Are we on a low income?

[biganlittle]

I earn 33.5k pro rata’ to 4 days a week.
DH full time of 48k, I know there’s some high earners on here but I’m guessing the majority earn less, maybe not as little as us.

We have a little one in nursery still which I think makes us feel that much more skint!

Are we low paid? Both in jobs that we needed qualifications for and I have a degree but part time for years and 2 maternity leaves I think has held me back.

No you're on a good income. The "£170K-but-we're-struggling" person was a wind-up merchant.

I have far more respect for the people on this thread who say they are able to manage and get by on modest incomes, than the clowns on mumsnet and the telegraph who claim to be struggling on colossal £100k+ salaries.

London salaries are not as high as mn suggests. Lots of health care assistants, cleaners, band 3 and 4 nhs employees. It’s different as there’s also some summer high earners and a larger proportion of bankers etc, but low paid people are in London too. (Sorry but this nonsense frustrates me every time I see it).

You’re not low earners but nursery fees are a killer. The bonus is, once they’re over (it’s one a few years) you’ll feel very comfortable.

No you are above average by UK standards. But UK salaries are in general low. Having said that you took 2 maternity leaves, work part time and have good qualifications, so I think you have good potential to increase your salary with experience.

Yes. Good salary by UK standards.

If you compare it to similar jobs in the US, salaries are low. Also countries in Asia with much lower cost of living have salaries increasing coming close to UK salaries but UK has no plans to increase its salaries, even global employers are paying lower salaries. And then some posters feel so upset when they hear someone earning much higher income than them.

No you’re middle income. It’s still tight though, especially with children in nursery and high cost of living.

Not just that, a single income earner won’t get the child benefit.
I was actually shocked when I realised just how much more my one salary was taxed than two people earning half as much each. So as a single parent I am literally hundreds of pounds a month worse off than a couple with the same household income.

Definitely not low paid !
My dh earns only 20 k a year ! And he works his backside off for that money
Between us we have a joint income of just 35 k annually you must feel so hard done.by 😏

If he’s earning 20k for a full time job then that’s less than minimum wage (assuming he’s over 21) so something is wrong there.

DH earns £40k and me £60k. We live in the north and paid our mortgage off in 2020. I'm quite frugal by nature so we've managed to save up a lot towards retirement - 20 years to go!

If he's earning only £20,000 a year he's not working full time hours unless he is under 21.

Lol shut up.

No it's not technically but I understand why you ask. I feel the same way.

Exactly. Why in earth are you asking if that's a low income? You won't be needing a foodbank any time soon that's for sure .

You earn about the median salary in the UK and your DH earns well above it. You live in the SE so housing costs will be higher than other parts of the UK but overall your household income is well above average.

Your household income is a good bit higher than mine, though I don't have nursery fees or mortgage to pay, which obviously makes a huge difference.

Though I am supporting myself and two young adults in London, so it still gets tight!

I can understand why you are asking, DH and I are roughly in the same bracket. It’s not technically low.
I do also have money worries and even lose sleep over them (like now). It’s genuine and far from “how to fund my next Caribbean holiday”. I feel guilty for not providing my family well enough. Certain things can only be solved with the money, and when you don’t have it, it feels shit.
Aware things can get much, much tougher.
There are plenty of “how much money you spend on food” topics here. Often I see people saying “it’s £200 a month for a family of 5 and it’s plenty”. I then think. Wtf. It’s not plenty, clearly you are struggling, it’s ok to admit it.

No sadly just not enough hours in the town we live In!

Is this a piss take? You're well above the UK average. I'm a nurse on £30k plus some UC with three kids and there are people on a much lower income than I am. If you're struggling then you need to spend less and live within your means. No reason at all why you can't be fairly comfortable on that amount of money.

Do you not get the 30 hours free childcare?

I know, I can’t claim child benefit but a two person household could earn 40K more than me a year and claim it. It’s not fair at all. I’ve written to my MP about it.

I’m genuinely shocked to hear that! Surely single income households with DC need it more than most?

And do you get uc as well?

No. Low income is like less than 25k per year for an entire household.