Could you live decently on £14,400 a year?

wellynever

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10537363

Just wondering what people think, this is for a single person, i find this quite high for just one person but i suppose it depends where in the UK you live,

As someone in the support group with a partner this is the exact amount we get a year and that includes rent and council tax plus everything else the list would be too long if i was to add everything, we live ok on that,

As for a working single person on that money what chance to buy their own home marry have children, it just saddens me that in 2014 that £14k seems to be ok or even the norm.

Marisco

It's 4 years out of date!!! :eek:

Miski

No, I'd starve.

lxpeanut

I used to live decently on about £12000 a year but that was about 10 years ago. Maybe needs a little adjusting for inflation over the last few yeas but I think its about right for a single person. Like you said definitely not enough for a family or buying a house but think you can have a reasonable lifestyle on around that amount. Sadly so many people who work get so much less than this that the only way they can live (never mind decently) is to also get benefits.

quidsinquentin

£144,000 a year - yeah I suppose I could cut back a bit...

Wait...

How much???!!!

ameliarate

I couldn't but then I'm not good with money despite coming on here for years.

peter_the_piper

Yep, 3 on £12,500 including Mortgage. Did have to resort to WFTC at the end.

heuchera

So if £14,400 per year works out at just under £1000 per month take-home pay:

£100 per week rent so about £433 per month approximately
£130-ish council tax
£150-ish bills (gas, leccy, phone, water, broadband, tv licence)

That's £713 before you've even thought about feeding and clothing yourself.

Or travel costs.

Let alone having some semblance of a life/social life.

It's not much to live on.

lxpeanut

heuchera wrote: »

It's not much to live on.

Its not much but it is doable which is what we are talking about here.

Andy_L

Is that just £14k or do they include the various in-work benefits?

Mrs_Arcanum

You aught to be able to buy food & cleaning materials for around £35 per week (£152 pcm) leaving £140 for transport and going out. Not much at all if you are single & run a car or have high bus fares.

Don't think single people on that pay would get any benefits unless their rent was particularly high which would wipe out the benefit anyway.

The single chap on the program about workers on benefits only got around £30 a month & he only earned £10,000 PA