You and yours this morning,, feeling the pinch??

I think you missed the point. It was to highlight that even middling incomes aren’t enough to afford a bit of nice extra food and a couple of entertainment subscriptions.

Remember that couple are probably at the start of a (more than likely) large mortgage. Not to mention cars, I can’t believe that my families 2 used cars bought 18 months ago are worth more now than what we paid them because of the demand.

It’s ok to scoff but 2 incomes are needed to buy a house now in most cases. But child care, even with family support can cost more than a mortgage replacement every month.

I presume you do not get given cat food unless you have a cat!

Monica
Presumably not!
That would be silly.

Whilst we may sneer at those who have to give up their cleaners, having their nails done and their holidays don’t forget this trickles down and there is then an unemployed cleaner, beautician and airport worker. Holiday cottage cleaners are no longer needed, shop assistants in the posher shops, waiting staff and bar staff get the push and these are all lower paid workers who will then struggle in their turn.

Some people kindly donate nice things like olives and chocolate and such because they realise that these little treats can lift the grinding day to day of finding it difficult to feed your family properly. If anyone says anything about being sensible and cooking from scratch I will scream loud enough for all of GN to hear.

GrannyGravy13

I have a horrible feeling that the U.K. will see lots of small/medium businesses close over the next 12-18 months along with the bigger companies laying off some of their workforce and not replacing those that leave or retire.

The above will just compound the problems for the U.K. economy, and those in the bottom percentage of income and job security will carry the burden.

I don't think that is true as many ar struggling to recruit and maybe the economically inactive will try and get more work?

GillT57

Some people kindly donate nice things like olives and chocolate and such because they realise that these little treats can lift the grinding day to day of finding it difficult to feed your family properly. If anyone says anything about being sensible and cooking from scratch I will scream loud enough for all of GN to hear.

A diet of baked beans, pasta, tinned soup etc could become very tedious.

I don't see why someone who has to go to a food bank shouldn't have an occasional luxury.

What's wrong with gruel?

I agree, I regularly put in chocolate biscuits and treats for children, I just feel olives are an odd choice that’s all.

Perhaps, if someone eats them regularly, they might not seem so odd.
Or, they were given a jar and didn't like olives so put them in the food bank.

I never thought of putting in vinegar, even malt vinegar.
But what's a chip without vinegar?

I think 'feeling the pinch' varies (dramatically) along with your circumstances and what you're accustomed to.

Those who are struggling now will find next winter really hard. Heating costs will rise again - and we may well have a really cold spell. I worry about the elderly, disabled and poorly - who really do need to stay warm.

Pinch?
I'm being strangled!

That doesn't seem particularly high for a working couple. The median income was £31,400 in 2021. This couple are each earning just below that amount.

It will be a good deal more than many but they may be paying hight rents or a large mortgage. They will have outgoings relating to this income. I think Casdon put it very well in the post Mon 25-Apr-22 17:01:07.

People in poverty will be in worse poverty and the poverty premium they pay will increase. However, everyone, excluding the Rishi Sunak and those in his rarified world, will see their standard of living cut back.

This is not in reply to you, Miss A; but to the people saying they don't have sympathy for the man on the radio.

I think things are going to get pretty grim for a lot of people, but competitive misery isn't really fair. We may as well say that people here will be cold and hungry, but they aren't as badly off as a family in Ukraine being starved out of a basement, or an orphan slum child in Calcutta. The point is not that some people aren't as badly off as others, but that most people aren't going to have the spending power they are used to.

If someone is used to a lifestyle that involved going out regularly, and then finds they not only have to stop that but also cancel Netflix, so even staying in has been 'downgraded', they are going to feel it.

Objectively it's not as bad as someone doing without more basic things, but unless we acknowledge that it is still a change in circumstances we are saying that only the starving should complain.

As Babyshark says, they were probably chosen as a family with which the average R4 listener would identify. Also, whereas £60k would be lovely as a pension, it's just about average for a working couple; and as they are a dual-earner family then as well as a mortgage, they will be paying two lots of tax and NI on that, as well as childcare - it won't go anywhere near as far as a £60k salary for a single-earner family.

