Britain's Child Poverty

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail....ving-poor-Africa.html

Also on last night's TV news they showed free food parcels being prepared, to hand out to 21st century Britain's hungry, we also heard of parents unable to buy new shoes for their children when their old ones wore out ect.

What is going off, why are some forced into such poverty in Britain's welfare state, while we still give cash to be spent on India's navy?

[carolegif]

Peter Lillie had a ruight go at the BBC for bias coverage of this item about child poverty in Britain. The interesting thing was that all the parents of these children were working (sometimes two and three jobs), so they missed out on all the freebies that the lazy and workshy get.
I agree that the increase in the overseas aid budget needs to be looked at. Why are there not projects in these countries that get people actuall earning an income rather than living off state aid. I believe that some aid organisations are looking at the problem.

[factor-fiction]

I think advice on spending priorities is a better solution than food parcels for many families.

[Mick-Talbot]

'Alex' only has toast for breakfast

Why is he having toast ?

porridge or bran flakes are as cheap as bread and butter
10P For a serving of Quaker oats cooks in 2 minutes.


I bet the day after he 'only has tea and Biscuits for breakfast'

[pdq1]

Someone needs to tell Cameron and Andrew Mitchell (now thankfully sacked from his post) of the dire situation in Britain. Not that they would take any notice as they're far away from any reality.

[dave50]

It's nothing to do with poverty, it's all to do with the parent's priorities.

[bazwillrun]

"It's nothing to do with poverty, it's all to do with the parent's priorities. "

you mean like our government giving away billions in foreign aid (and increasing it annually), thats all about priorities, obviously its own citizens arent a priority

[Snafu03]

either way its chucking good money after bad.

[Canary42]

With a Chancellor whose only experience of financial problems was solved by "Give us another million Dad". what can you expect ?

[emmie]

Watching newsnight last evening, the debate was on poverty in Britain, but when you look at the criteria, the way they have worked out this line, level of poverty, it's not right at all. What is the point of asking a small amount of people, surely if you want to know about poverty, then a national survey has to be done. Those most in need seem to be those parents who are working, finding that they have fallen into the trap of higher mortgages, rents, one parent perhaps losing a job, adding in higher utility and food bills, making it all the more difficult for these people to keep their heads above water. The biggest problem seem to be the cost of childcare. Can account for a large percentage of the monthly budget.

[emmie]

add in the fact that former senior aide to Gordon Brown is now Chief Executive of Save The Children, so perhaps there is a degree of how to get at the current government, who knows. but it's quite strange to liken poverty that we do see in parts of the world, where starvation is due to drought, or crop failure, civil war, to a child here not having a new pair of shoes.

[grffindoor2011]

I have a friend who earns £21000 as a manager, she has two kids. She was saying to me a few weeks ago that the school uniform for this year would be second hand and that she only buys value food products now. She has no credit cards and no car. She also doesn't have dinner on a Thursday so her kids can. That's modern Britain for you.

My issue are with those that think it doesn't exist because people are drinking it away or that they are on such high benefits it is just not possible.

[New Judge]

What contribution towards their upkeep does she receive from the children's father(s)?

[emmie]

NJ, good point. A woman was interviewed on newsnight last evening and she was talking about how she had been ill, but now she is better has returned to work. she supports one child, and is finding it very difficult to do so, understandable, but there was no mention at all of a man involved.

[grffindoor2011]

@New Judge

Nothing. He disappeared when the second child was born. Had relatives in Italy so likely there.

[Duncer]

I saw a be-teacksuited couple and their three skanky children in the supermarket on Tuesday. They had a trolley full of cheap beer (four cases) and cider (six or seven quite large bottles), a few packets of nappies and some pot noodles and bread. It is a poverty of priorities in their case.

[naomi24]

Something is very wrong with a system where those who don't work are better off than those who do. It seems the people who are struggling most are those who want to take responsibility for themselves and their families and so are working for a living but earning a low wage.

[sandyRoe]

Does Working Families Tax Credit not make any difference?

[Jeza]

IMO there is no need in this country for kids to go hungry. It is the way that parents spend the money that is the problem. There was NO tax credits, or other handouts in the early 70's. I believe that us oldies are now paying to bring up other peoples kids. I / We saved all our lives for our retirement. What have we got 0.5% interest on our savings. Yet when we bought our home the mortgage rate rose to 12%. I / We feel Thoroughly hard done by.

[cub2001]

There is no such thing as 'poverty' in Britain, with the welfare state providing a very substantial backstop in benefits for those falling on hard times. Those, today in so called poverty would look quite well off compared to most families in my village in the 1950s. It is really all a matter of priorities. The choice is either having a full sports subscription to Sky Sports, accompanied by plenty of bevvies to fully enjoy it, or to properly feed and clothe the kids (after all family members have got their latest version of i-pad of course).

[ummmm]

cub....what a load of crap. You think people chose sky sports and drink over feeding their kids?