STUCK IN THE MIDDLE
I’m a middle class mum struggling on £60k… we’ve cut out Waitrose avocados & our last holiday was to a Greek island
Check out how to apply for Universal Credit
A MIDDLE-CLASS mum has revealed she struggles to provide for her family on a household income of £60,000.
Victoria Lindsay, 53, works 50 hours a week and her partner, 54, is a civil servant, but she claims they still have to "count every penny".
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They turn off the electricity and use candles to save cash, can only holiday in the UK and can no longer afford to go to the theatre or "buy avocados from Waitrose".
The family from Bedfordshire are now "counting down the days" until they can move north, away from their "forever home" in the south, to save cash.
They had to get rid of one of their cars and haven't been abroad since 2017 - and she feels if she'd learned a trade rather than gone to university, she'd be better off.
The mum-of-three, who runs her own childcare business, said she feels those in the middle are "stuck" - neither wealthy nor able to access benefits
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She earns £22,000 and her partner earns £40,000, meaning they have a combined income of over £60,000.
It comes after a report, Caught in the Middle, revealed this week that it is becoming difficult to maintain a decent living standard on household incomes as high as £60,000 a year.
The report, by Financial Fairness Trust, blamed Britain's insecure jobs market and high housing costs.
People might say 'don't buy your avocados in Waitrose', but why the hell shouldn't I when I work really, really hard?
Victoria Lindsay
Victoria and the kids have traded their trips abroad for walks and cycles in parks.
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However, even trips to their local gardens put financial strains on the family.
"There is no luxury," she said.
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"We don't take our kids to the cinema.
"We go on lots of bike rides, we go for lots of walks.
"There's a beautiful garden just up the road from us and they want £25 a visit for my family to go," Victoria added.
"We've not been in for years, and my kids were there all the time when they were little.
"We can't afford it."
Victoria and her partner have three children - a 24-year-old, a 15-year-old and a 14-year-old.
The couple plan to downsize from their forever home once their children leave home for university.
Keeping the family financially afloat in the south of England is proving almost impossible, according to Victoria.
"We live in a nice house four-bedroom house that we pay mortgage on," she said.
"When we bought the house - we could afford it.
"We didn't buy a house that we couldn't afford.
"We can't afford to replace doors or windows or carpet or anything like that.
"We should be able to do those things.
"It's terrifying and I want to run away from it all."
The mum-of-three said she has struggled to sleep because of their financial situation.
The family's monetary position has caused "friction, which causes arguments," she said.
She added: "Come September, if the interest rates haven't come down, and our mortgage goes up again, there is nothing.
There is not enough support for middle-class people who don't have access to certain benefits, Victoria claims.
We're not entitled to anything. We are in the middle, and we are stuck.
Victoria Lindsay
Victoria said she feels trapped by her lack of marketable skills and claims her university degree will not help improve their financial position.
The biggest worry for Lindsay is that she is depriving her children of precious experiences.
"We really, really want to give our children positive experiences," she said.
"They are growing up.
"Our kids are asking for things like school residentials, but we can't afford for them to do those sorts of things.
"Our kids are great, they absolutely understand so they don't ask."
She said that the experience has made her feel like she is "being smacked in the belly by the government.
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"We don't need to be here, it's policy that has meant that we are here," she said.
"We're kind of stuck but not blaming anybody apart from the government."
HOW MUCH IS UNIVERSAL CREDIT AND ARE YOU ENTITLED TO BENEFITS?
Here's everything to know about Universal Credit and benefits:
Universal Credit payments are made up of a standard allowance and then various additional payments that depend on your circumstances.
People in work can also claim Universal Credit.
In June 2023, 38 per cent of all people on Universal Credit were employed.
This is how much you will get as your standard allowance each month:
- Single, under 25 – £292.11
- Single, 25 or over – £368.74
- Couple, joint claimants both under 25 – £458.51 (for both)
- Couple, joint claimants, one or both 25 or over – £578.82 (for both)
You may also get additional payments depending on your circumstances.
- What is Universal Credit? Everything you need to know including how to apply
- Universal Credit calculator: How much can I claim and how do I apply?
- Universal Credit login: How do I sign in to my online account?
- How much can I earn before Universal Credit is reduced and do I get a work allowance?
- What is a Universal Credit advance payment? How to apply and pay it back
- Are Universal Credit payments going up and how much more will I get?
- How to claim Universal Credit if you’re self-employed
- How many hours can I work on Universal Credit and will my payment be reduced?
- What is a Universal Credit budgeting advance and how much could I get?
- What is the Universal Credit housing element and how much of your rent does it pay?
Are you entitled to benefits?
Many charities have benefits calculators that you can use to work out if you are entitled to any extra help.
This includes:
- Policy in Practice
It’s worth looking into as if you do qualify, it could make you eligible for the £900 Cost of Living payment too.
Before you use such a tool, you should
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