The Rising Cost of Living Is Hitting All Groups

It’s becoming increasingly difficult to reach the minimum standard of living in the United Kingdom. As our chart using data from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation shows, the amount you need to live a basic lifestyle has gone up by around 20 percent for all selected groups and by nearly 27 percent for a single working adult.

According to the report, a single working adult needs to earn at least £25,000 a year to reach a minimum acceptable standard of living in 2022, while a couple with two children needs to earn £43,400 between them. Meanwhile, a couple with two children, where one parent works full time on the National Living Wage and the other is not working, would only be able to reach 76 percent of the Minimum Income Standard (MIS) without the help of support payments from the government.

The costs of domestic fuel, food and drink, as well as social and cultural participation have seen the biggest increases in costs. These figures do not include the costs of rent and childcare, which would see the weekly sums skyrocket further yet. Read more about the breakdown of the rising cost of living.