Are you living below the poverty line?

[freckleonear]

Poverty is a subject really close to my heart at the moment. Not just abroad, but child poverty statistics here in the UK are quite worrying.

I was quite surprised to find that our family has been living significantly below the poverty line for the last six months, although hopefully that will change in January once hubby starts his new job and my business takes off. Money is tight and it can be stressful, but we still have a good standard of living and enough for a few luxuries like takeaways or things for the children. I wouldn't have guessed that our income was well under the threshold.

Are you living above or below the poverty line according to the thresholds below? Do you think those figures are accurate for your situation or is the threshold too high/too low? Do you think benefits are enough to keep a family out of poverty? Who do you think is most likely to be affected by poverty and what does poverty mean to you?

Low-income threshold per week after housing costs (rent or mortgage)

One adult - £125
Two adults, no children - £215
One adult, two children - £211
Two adults, two children - £301

 

[Natsku]

I think I'm just below the poverty line as its defined over here but I don't feel like I'm that poor really. Can afford all the necessities with careful spending. I am on benefits so I guess no, they're not enough to keep me above the poverty line but they're enough to live on I think.
I would consider myself poor if I had to go to a charity for free food. I've seen long queues of people waiting outside the charity place in my old city on the days they give out a bag of food so I think there is quite a lot of poorer people around. I did almost go once as we had no money at all but I didn't bother in the end as I figured they wouldn't have gluten free food so wouldn't be able to eat what they gave anyway.

 

[alicecooper]

What's the poverty line for two adults three children?

Also, why is it less for one adult and two children, than it is for two adults? How does that work then?

 

[smokey]

Explain the poverty line thing, is that mant to be disposable income after bills?

 

[Lellow]

Hmmm, i think more explanation of the poverty line thing might be helpful, but if going by the above figures then i guess we are above it with two incomes (one full and one part time ) with 1 child and another on the way.

 

[lindseymw]

We are above the poverty line taking into consideration mortgage, council tax, water, gas & electric bills (the essentials). Not including food though

 

[highhopes19]

Does that mean how much cash left over after all bills are paid each week?

After all bills are paid we have around £800-£900 a month left over, we have one child it doesn't say with one child so not sure where we are...

We may be very different when we move out of my parents xx

 

[tasha41]

It's different figures here but I work PT, OH works FT & we're above, could be without my wage but it would feel tight!!

 

[freckleonear]

There are lots of different ways of measuring poverty, but the most common definition is less than 60% of median income. The figures in my first post have been "equivalised" to produce the same standard of living in different family sizes, because some costs can be shared. Presumably a child is less expensive than an adult.

It's not based on disposable income after bills, it is the amount of money left after paying basic housing costs such as rent or mortgage but nothing else. So food and bills still need to be paid out of that amount.

 

[freckleonear]

To clarify - it's your total income minus your rent/mortgage only. Don't include any other bills or costs.

 

[Natasha2605]

Total income on salaries only or inc tax credits and child benefit?

 

[smokey]

Oh well in that case its quite a bit over the line to pay everything else off after rent has come out, but surely im not understanding this right.
Thats with one full time and one part time worker, no benafits (apart from child benafit but that stays in LO account)
I dont think we have ever been close to the poverty line tbh, if we have been a bit short one week we go over to one of our parents houses for dinner

 

[doddy0402]

If I include child benefit and ctc and both wages, I have £301.46 per week! That puts me right on the poverty line then...

 

[Natasha2605]

Okay if we include ctc and cb then we are above the poverty line. If not then below it. We live pretty decently, two working household, OH full time and me part time.

 

[Bevziibubble]

Just above but we really do need to be more careful with money

 

[vhal_x]

It doesn't have it there for two adults and one child, but estimating what that threshold would be, we're under the poverty line (that includes OH's full time wage, CTC, WTC, HB and Child Benefit) xx

 

[Pearls18]

Poverty is a really difficult thing to measure, it is relative, what we deem as poverty in this country wouldn't be in other countries. We are well above the line according to this example, but it's a bit limited just doing it on your rent/mortgage as some people have debt, childcare costs etc which means they could have less disposable income than perhaps someone beneath the line.

 

[amandad192]

I read it wrong and so answered wrong. We currently live off JSA, CTC, CB and HB and after paying rent we have 199.88 per week for all bills and food.
I read the amounts as per month

 

[amjon]

That seems awfully high then if it's after taking out rent/ mortgage. I'm pretty sure in the US it is just based on total income and is around that level. Are you sure it's after you take out housing cost?

 

[Chatterwockin]

its a tricky one as we are a "non" working household way above the poverty line but technically I do work I pay tax and ni as I am a carer. its a complex question.