High Inflation.

My housing costs are currently over two weeks income. The average is now 30-35% of a household's income.

rosie1959

It's a long time ago Growstuff expect my DH would recollect more that me but our Mortgage was around 1 weeks salary for my husband
Can't particularly remember paying any lower NI than anyone else
Never went to Uni worked from 16
Only state benefit was child allowance

No, it wasn't. You also received tax allowances for any children, mortgage tax relief and your husband received married man's tax allowance.

Gossamerbeynon1945

growstuff - I had one child and got £1 per week. I really can't remember NI being less than normal. Of course we had a mortgage and with the interest rate rise to 15% we could barely afford it.

Of course National Insurance was a lower percentage than it is now, even if you can't remember. In 1978 it was 6.5%. It's currently 13.25%.

I paid 16% when I first had a mortgage, but the property was a much lower percentage of my income than if I were to buy that same property now. Sorry, but you just can't compare.

You might have only received £1 in family allowance, but you or your partner/spouse also received a tax allowance. Again, you can't compare.

I didn't go to university.

growstuff - I had one child and got £1 per week. I really can't remember NI being less than normal. Of course we had a mortgage and with the interest rate rise to 15% we could barely afford it.

It's a long time ago Growstuff expect my DH would recollect more that me but our Mortgage was around 1 weeks salary for my husband
Can't particularly remember paying any lower NI than anyone else
Never went to Uni worked from 16
Only state benefit was child allowance

Gossamerbeynon1945

Nor did I Rosie 1959. Absolute zilch!

So you didn't have children or a mortgage?

rosie1959

I suppose that said generation is some of us our first mortgage in 1980. Rates were at 15%
Can't remember getting much state welfare

I expect you received tax relief on your mortgage payments and, overall, your mortgage was a lower percentage of your income than it is for many people with a current mortgage. You paid lower rates of National Insurance and, if you'd been to university, you didn't have a student loan. It's not possible to compare the current amount of support from the state with the past.

When did it become "state welfare"?

It was "benefits" in my day - not that I was ever entitled to any. "State welfare" is a very US thing, isn't it?

Nor did I Rosie 1959. Absolute zilch!

Some food.

when the said elderly got so much more in the form of state welfare than they will ever get in what form please?

Oh, Child Allowance, was that it?

I used to dash straight from the PO to the supermarket - at least it paid for food.

I suppose that said generation is some of us our first mortgage in 1980. Rates were at 15%
Can't remember getting much state welfare

Gossamerbeynon1945

I just got critisized for saying I could remember interest rates of 15%. I can! Thought we would have to sell our house. The person who had a go at me said "there's always one who harks back to another year". I apologised for my whole generation and told him to go away and get lost.

I think younger people get a bit fed up with the elderly telling them how hard things were for them, when the said elderly got so much more in the form of state welfare than they will ever get.

I just got critisized for saying I could remember interest rates of 15%. I can! Thought we would have to sell our house. The person who had a go at me said "there's always one who harks back to another year". I apologised for my whole generation and told him to go away and get lost.

vegansrock

Back to inflation - interest rate rises mean a huge rise in mortgage payments for thousands of people.

Many mortgages are now done on a fixed rate
Some will be coming to an end and it would be very prudent to fix again
Mortgage rates are still not that historically high

Back to inflation - interest rate rises mean a huge rise in mortgage payments for thousands of people.

France, Italy and Germany all have a much better manufacturing base than the UK- they make cars, ships, agricultural machinery, washing machines etc owned by their own companies , many of which are supported by their respective government. France and Italy have high end textiles and fashion houses , the U.K. have some but not on the same scale. Yes, we had the skills, but Thatcher killed the home grown manufacturing businesses all off.

Casdon

We do still make trains in the UK, there’s a big locomotive works in Derby, I think they are leading on hydrogen engine development. Rolls Royce aero engines is still there too.

We know that hydrogen can power vehicles and trains the problem is producing green hydrogen and a distribution system. Electric trains are very efficient how is hydrogen better?.

Earlier today, on another thread, OldDryad flagged up an article some might like to read. bylinetimes.com/2020/08/28/boris-johnson-the-anti-prime-minister/

I read it as showing Johnson as someone who loves pushing everything to the extreme - government is like an extreme sport where he sees how far he can go without being hurt. Someone who does things for the thrills he gets with little thought for others. He doesn't want to "do" being PM, he just wants to be seen being PM. I can't believe he will do anything to help those on low incomes. God knows what the outcome will be.

Jane43

MaizieD much as I despise this government the £150 isn’t a loan, it is for council tax payers in Bands A to D but I believe those exempt from council tax won’t get it. The £200 to come later in the year will be a loan to be repaid over several years and most people don’t want it.

Whatever you believe, the truth is that those who are billed but get Council Tax Support will get the £150. That will be those on certain benefits. They are not "exempt". We don't know when and they may have to supply bank details to get it paid directly into their account, otherwise, it may be a cheque.

You must be aware that your post could frighten vulnerable people. It's quite easy to check the facts.

The UK has world class universities, scientists and researchers, so the government needs to sort out their funding.

I know that we have the expertise to compete on the world stage, but not if we continue to live in the past.

Casdon

growstuff

Casdon

We do still make trains in the UK, there’s a big locomotive works in Derby, I think they are leading on hydrogen engine development. Rolls Royce aero engines is still there too.

The Derby locomotive works are owned by French multinational, Alstom. Rolls Royce is owned by BMW. What that means is that both companies are vulnerable to any difficulties the parent companies might be experiencing, just as steel works were.

I know. However, the picture you’re painting is bleaker than the reality growstuff. The ownership of UK companies by foreign companies where manufacturing and innovation remains in the UK signals that we do still have the expertise to compete on the world stage. You do always seem to be imbued with pessimism about the UK. I agree that there’s a lot wrong, but to imply we don’t have the capability to compete is just not true.

What's your evidence that I'm imbued with pessimism about the UK?

HNCs still cost between about £4,000 - £6,000, depending on subject and institution. I guess it depends what level of engineering you're talking about.