Politics

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What defines a "middle-class" income?

ended 10. July 2025

The Mail Online are writing a piece on what income you need to be earning in the modern age to be defined as "middle class", and specifically whether even those who are earning benefits could now be closing in on this definition. Over to you for your thoughts and insights. Deadline is an hour ago so sharpen your quills.

5 responses from the Newspage community

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Michelle Lawson
Director at Lawson Financial
Middle class nowadays will be determined in some cases as to what region you live in. The South-East has a much higher cost of living with higher mortgages, higher payments and increased expenditure so more income is needed to meet the equivalent of some northern or regional areas. By definition the gap is closing due to the increase in the minimum wage, which now puts an annual salary at circa £25k so this straightaway puts a dual income household at £50k if both are in similar situations. With benefits adding to or topping up household incomes, it will be easy to see some now also fall into this category.
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Philly Ponniah
Chartered Wealth Manager and Financial Coach at Philly Financial
Traditionally, being “middle class” meant homeownership, holidays, a university education and financial stability. But today, even households earning £70k–£100k can feel anything but comfortable, especially with the weight of housing costs, childcare, and student loan repayments. What once signalled affluence now just about covers the basics. The middle class is being squeezed: high earners feel stretched and aspirational milestones feel out of reach. In modern Britain, being middle class is less about income and more about whether you can afford a secure, balanced life, with a little breathing room.
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Dom Carter
Founder & CEO at Serotonin
We employ people aged 19 to mid-40s. Our median salary is just under £45,000. That feels like middle class now. People in their late 20s and early 30s earning that or more live well. They go on multiple holidays. Eat out whenever they want. Rent nice flats in decent areas. They’re not rich, but they’re comfortable. They don’t feel restricted. But they don’t own property. They don’t have assets. If something goes wrong, there’s not much to fall back on. It looks like a good life from the outside, but it’s fragile. The older team members earning the same tend to be a bit more stable. Some have houses. Some have savings. They’re not loaded, but they’ve had time to build something up. If things went sideways, they’d last longer. So yeah, £45k feels like a middle-class income. But not because it’s safe. Not because it’s secure. Just because it gives people access to a decent life right now. And that’s the real story. Most people classed as middle class in 2025 still live with pressure.
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Tony Redondo
Founder at Cosmos Currency Exchange
Labour’s rhetoric often leans into class divides, framing opportunity as a zero-sum game. The Pew range (£24,953–£74,860, based on the ONS 2024 median of £37,430) captures the income side, but lifestyle—homeownership, savings, leisure—is increasingly unattainable as inflation (3.4% per recent ONS data) and costs soar, especially in places like London (£76,200 needed). Benefits like Universal Credit (£5,644/year for a single person under 25) or Child Benefit (£1,331/year for one child) rarely bridge the gap to £24,953, even in low-cost areas, due to phase-outs and caps. The shrinking middle class (down from 65% to 58% of UK households, 2000–2020, per Resolution Foundation) fuels resentment, with narratives of envy and entitlement overshadowing opportunity. This dynamic risks deepening division rather than fostering mobility.
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David Stirling
Independent Financial Adviser at Mint Wealth
Modern Britain, where being middle class has become so blooming expensive that even the government can't afford to pay it. You now apparently need to earn more than a junior doctor to qualify - somewhere between £40,000 and £70,000 - while the average UK salary limps along at £34,900, leaving actual middle-class earners choosing between heating and eating. At least they can comfort themselves with their fancy job titles.