SOARING household bills are forcing Britons to cut back on purchases they believe they need to look cool, according to new data.

Spending figures show that middle-income families are unable to afford two-ton road-dominating SUVs, teenagers are an iPhone generation behind and even the wealthy are wearing last year’s fascinators.

Corporate lawyer Tom Logan said: “I’d planned to buy matching carbon fibre snowboards for the family, then deliberately leave the double garage doors open so that neighbours saw them.

“That went. Half-term in New York was cancelled. We say we’re subscribed to Apple TV but we’re not. We’ve tried to compensate by starting an unsustainable rumour we’re building an orangery. Soon they’ll see through it.”

Urbanite Lucy Parry said: “When dates take me out the bill’s only about £140 a head. They tearfully explain they can’t afford more, and I commiserate by admitting I’m skipping Coachella this year.

“Even my friend Katie, who’s lower-income, isn’t buying far more clothes than she could ever wear from Vinted. The office junior’s on one £38 double gatefold vinyl a week.

“This isn’t living. It is only existing. And they say harder times are coming? I ask, how much harder could it possibly get?”