The gap between rich and poor in N.I?

Legacy_user

I am just going on my own observations with friends and family, but there seems to be quite a big gap between rich and poor in N.I, there doesn't seem to be any middle ground anymore, you either have money or you don't, I heard someone mention on Radio Ulster this week that 50% of the population of N.I live in poverty. Equally there seems to be a massive gap between the richest in N.I and the richest on the mainland, infact I dare say the richest in N.I wouldn't even be classed as rich on the mainland. The average UK wage is £25K, my boss doesn't even earn that, nor does my partners, infact there isn't to many folk in N.I earning that, but yet we look at them as well of, they have nice homes, material possesions etc.

But in recent years the gap between the haves and have nots seems to be getting wider, the rich seem to be getting richer while the poor aren't going anywhere and in alot of cases with the recession etc are even worse off.

What is your thoughts on this? Again this is just my observation and I may be totally wrong.

gibbyni

I would think the property boom had something to do with it. However there is a big difference between being wealthy and acting wealthy. For example im sure a lot of people went out and bought flash new cars and holidays etc and just added it onto there mortgage.

As for the gap between wealthy and poor I dont know if it has gotten wider, but I would say that to get from poor to wealthy you have to do it yourself and take a risk at times. Very few people become wealthy from just being an Employee.

System

gibbyni wrote: »

I would think the property boom had something to do with it. However there is a big difference between being wealthy and acting wealthy. For example im sure a lot of people went out and bought flash new cars and holidays etc and just added it onto there mortgage.

As for the gap between wealthy and poor I dont know if it has gotten wider, but I would say that to get from poor to wealthy you have to do it yourself and take a risk at times. Very few people become wealthy from just being an Employee.

Very true indeed

thriftyminx13

i never believe statistics in news either, where do they get their figures etc? and despitesome of our overheads being higher than the rest of the uk we don't have water rates (yet) or council tax etc.

i actually think northern ireland has one of the worse records for debt ie credit card reliance etc as it seems to be the norm. i don't have a credit card because i'm of the opinion if i don't have it i won't spend it. but usually this isn't the norm.

Money_Grabber13579

The majority of rich people have got their money through hard work - Sir Alan Sugar is a case in point. He's taken risks, worked all hours of the day when he was younger, and that's why it annoys me when people complain that other's have more money than them, and expect them to be forced to hand it over.

If you want to become more successful, it's up to yourself to do something about it. It won't just happen while they're sat on their backside.

But unfortunately, the way this government is going, everybody is getting more and more hand outs, and the incentive for hard work is being lost very rapidly.

wifeforlife

I don't think £25K is seen as a rich persons wage, my partner earns that and we are by no means well off.

The wages are only part of the problem here in NI, the cost of living is the nightmare for most. I'm of the opinion that the more you do the less you get i.e. both my partner and I work fulltime but equally we have less to live on, I'm not afraid to tell you that next year our childcare bill for one month will be over £800, and my wage after tax, NI and pension is £950, so infact I'm 'only' earning £150 in a month but whats the alternative?!

I find there may be a gap between the haves and have nots but it's the other way about to what is the norm, it seems those who have it all are the ones who maybe should be looking at their finances and futures a bit more stringently and those who people assume have it, are the ones putting nest eggs away for the future incase of the 'what if's'.

Anyone who thinks people working fulltime and earning £25k or anywhere in the region are well off, are misinformed and unrealistic.

Cate

Rach39

I totally agree with the sentiment that the more you do the less you get! My husband is self employed and I work full time. With the cost of childcare, mortgage etc we just about get by at the best of times but hubby has been without work for last 6 months (builder - need I say more?) and cannot claim anything in benefits as I still work full time. He worked with a guy who is single and lives in a housing executive house. As a result he says he's really not bothered if they get any work any more as has about the same level of disposable income as when he was working!! I'm all for hard work and stop whingeing but there really is very little incentive when you can sit back and get your rent paid, state benefits to pay for your cost of living and the odd homer cash in hand!!

System

cathy2702 wrote: »

I don't think £25K is seen as a rich persons wage, my partner earns that and we are by no means well off.

The wages are only part of the problem here in NI, the cost of living is the nightmare for most. I'm of the opinion that the more you do the less you get i.e. both my partner and I work fulltime but equally we have less to live on, I'm not afraid to tell you that next year our childcare bill for one month will be over £800, and my wage after tax, NI and pension is £950, so infact I'm 'only' earning £150 in a month but whats the alternative?!

I find there may be a gap between the haves and have nots but it's the other way about to what is the norm, it seems those who have it all are the ones who maybe should be looking at their finances and futures a bit more stringently and those who people assume have it, are the ones putting nest eggs away for the future incase of the 'what if's'.

Anyone who thinks people working fulltime and earning £25k or anywhere in the region are well off, are misinformed and unrealistic.

Cate

Well compare that to my £13K after tax etc working 40 hours a week.:rolleyes: And to be honest I know more people earning nearer my wage than yours.

I suppose what I mean by the gap is not to the extreme of Alan Sugar but people earning a normal wage like £25K, and have a fairly ok standard of living like nights out, the odd holiday, and people live myself on £13K if lucky get a chinese take away once a month. I would class £25K as being rich, add a partner possibly earning something similar £50k, if I add my partner we earn slightly over £15K

Money_Grabber13579

nirelandguy wrote: »

Well compare that to my £13K after tax etc working 40 hours a week.:rolleyes: And to be honest I know more people earning nearer my wage than yours.

I suppose what I mean by the gap is not to the extreme of Alan Sugar but people earning a normal wage like £25K, and have a fairly ok standard of living like nights out, the odd holiday, and people live myself on £13K if lucky get a chinese take away once a month. I would class £25K as being rich, add a partner possibly earning something similar £50k, if I add my partner we earn slightly over £15K

When I start work, and that's coming out of university with a professional degree, I'll get around £13,000 before tax!

But my main point is this. You might only be earning £13k take home pay, however there are those on benefits who are work shy, and still manage to have the same standard of living, if not better than those who work. So I say, well done for trying to earn a living, even though it appears there are easier ways to do it, like getting the state to pay for you.

x12yhp

nirelandguy wrote: »

Well compare that to my £13K after tax etc working 40 hours a week.:rolleyes: And to be honest I know more people earning nearer my wage than yours.

This is so subjective - it depends what you 'do'! I have spent the last 6 years doing a PhD and then a post-doc after. A PhD student will be earning the same money as you whilst a postdoc is going to be earning well over double (pre-tax). So, within my scope of experience, £13k is very much a 'starter' salary yet, at the same time, very few of those I know would truly be considered 'wealthy'.

I should also note that it is amazing how many times you walk down a row of terraced properties or a 'first time buyer' development and see nice new cars parked and large, flat screen TVs in the living room. I tend to think that the idea of 'poverty' is grossly misrepresented.

System

Money_Grabber13579 wrote: »

When I start work, and that's coming out of university with a professional degree, I'll get around £13,000 before tax!

But my main point is this. You might only be earning £13k take home pay, however there are those on benefits who are work shy, and still manage to have the same standard of living, if not better than those who work. So I say, well done for trying to earn a living, even though it appears there are easier ways to do it, like getting the state to pay for you.

Oh I agree, In actual fact I'd probably be better of on benefits by the time I would get housing benefit and what ever else.

But what I can't understand is I had a short spell of unemployment a few years back, the social security agency tortured me. If you walk down our street during the week you will see the wine team in the middle of the town, these guys have never done a days work in there lives and they get away with it, or I am sure we have all seen the single mums pushing there fancy prams around town in there fancy clothes. It angers me to be honest