BBC are saying you need a joint salary of 70,000 to avoid poverty

[bridgetjonesmassivepants]

I find this such a high sum. How are most families meant to reach this figure? It doesn't include pension contributions so you would probably need 80,000 by their reckoning.
They are saying that you are in poverty if you can't manage a UK holiday every year and 70 a month on cultural experiences.

We are on a joint salary of £55k per year and we struggle. You can't say that on Mumsnet as I often don't as it sometimes seems like a race to the bottom. But after mortgage and bills, no debts, there isn't much left.

That’s ridiculous. We earn much less, holiday abroad every year, have several uk breaks, run two cars, do a lot of theatre, live in a three bed detached house and have savings in the bank.

Whereabouts? As has been discussed many times, what you need in London is completely different to smaller towns in other parts of the UK.

Would also be interested to know if its lonsldon or not!

That's because poverty in this country usually means relative poverty (not the sort of absolute poverty seen globally), and here that's been extended a bit further into a shopping basket for what the BBC considers adequate.

I think it just devalues the term, tbh

All depends on a families housing costs rent/mortgage.

Where I used to live it's at least £1,500 for the cheapest 3 bed so that's £18k of net salary or housing benefit.

I wouldn't spend £70 a month on 'cultural experiences' but as I am not a BBC lovey type I don't feel I am part of the great unwashed for not doing so.

We have around that, and after mortgage, bills, and childcare, there’s hardly any left, and nothing to go into savings. We do usually manage a UK break but don’t think we will this year.

We earn much less than that and don’t feel poor. Not rich by any means but certainly don’t have to worry about whether we can buy food or new shoes for the kids. Surely it depends on where you live and what your housing costs are.

We live in London with a joint salary of £55 k and live a nice lifestyle, not in poverty. We don’t have kids however so maybe that would make a big difference.

They probably meant London Or more expensive parts of England.

We have around 30k less than this so a whole salary less and manage fine. We do only have one child though.

We have about 90,000 coming in and struggle. We have no savings and this is in the midlands with a fairly modest home. 2 family cars and 3 children.

We are on 55K - year and are fine but low amount mortgage and fixed again now.We have low outgoings. But we don’t have children. If we had kids we would probably be feeling the pinch.

I grew up in absolute poverty, rather than relative.

According to that, I will probably live in poverty forever. I don't mind - my current £18k per year poverty is a fuck of a lot more comfortable than my childhood: luxurious, comparatively. We have days out, decent food; the kids are clothed and shod well; I can afford some little treats for them and pocket money. Even a few treats for me and no debt. I'm starting a new job soon, so I'll be earning more than I ever have in my life - still awful poverty acording to this, yet, somehow, I think we'll be fine and comfortable...

Poverty if you can’t afford a UK holiday every year? Who comes up with these things?

Surely this has to be a joke, or just aimed at London? We do earn more than this, around £90k before pension contributions so around £10k more than the figure above before pensions, but we live in an expensive part of the country. We are in our early thirties, have a 4 bed house, two cars, at least two holidays every year, save every month and still have £800 each a month left for fun money. I also work part time because of DC. If we earned £10k less there is no way we’d be even close to poverty.

Who needs £70k though? A family in London with two kids in full time childcare and another in wrap around care? Or a couple outside of London without any children?

I realise it's an average, but costs are so variable depending on area and family size (and other factors) is an average actually that useful a measure here?

Does anyone have a link to the article, I did google but can't find it.

I think it depends where you live, surely?

We live in Norfolk and most people could only dream of that type of income!

It will be very area and lifestyle dependant. I'm lucky enough to have bought a house 12 years ago in a cheap area so mortgage is only £400 a month for a 3 bed. The same property in a more expensive area would be £1200 a month in rent.

I'm lucky enough to have a WFH job so no commuting costs where some people are spending the equivalent of my mortgage just on train tickets to get to work.

It's all relative, interesting as a conversation starter but not much else.

We are on less than half of that combined at the mo and are fine. In part because we had an inheritance allowing us to start a business, meaning dh wasn't trapped in a high warning job he hates. Same inheritance extended our house, which was lovely but a squeeze and is now just lovely.

When we came to buy this house, a bridging loan from my parents enabled us to jump on it and worry about selling our previous house at our own pace. So our housing costs are low for a large family home.

We have supportive family nearby to help with childcare if needed etc.

So there are so many factors over and above income that will make a difference to poverty.

dc*

What? What a load of nonsense. Most / many households don't have that.

It's the extortionate cost of housing. If you don't get housing benefit because you earn too much or own then you're stuffed unless you're a high earner.

Me and DH only early 30k between us, but due to an inheritance we own outright and despite the relatively low earnings we can holiday once a year and afford a hundred on cultural stuff a month.

Maybe they include social poverty in their measure i.e. ability to join in activities. In the west, a lot of social activities i.e. school trips need to be paid for and a lot of less well off children face social isolation as a result. If you attend a child's birthday party, you need to bring a present etc.

In a sense, it might be sadder for such children than in a poorer country where most people are poor and hence your parents' money isn't a barrier to you forming friendships.