Sandwich class is an informal term used in
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
and
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
[{{cite journal , doi = 10.1332/030557394782453690 , title = Affordability, Home Ownership and the Middle Class Housing Crisis in Hong Kong , year = 1994 , author = Lee, James , journal = Policy & Politics , volume = 22 , issue = 3 , pages = 179] to refer to the
middle class
The middle class refers to a class of people in the middle of a social hierarchy, often defined by occupation, income, education, or social status. The term has historically been associated with modernity, capitalism and political debate. Commo ...
.
Generally, the sandwich class consists of lower-middle-class people who feel "squeezed" — although they are not poor, they are not able to achieve their aspirations as people with a higher income.
In Hong Kong, this comprises families with an income of US$20,000–40,000 per year. Per capita income is typically around US$10,000 per year in Hong Kong, so this places them far above the average family in the territory. However, given very high real estate prices, it is nowhere near enough for them to afford a private residence. Hence, they are "sandwiched" between the large population who truly need public assistance, and the smaller number of people who can afford private residences and other luxury goods.
In Singapore, the sandwich class typically refers to the middle class who are "sandwiched" between having luxuries and basic necessities. They generally have to support ageing parents and growing children. Their household income are usually around SGD $10,000. Typical issues range from unable to upgrade to private property, inability to enjoy a lifestyle or the means to support such a lifestyle, taking care of parents and children and inability to retire early.
See also
*
Sandwich generation
*
Sandwich Class Housing Scheme
The Sandwich Class Housing Scheme was a scheme from the Hong Kong Housing Society offering apartments to middle-income families, i.e. sandwich class, at concessionary prices during the 1990s in Hong Kong. The purchases were subject to a five-y ...
in Hong Kong
*
My Home Purchase Plan
My Home Purchase Plan is one of the public housing initiatives of Hong Kong. This plan enables eligible citizens to purchase homes by way of "rent-and-buy". The Plan aims to provide assistance to potential sandwich class home buyers who are abl ...
References
Middle class culture
Social classes