Cost of living squeeze in 2022, 23 & 24 (Vol. 2)

I think there's a distorted reality that those from social housing have about the rest of the rental market too. If the guy is on minimum wage then realistically he's looking for a bedroom, not a house, privately renting at least. Then your council tax & power are usually included. Otherwise that's another £200PCM give or take.

If he was renting a cheap flat with his ex it would likely have been below market rent.

In addition, though I can't speak for Glasgow, rental opportunities in University towns are getting stupidly fierce- that London way where each place has multiple viewings in the first day and you basically decide then & there to take it and just hope you're the first.

Given that housing costs - rent or mortgage - make up a significant proportion of most household's outgoings, it's highly disappointing to see how little the government did, when base rates went up, to ensure building of new homes contimnued at the required pace.

The agreed, cross-party ideal of 300k new homes per year was missed in 2023, will be missed in 2024 and, with a huge recession in the industry, 2025 does not look likely to be able to hit the target, let alone make up the shortfell.

https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/c...

Matter not what caused delays or reductions in builds, but the government ought to be all over this and they are, instead, nowhere to be seen.

IMHO creating truly affordable homes will only ocurr with substantial state intervention. Whilst house prices and land costs are as high as they are, developers are always going to throw up comedy detacheds on pocket handkerchief plots, if that's where the profit lies.

The stubborn nature of high house prices is at the heart of so many inefficiencies and inequalities in the UK economy. Affordability and the cost of living are impacted most, but there's huge knock-on effects to business, where the pressure of wages sits.

Scrapping stamp duty - a blunt instrument at best - whilst slightly inflamatory in terms of prices, will increase the efficiency of the housing market - people in large 4-5 bed homes are more likely to downsize if they aren't hit wit SDLT, and people who are moving for employment are not hit in the pocket or faced with a longer commute staying put.

I'm surprised this has not had a mention yet - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-6813...

£6.5k or so net per month (excluding pension contribution and other deductions), but a divorce and probably child maintenance costs on top. You can see how that number dwindles down.

There is more to the story than just the 'headlines'.

"Mr Freeman also told The New Statesman on Monday his finances "are not what they were - at all", having gone through "a very painful divorce"

That will be a substantial drain on his finances as well no doubt.

Email from my daughters nursery yesterday, fees going up 14pc this year in april.

That follows a 22pc increase this time last year.

I never thought I'd say it but thank you Jeremy hunt for the 15 hours free a week which kicks in at the same time.

2022 - paying 1100 a month (approx)

2023- 1350 a month (approx)

2024- 1100 a month (approx).

Cheerios 515g (pretty normal sized pack) £5 in Morrisons.

I just had a look and £2.75 in Asda, £3.95 in Sainsbury’s. Once again, I just took the pic as I was shocked when I saw it.

I tend to buy my cereal when it on special offer if getting it from Sainsbury's, at special offer it is the same price as Asda. I think with branded cereals always best to know the prices locally so you can get it from the cheapest place, very easy to pay £1+ extra a packet.

I think there should be stronger rules to prevent artificial inflation just to be able to offer it at a bullst ‘offer’ price later.