Over time, classes became subdivided, for example the plural term âupper classesâ became more commonly used to distinguish those with inherited wealth and title, from those who were simply wealthy!
Nowadays, we tend to describe the levels in society in terms of income. We put people and families within a descending range from upper income groups, through middle income and lower income levels, to the benefit-dependent groups or the âpoorâ! Our society is thus analysed as it is largely organised and driven â by economics and measures of material wealth. Some people would suggest that our obsession with money and material wealth has grown at the âexpenseâ of other aspects of our society like our culture, heritage and environment. We seem to be forever onwards and upwards via growth in our national economy!
If we look at one level that we have in Britain, the lower to middle income group, we find that this is not fixed over time but that there is movement constantly into and out of the bracket. In any one year, statistics evidence that around one third of people leave the group. Of those who leave, nearly two thirds move upwards, to the higher income group, and close to one third fall downwards into the benefit-reliant group, whilst a very small number move into pensioner households. These proportions have not changed significantly in the time that we have recognised these groups.
To a great extent, the changes reflect the natural progression as people age and their earnings rise and fall over the life-cycle. Compared to the average person in a low to middle income household, those who fall down into the benefit-reliant group are more likely to have children and are less likely to own their own home. Not surprisingly, those who move up are more likely to be employed than the average, to have a degree, own their own home and have savings. They are also less likely to have children.
Those who leave the low to middle income group are replaced in similar proportions by people falling down from the higher income group or climbing up from the benefit-reliant group. Compared to the average person in the benefit-reliant group, those who move up are, not surprisingly, more likely to be employed. They are also less likely to have children and less likely to be a carer. Those in the higher income group who move down are less likely to be employed, to have a degree and to have savings and are more likely to have children.
Looking back over a four year period, more than 50% of working age people find themselves living on low to middle incomes. Things that appear to contribute to moving a family up include making a positive career move; access to higher education qualifications; a capacity to save money; house ownership; and controlling the arrival time and number of children! Things that seem to cause a falling-down, include job loss; poor family planning (in economic terms); development of a care situation in the family; living in rental housing and increasing poverty!
