 · 14/01/2026 10:21

Nevermind17 · 12/01/2026 21:22

It depends how she earns her money. An almost £100,000 salary in a professional job = middle class. On Only Fans, not so much.

😂 😂

Crochetandtea · 14/01/2026 10:27

The English really are obsessed with class. Most people are working class. The upper class are the landed gentry who own everything. The middle class are just the wannabes in the middle. Then the underclass who want everyone else to pay for them to live.

Pipsquiggle · 14/01/2026 10:40

'Class' is becoming less relevant to the vast majority.
Still important to some people but more commonly not.
There are less barriers to education than 100 years ago and even 50 years ago.
Manual jobs can now out-earn 'professional' jobs.
Having a degree doesn't automatically = success and higher wages as it did even 30 years ago.
Class is morphing