Absolutely.
They represent the average working couple, I would think, going by what is deemed the average salary.

“As Babyshark says, they were probably chosen as a family with which the average R4 listener would identify. Also, whereas £60k would be lovely as a pension, it's just about average for a working couple; and as they are a dual-earner family then as well as a mortgage, they will be paying two lots of tax and NI on that, as well as childcare - it won't go anywhere near as far as a £60k salary for a single-earner family.“

Not sure about the above Doodledog - wouldn’t a couple pay less tax between them than the single person?

Their total Tax&NI would be around £12000 leaving £48000 net income whereas the single earner family on £60000 would only have around £43000 net.

JaneJudge

GrannyGravy13

I have a horrible feeling that the U.K. will see lots of small/medium businesses close over the next 12-18 months along with the bigger companies laying off some of their workforce and not replacing those that leave or retire.

The above will just compound the problems for the U.K. economy, and those in the bottom percentage of income and job security will carry the burden.

I don't think that is true as many ar struggling to recruit and maybe the economically inactive will try and get more work?

There will be no point recruiting staff if your cafe, restaurant, gym, hairdressers, beauticians etc have a dramatic drop in turnover due to lack of customers.

Added fuel costs, food prices along with additional transport costs will push all prices up and the above will become a distant memory for a large proportion of the population.

Pantglas2

“As Babyshark says, they were probably chosen as a family with which the average R4 listener would identify. Also, whereas £60k would be lovely as a pension, it's just about average for a working couple; and as they are a dual-earner family then as well as a mortgage, they will be paying two lots of tax and NI on that, as well as childcare - it won't go anywhere near as far as a £60k salary for a single-earner family.“

Not sure about the above Doodledog - wouldn’t a couple pay less tax between them than the single person?

Their total Tax&NI would be around £12000 leaving £48000 net income whereas the single earner family on £60000 would only have around £43000 net.

They'd have more in total, but there would be two adults to feed and clothe, pay for transport to work, etc.

JaneJudge

GrannyGravy13

I have a horrible feeling that the U.K. will see lots of small/medium businesses close over the next 12-18 months along with the bigger companies laying off some of their workforce and not replacing those that leave or retire.

The above will just compound the problems for the U.K. economy, and those in the bottom percentage of income and job security will carry the burden.

I don't think that is true as many ar struggling to recruit and maybe the economically inactive will try and get more work?

Most of the "economically inactive" are students, are disabled or have caring responsibilities (for children and/or close relatives).

I was trying to look on the bright side, that maybe more people may want to access work. That said, work needs to be accessible for people who have disabilities or that care and therein lies another problem

Our country on the whole is really inaccessible isn't it?
Adult education you have to pay for, any education to change career you have to pay for
Transport is expensive
No adaptations in the workplace
Inflexibility of shifts to suit employees
and the lower paid you are, the worse that is.

I think you're right GrannyGravy. I don't go to a beautician, restaurants or a gym because I can't afford them, but many people do use them and they provide thousands of jobs. They're all labour intensive, so if people cut back even 10%, it's going to mean that 10% of the staff will be made redundant. Unfortunately, not many of them live near a cabbage field, so won't be able to fill the vacancies there.

JaneJudge

I was trying to look on the bright side, that maybe more people may want to access work. That said, work needs to be accessible for people who have disabilities or that care and therein lies another problem

I agree. The cost of childcare and/or full-time carers means that work just isn't a viable option for many people.

Free child care for four years is one thing the Labour Party could offer that would make a real difference both to households and to the economy.

JaneJudge
We have a small business, and try and be as flexible as we can be, but with a small workforce you can’t have everyone working when it suits them, you have to be able to cover all bases everyday.
That said, we have just employed someone with a disabled child, so are aware from the start that that she will need to work from home as and when suits her.
The only people who turn up everyday and work through seem to be me, my husband and children.
Not complaining, just telling it as it is.