£27K income needed for UK life's 'basics'

The fact that many people in that situation can't is a testament to the fact that cost of living is too high and salaries are too low.  That's the big problem here. 

Agree. I have always felt that was the case since I moved here. Jobs out here where we live don't pay nearly enough to survive on. A woman who worked here in our office full-time in an administrative role had to also work retail on the weekends and still she couldn't afford a car and had to ride her bike 9 miles each way to work. She hadn't had a day off in years, nevermind a holiday.  In the states, I was just a waitress working about 30 hours a week and still maintained a decent apartment, a car, and the basic "essentials" plus going out once a week or so. 

There's nothing wrong with being poor or not living a middle class lifestyle but I am sure most people who aren't able to go on holiday would like to be have the option. 

There's nothing wrong with being poor or not living a middle class lifestyle but I am sure most people who aren't able to go on holiday would like to be have the option.  

There is nothing wrong with not being middle class, or with being middle class.  What is wrong is when the media and politicians act like poor people don't exist (except maybe on Eastenders), and that the worst problem people in the UK have is not being able to take a holiday.

I like that they factor in a week of vacation for a family of 4 as one of "life's basics".  They also included a computer and internet access.  I wonder what else was included (but not mentioned in the article).

I am sorry but a computer and internet is essential, especially if you are raising a child.  Society and learning is very computer focused and to raise a child without direct access to a computer at home will place them significantly behind their counterparts. 

I think that there is a big difference between what was essential 20 years ago and what is essential now.  Because so many societies now have integrated the internet into day to day life, it is a basic, IMO.  It might not have been the case 10 or 15 years ago.

Sure, you won't die if you don't have internet and a computer, but your quality of life will be diminished more than if you didn't have the latest fashion or a new high end motor (or any motor for that matter, at least in urban places).

I lived a few years on the very basics of life.  I didn't have cable, a computer, a phone, or even a DVD or video player.  I had a little 13 inch colour TV and rabbit ears (and when that broke, I had a 5 inch black and white TV I bought for $7 at Walgreens).  However, I actually thought at the time I was going without the basics.  I knew I was.  I wasn't happy, and I found it even more difficult to get myself out of the situation I was in when I became cut off from almost all sides.

I did learn to find contentment in things that others didn't.  I also think I carried this attitude a bit into where I am now.  However, don't be fooled to think that in a tech based society that people can do happily without technology unless they planned to drop out of society.  It's not impossible for those without means to find a job, education, whatever, but I think there's something a bit weird to have so much information at our fingertips, to easily look up things, access opportunities, etc., and then say it's not a basic need in the modern world.  Someday I wouldn't mind dropping out with my husband, buying some land, etc (that old dream), but the one thing I would consider staying on the grid for would be internet.

I hope I am not coming off as harsh with it.  I will try to give you an example of a different form of technology that has become more essential: mobiles.  Back when I had no phone, I could rely on payphones and an hour's worth of library internet time (if I was lucky).  If there was an emergency with my family, however, people couldn't contact me.  Within a few years time, all the payphones were taken out.  So, even as my situation improved and I eventually got a landline, etc, I was at a disadvantage in public.  I had no mobile.  I couldn't call a cab if I needed one from many places.  If I was injured or attacked outside my home and a few places that still had payphones, I would have to rely on someone else calling the police.  I didn't want a mobile (in some ways I am a bit of a Luddite), but I got one.  Sure, I wouldn't have dropped dead from not having one, but I didn't live in 1981 where there were no mobiles and lots of payphones.  Mobiles have become more of a basic, although I would say that on the lists of priorities, it falls below computers with internet access.

As for going dial-up, it's more expensive here than broadband, and even in the States, it can be more expensive.  When I switched to cable internet in the States, I actually paid less than the last dial up account I had.

But, yeah, as much as I love travel, I wouldn't call foreign or even domestic holidays a basic.  I guess that much I can agree upon.

I would agree that holidays aren't a basic, but they are talking about what the "average" family needs to earn to afford the "basics" and the "average" family does go on holiday. 

I would consider having access to visiting my family (aka a holiday to the US) a basic.  If I couldn't afford that on my salary here, there's no way I'd consider staying in the UK. 

We spend a lot on food (at least by some people's standard and that's non-negotiable. We pay more than the horrid number of £40 a week, but that includes things like cat food, cleaning supplies, etc.  Probably minus all that it might be closer to £40. I have whittled it down quite a bit in the past year. While the site Aless posted was interesting, a lot of that stuff was very carby. Lots of white starch and sugar. If people can do that and stay healthy, all the more to them.  I can't.

I don't shop at Asda, either.  I tried to put aside my hate for Walmart, and we shopped there once.  We bought two bottles of milk, one sprung a leak on the way home.  My husband complained about the meat we bought (and he never complains).  The problem with so many big box (or even sometimes places like Lidl and Aldis) is that things are so cheap they don't always last or the packaging gets wrecked and spoils the food.  That's not to say things don't last from these cheaper stores, but you don't always know what will and what won't.

