THE average family in Huddersfield now needs to bring home £23,000 a year just to break even, claims a new report.

That’s the sum needed to meet everyday expenses – including mortgage or rent, utility bills, insurance, food, clothing, owning a mobile phone and landline, travelling to and from work and maintaining a property.

However the sum excludes any luxuries at all – such as takeaways, restaurant meals, night outs, weekends away or holidays.

Andrew Barker, managing director of Skipton Financial Services, which commissioned the survey, said: “It’s frightening how everything adds up.

“The cost of living is astronomical and now more than ever people have to be on the ball with their expenditure and to keep on top of things, particularly at a time where inflation is riding well above target at 5%.

“Inflation continues to hit families hard with the rising prices of food, petrol and energy bills.”

The study, which analysed the spending habits of parents with two or more children living under the same roof, found that the weekly food shop was the most expensive single item – rather than the mortgage – at £90 a week or £4,675 a year.

Mortgage repayments on average total £4,138 a year, while paying off credit card bills and loans make up another £2,804 every year.

Filling up the car with petrol comes to £42 a week, or £2,178 a year. Other car costs include an average £970 spent on car insurance, taxing the vehicle and roadside assistance.

Commuting to and from work adds another £1,971 strain on a family’s finances, while heating, lighting and water bills total £1,436 each year.

Some £1,196 goes on council tax while subscriptions to satellite or cable TV comes to £445 a year and mobile phone bills average £369.

The survey also found that 53% of people polled are spending what they earn rather than saving for the future.

Those who do save are putting away an average £86 a month – although one in three say this is £58 less than they were saving 12 months ago.

Mr Barker said the report underlined the importance of people reviewing any savings or investments they may have.

Go to page 2 to find out what people in Huddersfield thought of the £23,000 figure.