The cost of an "acceptable" standard of living

[Funky_Gibbon]

...and yet £14,000 enables a couple to have a comfortable, not merely acceptable, standard of living. I know this, because I'm a member of that couple.

 

Without knowing your circumstances it's hard to judge. Do you receive any benefits? Do you have the same costs as a single working person? Do you have the same kind of active social life as this report assumes the average single working person to have? I don't expect you to answer but as Mr Squirrel said, without knowing if your circumstances match those of envisaged in the report nobody can judge.

 

And this is a national average figure. It will be dragged up somewhat by the likes of London etc.

[rubydazzler]

I take home much less than that and consider my standard of living very acceptable thanks!

Mortgage, single, two kids, no car. I smoke and drink and get away for a bit of a break a couple of times a year.

I take my hat off to you! Well, not the smoking bit obviously, but the rest. Very good.

 

Although that was what I was getting at, is it before or after stoppages? If you 'take home' less than that, your income is more than that? And are you counting any tax credits and benefits you might get as part of your total income?

 

My total income is around that figure and I wouldn't consider my standard of living is acceptable, not to me anyway! I can't afford to go away even once a year, let alone twice.

[Swan_Vesta]

I strongly suspect that the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and I differ on acceptable living standards. If I've not got wine, a bountiful supply of smokes and a serviceable vehicle then it's just not on

[Halibut]

I take my hat off to you! Well, not the smoking bit obviously, but the rest. Very good.

 

Although that was what I was getting at, is it before or after stoppages? If you 'take home' less than that, your income is more than that? And are you counting any tax credits and benefits you might get as part of your total income?

 

My total income is around that figure and I wouldn't consider my standard of living is acceptable, not to me anyway! I can't afford to go away even once a year, let alone twice.

 

Ta. As you'll understand Ruby, I'm not going to give a full breakdown of all my income and expenditure on here, but my total income after stoppages is around a third less than twenty grand.

As others have said though, a great deal depends on circumstance - my mortgage for example; I bought the house in '04, just before the prices took a huge upswing. It's worth a little less than twice what I paid for it and the repayments are manageable.

I'm a little surprised (and saddened) that you ca't afford to get away at all - ever considered camping? It's great fun! More seriously though, as you and I have discussed before they might well be benefits you're entitled to - if only you'd ask! Think how useful an extra hundred or even couple of hundred quid could be.

[Rupert_Baehr]

...and yet £14,000 enables a couple to have a comfortable, not merely acceptable, standard of living. I know this, because I'm a member of that couple.

 

It's enough for a couple to run a car, eat out once or twice a week, live on good quality food and spend very little time as couch potatoes.

 

Again ... I know, because I'm in the couple that does it.

 

Do you own a house? - Or do you pay a mortgage? How much rent do you pay? How much are your property taxes?

 

A single person (the individual who supposedly needs £14,000 a year to live on) would probably not own a house, so would be paying rent. ((S)he couldn't pay much of a mortgage in a £14k salary) and presumably the calculation was done using the country-wide average of prices (as opposed to those in Sheffield, where rents may be slightly lower than elsewhere.)

[epiphany]

Personally, I'd say £12,000 (after tax) for a single person who isn't bothered about holidays or extravagant evenings out. As long as your rent is reasonable, you have no debt/car repayments, I think 12k is a comfortable amount to live on.

 

There are two things that screw your finances - debt and children.

[Mr_Squirrel]

Personally, I'd say £12,000 (after tax) for a single person who isn't bothered about holidays or extravagant evenings out. As long as your rent is reasonable, you have no debt/car repayments, I think 12k is a comfortable amount to live on.

 

There are two things that screw your finances - debt and children.

 

Bold.

 

I would agree...

 

If i had no mortgage (ie paid off) no dependents and no car, the rest of my bills/living expenses would be relatively small and 12k would finance a reasonably comfortable lifestyle.

 

As i do have a mortgage, car, dependents etc..... perhaps a 12k pay rise would be in order?

[rubydazzler]

[...] - ever considered camping? It's great fun!

Are you quite mad? Me camping?

 

I meant a proper holiday, a cruise or somewhere exotic ... not a weekend in a in a field at Ashover I could afford a holiday, I suppose, if I saved up for one. I just tend to waste my spare cash on fripperies and riotous living

 

But thanks for the sympathy, it's appreciated x

[Cyclone]

...and yet £14,000 enables a couple to have a comfortable, not merely acceptable, standard of living. I know this, because I'm a member of that couple.

 

Without prying too much, what does that entail? Do you have a mortgage to pay?

 

I'll read the article in a section, but is that figure a total, ie taking into account income support, tax credits, housing benefit, and any other benefits?

If so, what's you're real income on top of what you earn between you?

[Cyclone]

Key points (I think) from the article

 

The JRF report is an attempt to raise the debate about the level of relative poverty in the UK beyond the official poverty line of 60% of average earnings.

Earnings required assume eligible benefits are also claimed

gross income

it now considers a computer and home internet connection as essential for all working age households

a week's holiday a year in the UK was still considered necessary to participate at an acceptable level in society

 

So it's poverty if you can't afford a week in skegness?

£ per week Single Pensioner Couple + children

 

Food 44.34 58.53 107.13

Alcohol 4.69 7.93 6.49

Tobacco 0 0 0

Clothing 7.73 10.03 29.58

Water rates 4.93 5.82 5.7

Council tax 13.93 18.57 21.66

Household Ins 1.9 1.75 2.37

Fuel 9.78 11.54 20.09

Other housing 2.44 3.84 7.73

Household good 10.35 12.13 18.96

Household serv 4.42 9.7 9.81

Childcare 0 0 199.07

Personal goods 8.95 25.2 29.2

Motoring 0 0 0

Other travel 19.72 10 39.38

Social part 42.16 47.18 104.73

Rent 52.62 65.45 71.18

total 227.96 287.67 673.08