If the coalition’s election claims are to be believed then the working family is better off than several years ago. It certainly does not feel like it.

For those of us who have not seen a wage rise in six years then things are not better.

Every time one hears how things have changed and the economy is improving I am obliged to say....’No it hasn’t’. Not for the hard working man who is trying to provide for his family.

The common theme seems to be that we should in some be happy that we are all out of recession. The truth is we are not....officially anyway.

I was fortunate enough not to lose my job during the recession but that was not thanks to any government decision.

I work in a small private company and like many people in my position I am yet to see any benefit from this so-called economic turn around.

My day-to-day living costs have gone up but my wages remain the same as they were six years ago. With no Christmas bonus 'due to financial pressures on the company' there how have workers like me benefited?

Without a wage increase of any sort we are stuck in limbo. We do not have extra disposable income and we do not have any extra money to save.

Any additional costs are paid for by credit cards and having to dip in to our savings. This has created a false economy for the true working man or woman in this country.

We ‘think’ we are better because we get told things have ‘got better’.

For a family the past five years have been almost identical year upon year. Things get worse when the direct cost of living goes up such as petrol prices and food. These have not gone down though have they?

My mortgage rate is the same but it has been the same for over 10 years?

Maybe those who earn more may well be better off but if any politicians want to go through my five year bank account they will find things have not changed. Things have gotten worse.

To be told by politicians that you are better off is the biggest lie of all. The common working man is not better and things are not about to change any time soon.