Penny Banks, our Spoof Gazette Financial Correspondent has been looking at the cost of living in the UK - Comparing the actual cost of products in 1951 compared to 2011, and then assessing the difference % between those years, she forecasts what these items will cost (if still available at all) in 2071.
With some scary results - especially for the youngsters of today.
Let's face it, would the now older generation ever have believed in 1966 what things would cost in 2000 if anyone had told them?
No, we'd have laughed at the thought of a loaf of bread costing over 10p (2/- Two shillings).
I recall the utter disbelieve from my father when he found out that we had to pay 3d (1.5p) for a bag of chips, up from 2d (1d)
It was even worse when he got the shock of of his bottle of IPA (Indian Pale Ale) from the corner beer-off, went up from 9d (4.5p) to 11d!
When petrol went up to 2/3d (10.3p) a gallon, well, you would not want to now what Dad said about that price increase!
For simplicity she has converted all old £ s d prices to the new currency.
They are all average costs, not calculated using regional prices.
- Daz Soap Powder
1951: 3p
2011: £2.48
2071: £204.84
12 Eggs
1951: 10p
2011: £1.00
2071: £13.00
800g Loaf of bread
1951: 1d
2011: £1.25
2071: £125.34
Pint of Milk
1951: 1p
2011: 65p
2071: £42.25
2lb Granulated Sugar
1951: 5p
2011: 90p
2071: £16.23
Butter
1951: 4p
2011: £1.25
2071: £27.50
Semi Detached House
1951: £280
2011: £223,121
2071: £2,499,432
20 Cigarettes
1951: 5p
2011: £5.30
2071: £567.00
MPs Earnings (with unfiddled expenses & running costs paid) per week
1951: £8,489
2011: £86,788
2071: £424,488
Highest Priced Penthouse in London
1951: £624,000
2011: £135,000,000
2071: £29160,000,000
Average weekly Pay
1951: £10.52
2011: £411.34
2071: £11608.61
Average Single Persons Unemployment Benefits with less than certain limit in savings
1951: £2.43
2011: £119.34
2071: £4,214.05
Cost of Petrol Per litre
1951: 17p (Rationed)
2011: £5.77
2071: £196.18
