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Original poster

Can a family of 4 live on one salary in U.K.?

66 replies

OdyandSue · 27/06/2018 12:44

Me my husband and our twins are moving to the U.K., since it has been really hard financially the past few years and especially now with the twins here in our country.
I am British, and we are moving in the next few months. My husband is an IT and he will be looking for a fu time job there.
I will be home with the twins, and possibly doing some work from home on the side.
But our main income will be hubbys.
I REALLY NEED YOUR INSIGHT.. is it possible?
How
Much would be the minimum a family of 4 to earn in U.K. in order to live pleasantly?

We are planning to live in a village or small city out of a bigger city ( so rents are lower) and hubby will be driving in town for work.

Also I understand we get some benefits also?

Please ladies I would really appreciate your input because this is a huge step for us!

Thanks!

OP posts:
Superbirdtrooperbird · 27/06/2018 12:47

We do it. DH salary is 38k, we have low rent costs, no childcare to pay and only have one car. It's possible, but you have to accept a certain standard of living. No foreign holidays etc.

LIZS · 27/06/2018 12:49

There are a lot of variables which depend on area, lifestyle etc. If you move to a village you could easily become isolated if you rely on public transport. How old are your dc? You may be a British national but could still face a delay before meeting ordinarily resident criteria to be eligible for any benefits.

PolkerrisBeach · 27/06/2018 12:51

How long is a piece of string?

Is the salary £30k, £130k or £330k? And depending on where you're coming from, dont' assume benefits will be automatic.

InDubiousBattle · 27/06/2018 12:53

What sort of salary is your dh looking At? Dp earns £49k a year. Our rent is reasonable, but not low (£750 a month, village location but with good transport links for dp to get to work)and we live comfortably enough. We have two pre school dc and I don't work.

anotherangel2 · 27/06/2018 12:53

It is such a huge sector with different type of jobs and a wide range of salaries.

Booph · 27/06/2018 12:54

Rent around here is around £500-600 a month in a village commutable to Cardiff and Bristol. We will be doing it off my husband's salary when my maternity leave finishes on his salary of £1600-1800 depending on his workrate. It's a very subjective question. How old are your children?

cloudtree · 27/06/2018 12:56

As others have said, its impossible to say without more information.

KoshaMangsho · 27/06/2018 12:57

If your DH is not British he wouldn’t get a spouse visa unless you earn and can show that you can support him and your twins.
Also, it is possible to survive on a single salary but it depends on where you live (rent and other outgoings) which will presumably be determined by where DH gets a job?

Babyroobs · 27/06/2018 12:58

what is your husband's immigration status? What benefits do you think you might be entitled to ? if you have been out of the country then even though you are a british citizen you may have to pass the Habitual residency test.

Battleax · 27/06/2018 12:59

d depending on where you're coming from, dont' assume benefits will be automatic.

OP is a Brit.

But she’d do well to ignore tax credits as they’re being slashed every year.

Child benefit is according to income (weird rules).

eurochick · 27/06/2018 13:00

Well obviously it depends how much that salary is and where (and how) you choose to live.

Plenty of people do it. Some can't afford to.

sleepyhead · 27/06/2018 13:00

My salary is in the high 30Ks, 2 children, 3 bed flat in city (not South of England). DH is a SAHD so we have no childcare costs. Benefits consist of child benefit only.

It's definitely doable as long as you don't have lots of pre-existing financial committments (for eg debt).

GahWhatever · 27/06/2018 13:05

As pp said it is very dependent on where in the country you are and what your definition of 'living pleasantly' is. There are many SAHP in the UK so it is definitely possible, but I don't think we can give you a manageable salary based on what you have shared.

cloudtree · 27/06/2018 13:07

We really need more information about your DH's immigration status. Which country is he from?

RandomMess · 27/06/2018 13:09

All depends on housing and commute costs versus salary!

Original poster
OdyandSue · 27/06/2018 13:12

Hello again ladies. Thanks for the replies up to now.
So me and hubby are 31 yo, and our twins are 13 mo (boy/girl twins)

At the meantime he is applying to a ton of positions ( in his sector some offer 28000 a year and while other positions 80000 a year)
So it varies..
but we would like to hear from people who already live in the U.K. what would probably be the lowest we could live off as a family of 4. And I am not referring to a fancy life, just the basics.
Just to get a bit of an idea..

We are considering to live somewhere in Gloucestershire ( a village or small city there) we have cars to move around so commuting wouldn’t be an issue.

We live in Europe so at this phase hubby doesn’t need a visa.

OP posts:
Verbena87 · 27/06/2018 13:12

We have friends who manage on one part time teachers salary, so yes, it can be done, but depends on your lifestyle and priorities.

We have 1 baby and are both part time, and find it totally fine (but have a very small house with a very small mortgage, and have previously been very hard up so probably have a different attitude to people who are used to a bigger income)

MollyHuaCha · 27/06/2018 13:14

Yes, can be done.

LIZS · 27/06/2018 13:14

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/coming-from-abroad-and-claiming-benefits-the-habitual-residence-test/the-habitual-residence-test-an-introduction/what-is-the-habitual-residence-test-EWSNI/

This may well be relevant regardless of op's nationality.

Average UK household income is around 36k and you get no means tested benefits at that level.

Battleax · 27/06/2018 13:18

LIZS Habitual residence = Right to reside + Intent to settle.

It’s a low bar for a UK citizen to pass.

Original poster
OdyandSue · 27/06/2018 13:19

Hubby is Cypriot ( Greek)
I am English Irish Cypriot.

I know we are eligible to child benefits
and that starts after 3 months of being the U.K. but don’t know anything about other benefits yet.

What does SAHD mean?

OP posts:
Battleax · 27/06/2018 13:20

Have a look at Somerset. Bristol is expensive but there’s lots of work there.

(SAHD = stay at home dad)

PolkerrisBeach · 27/06/2018 13:20

If your DH gets a £80k job you won't get anything.

Seems very odd that he's applying for £28k or £80k jobs at the same time though.

Art3mis · 27/06/2018 13:22

Family of 5.
£35k household income (DH).
Low mortgage (£350pcm)
No childcare costs.
No holidays (UK or otherwise).

It's a struggle but we cannot afford fot me to go back to work so it's not really by choice now.

Pythonesque · 27/06/2018 13:24

A huge amount depends on location, an income of X in one area will allow you to live within an easy drive of work, while 5X might not allow you to live within 1 hour's train journey of a London job, for example.

Consider any job contenders in context of location, and the cost and nature of housing and transport in the area.

Hope you can make it work.