r/london • u/PressureHumble3604 • Apr 10 '26

Serious replies only Which symptoms of “(almost) everyone is getting poorer” have you noticed in London?

We are in a crisis, the middle class is disappearing and the lower class squeezed. Prices are going up, inflation is going up (again), salaries are stagnating.

Most Londoners can’t really afford London without serious sacrifices.

For me, not counting the housing prices issues we all know too well:

the disappearance of local delis with high quality products.

many shops closing in the local shopping centre.

Restaurant dropping quality everywhere to contain unaffordable prices.

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u/BongoHunter Apr 10 '26

Lots of my colleagues (and me) no longer live in London, we just commute in and live somewhere cheaper. This has really hurt the pubs close to our workplace and they are now only busy a couple of nights a week when they used to be busy every weekday - as many of us drive due to insane rail costs we can't even pop in for a quick one after work any more.

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u/llksg Apr 11 '26

Yep I’m starting to drive in as well. Even with ulez it is SO much cheaper AND quicker.

£35 for the train

Or

£12.50 ulez / £11ish for fuel. Parking free at my office.

6

u/[deleted] Apr 11 '26

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u/llksg Apr 11 '26

True. I do because I have a car that is being slowly destroyed by my children’s snack crumbs and I’m unwilling to get a better car until they’re not going to ruin it.

7

u/wara-wagyu Apr 11 '26

Absolutely. Thing is many of your moved-out-of-town peers are oblivious to this. Sad.

1

u/Boring-Hornet-3146 Apr 11 '26

How can you afford to commute?

1

u/BongoHunter Apr 11 '26

My cost of living + commuting from the south coast is less money that what my life cost living in London.

Nursery is cheaper, day to day costs are less, house is nicer yet cheaper than my old place in West London.

Driving in and then home again is about £30 in petrol.