I'd much rather pay more for something and have it last and not to buy it again soon (like clothing or home products).  With food, I'd much rather buy something that keeps me in good health (although what gives someone else good health may vary).  I ate very cheaply for a long time, and I think it's part of what wrecked my body and gave me things like insulin resistance.

If you look at the breakdown and include everything summarized in the budget, for a family with 2 kids the total amount is actually £34,996/yr.  This estimate includes over £5,200/yr for 'social and cultural participation'.  BTW...the breakdown for a couple with 2 kids for groceries (which doesn't include household goods) is for £107.13/week (the £44.34 is for a single person). 

My point was more geared towards people who make less than the income needed (the people who are "struggling to pay for the essentials", according to the article).  If you can't afford both, is it really a question of internet access or food?  I know people who eat sirloin steak and shrimp type dinners every night, then say their council tax bill will have to be late because they don't have the money to pay it.   

I think that goes back to what sweetpeach mentioned earlier about the definition of essential.  To me, essential means you NEED it to survive...something you literally can't survive without.  I don't consider computers, alcohol, social activities, holidays, etc. as things you can't survive without.

The article is a bit tricky in the fact that it uses the term "basics"...but that includes luxuries like holidays, alcohol, social activities, etc.  Then it states anyone who makes below that amount struggle to afford essentials.  I believe there is actually another group of people in between there...people who can afford essentials but not luxuries.  I think the article purposely omits that group of people to make the financial situation they are reporting about seem more dramatic.  I mean, comparing people who can't afford £5,200/yr for social participation (a basic) to people who can't afford to buy groceries (an essential) isn't close.

My husband makes no where near the figure quoted here, in fact his take home is probably £10K less than that and we only have 1 child. Our tax credits were cut this this week by just over £130 a month...we don't splurge on anything and have just paid for my ILR & the petition for his US visa and we're doing cheap & nasty food for him & myself for the next few months which costs us about £15/wk down from the £45/wk we used to spend at ASDA in order to pay for it (to keep going into overdraft each month).

He has his ciggys & pepsi max and I have my coffee...those are our luxury items. 

A weeks holiday??? We just spent last week's holiday going to all the country parks & houses in Derby & Nottingham that were free or you just had to pay to park.

There are a lot of 'essentials' & 'basics' listed that we're going without, I'm not complaining though as we have no debt but the overdraft.

If you can't afford both, is it really a question of internet access or food?  I know people who eat sirloin steak and shrimp type dinners every night, then say their council tax bill will have to be late because they don't have the money to pay it.   

Yes!

I think the problem is that people who complain that they have trouble affording internet access don't know what it's like to go without food.

I think that goes back to what sweetpeach mentioned earlier about the definition of essential.  To me, essential means you NEED it to survive...something you literally can't survive without.  I don't consider computers, alcohol, social activities, holidays, etc. as things you can't survive without.

By this definition, you don't NEED public transportation to get to work (let alone a car).  You can walk there despite it being 12 miles because that is where you can afford to pay rent... just get up early, which probably means you won't get see your kids off to school and walk home after... which probably means you'll miss a lot of time to do school work with your kids... so basically your kids raise themselves (just one of many examples).  I would still argue that kids NEED internet and computer access in this day and age... while yes if they go a year without they won't be dead, it isn't a comparison to food, water and shelter but over that year your child will be substantially behind other children in the learning process and setting them on path that will be hard to reverse. 

Books are not essential for survival but studies show that homes who have just 5 books, the average IQ is higher then homes without any books. The educational path changes and I do believe these are "basic needs" that all families should have access to, last I checked UK society has progressed past the hunters and gathers stage and what is needed for survival in a developed, civilized society should encompass more then food, shelter, clothing and water.

Quoting this a bit backwards because I am on my phone.  I know what it's like to go without food, and I still think internet access is a basic in modern life.  I pretty much agree with Goods.  Information access is vital, especially if it is an expectation that you will have that access.

Yes!

I think the problem is that people who complain that they have trouble affording internet access don't know what it's like to go without food.

I would still argue that kids NEED internet and computer access in this day and age... while yes if they go a year without they won't be dead, it isn't a comparison to food, water and shelter but over that year your child will be substantially behind other children in the learning process and setting them on path that will be hard to reverse. 

I still don't agree with this...especially since you can access computers and internet for free. 

what is needed for survival in a developed, civilized society should encompass more then food, shelter, clothing and water.

IMO there is a big difference between what is needed for survival and what is needed to maintain an average lifestyle.

Aless--where did you find the information on the breakdown, and the calculator? 

Yeah, could someone post the link to the calculator? I'm not seeing it in the Yahoo News link at all...