What is the Minimum Standard of Living?
Are your earnings enough to cover you for the basic standard of living?
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) has done years of extensive study into this. JRF’s current research, which involved 21 new focus groups, have come up with updated figures calculated on what the public think families and individuals need to achieve a socially acceptable standard of living.
Here is an example of the Minimum Income Standard for some family types:
| £ per week |
Single, working age |
Couple, pensioner |
Couple, 2 children (1 aged 2–4; 1 primary- school age) |
Lone parent, 1 child (aged 0–1) |
| Food |
48.25 |
60.46 |
99.55 |
51.81 |
| Alcohol |
5.13 |
8.67 |
6.84 |
6.53 |
| Tobacco |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
| Clothing |
9.31 |
12.09 |
38.69 |
19.14 |
| Water rates |
5.46 |
6.44 |
8.99 |
8.55 |
| Council Tax |
14.34 |
19.11 |
22.30 |
16.72 |
| Household insurances |
1.98 |
1.82 |
2.40 |
2.37 |
| Fuel |
11.63 |
13.72 |
22.88 |
18.89 |
| Other housing costs |
2.54 |
4.00 |
9.76 |
3.62 |
| Household goods |
11.55 |
13.56 |
26.81 |
22.57 |
| Household services |
3.61 |
8.23 |
7.74 |
7.02 |
| Childcare* |
0.00 |
0.00 |
147.85 |
149.78 |
| Personal goods and services |
11.65 |
20.33 |
41.27 |
28.13 |
| Motoring |
0.00 |
0.00 |
60.25 |
47.61 |
| Other travel costs |
22.39 |
13.51 |
13.77 |
1.13 |
| Social and cultural participation |
44.76 |
49.53 |
93.28 |
41.51 |
| Rent |
69.66 |
77.43 |
82.67 |
77.43 |
| ‘Headline’ total – excluding rent and childcare |
192.59 |
231.48 |
454.52 |
275.59 |
| Total including rent and childcare* |
262.25 |
308.91 |
685.04 |
502.80 |
| Totals excluding: Rent, Council Tax, childcare* (comparable with out-of-work benefits) |
178.25 |
212.37 |
432.22 |
258.87 |
| Rent, Council Tax, childcare* and water rates (comparable with after housing costs in HBAI) |
172.80 |
205.93 |
423.23 |
250.32 |
| Council Tax, childcare* (comparable with before housing costs in HBAI) |
247.92 |
289.80 |
514.89 |
336.3 |
Notes:
* Childcare shown for families with children as if parents work full time.
** Households Below Average Income (HBAI), Department for Work and Pensions national statistics.
Or in even simpler terms:
- Single Person Minimum Income Standard = £16,383 per year
Made up of following weekly outgoings:Food 48.25
Alcohol 5.13
Clothing 9.31
Water rates 5.46
Council Tax 14.34
Household Insurances 1.98
Gas, electricity, etc 11.63
Other housing costs 2.54
Household goods 11.55
Household services 3.61
Childcare 0
Personal goods and services 11.65
Travel costs and motoring 22.39
Social and cultural activities 44.76
Rent 69.66
- Married Couple with 2 Children Minimum Income Standard = £34,303 per year
Made up of following weekly outgoings:Food 96.82
Alcohol 6.84
Clothing 36.39
Water rates 8.99
Council Tax 22.30
Household Insurances 2.40
Gas, electricity, etc 22.88
Other housing costs 9.76
Household goods 28.29
Household services 7.74
Childcare 0
Personal goods and services 44.64
Travel costs and motoring 72.79
Social and cultural activities 87.15
Rent 82.00
These are just two examples, but if you want to calculate it for your situation then here is a Minimum Income Calculator
You can also go to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) website to get even more in depth information.
