Your Stories

You're classed as living below the poverty line if you're on 60% of the average (median) income or less. Once housing costs are taken out, that means £312 a week for a couple with two young children. That works out at just £11 a day for each family member.

So today you've got a budget of £44 to bring up your family of four. First, you've got to pay the bills. An average family's fuel bills are rising to around £1300 a year. So take out £3.50 a day for gas/electric. Then comes water, phone, TV licence and council tax - that's anything between £2.50 and £5 gone. Are you going to drive? That'll cost you around £5.70 a day to buy, tax and insure a cheap car. Then it's around 19p a mile to run. Or there's the bus fares to and from the shops, school or work.

Depending on how far you have to travel, maybe you've got £30 left in your pocket.

Lets go shopping...

Here's the daily essentials you've got to buy:

Breakfast, lunch, evening meal, milk or other drink, snacks or fruit.

Now, choose one or two of these monthly essentials:

Teabags, coffee, cooking oil, washing up liquid, washing powder, toothpaste, toilet roll, soap, sanitary towels, cleaning products, butter/margarine.

How much can you afford to put aside for these more expensive items?

School uniform, children's shoes and clothing, school trips, birthdays and Christmas presents, family holiday, trip to the swimming baths, having your child’s friends round for tea, a bike or other sports gear.

Have you got enough left over for..?

Magazine/comic, book, DVD or game, sweets, pocket money.

Source figures:
60% average income after housing costs - £312 for two parents and two young children; £231 a week for single parent with two young children, taken from Department for Work and Pensions. These figures represent income after housing costs. Council tax is based on a Band C home rated at £1300. Average family fuel bill estimated by Child Poverty Action Group. Cost of running a car according to the AA.

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How does your childhood compare?

According to the government, if you can't afford to pay for a child's bike nowadays, can't afford to celebrate their birthdays, or can't get at least one week's family holiday away from home, you're probably in relative poverty. Here's the full list of "material deprivation indicators" the government uses. How many of these could you afford when you were growing up?

• go on a school trip at least once a term
• have friends round for tea or a snack at least once a fortnight
• go swimming once a month
• take part in a hobby or regular leisure activity
• one week's family holiday away from home
• sports gear (eg; football boots or a bike)
• celebrate special occasions
• enough bedrooms for every child aged 10 or over and of a different gender

Source: Department for Work and Pensions