Poverty In Britain.

[Georgiesmum]

With more and more food banks opening, how concerned are you about poverty in this country?

[mccfluff]

ummmm is putting a valid point across, you saw something and made assumptions, maybe you are right, maybe you're not but you don't know for sure

[themorrigan]

very true mcfluff. My point being that education is the key to alleviate poverty. Whether or not the two girls were on benefits or not is irrelevant as they would be far better spending what money they had on real food. Their money would go so much further and they would be so much healthier, saving money for us all in the long run.

[mccfluff]

thats true - it could also be junk day

I have junk days when i eat utter crap all day, most of the week i live heathily

i agree with you about education, i really think home economics should be brought back, kids need to be taught how to cook and shop, budget their money - that's all kids

[ummmm]

Are there no supermarkets in poor areas?

[mccfluff]

i think i know what tm is saying though - if you use where i live for example there is a tesco express within walking distance but its more expensive. the supermarkets are either in town or on the retail parks which are a bus ride away - or walk in bus home -

i guess if you were really short on cash and couldn't afford the bus then it might be easier to buy from the shop instead

[ummmm]

Fluff...parents play a role in that.

J has paid for a holiday to Menorca (he leaves tomorrow) paid for tickets for the reading festival, bought new clothes, saved his spending money and this is at the age of 16...and after he's paid his rent (£50)

Teach your kids home economics.

O has a paper round and he's been saving up for the last month for a trip to the Harry Potter thingy thing. He hasn't even asked us to contribute.

I will give him money to reward the fact that he's gone without for something he wants.

We're not poor (we're not rich either) but we've taught our kids about money and budgets and sacrifice...

So easy to teach them that from my ivory tower...

[mccfluff]

true but not all parents can or do, i think it would be a valuable thing to have in schools.

[themorrigan]

A parent can't teach their child Home Economics if they haven't a clue themselves can they?

[Wharton]

I'll put it another way. Are you affected by rises or falls in the FTSE Index?

[daisya]

My idea of poverty is when people genuinely cannot put food on the table, nor heat their homes. If you can't do that and don't have a pc, the Internet, mobile phone, huge tv, subs to tv satellite, run a car etc then you are genuinely poverty stricken IMO.

[brandyrose]

It is not a good sign and yes I have concerns.

It doesn't take alot for circumstances to change for the worst for people and other factors can be relevant - work, health, lack of support structures, one problem after another and dependency on alcohol/drugs etc. People often find it difficult to cope when they have work and everything but they are still struggling and are just about getting by.

Getting into poverty is one thing but getting out of poverty is another thing- you cant do very much without the means to do it (money) so it can become a trap. There seems to be a dependency on charities to sort these problems and where would people be without them?? The Government should sit up
when these indicators stick out a mile.

[Georgiesmum]

I agree brandyrose, but im not sure they will do much to help the situation though im afraid.What do you think?

[factor-fiction]

Poverty exists everywhere and probably always will. I was shocked at the extent of poverty on a recent trip to the US.
I think the growth in food banks may be an indicator but perhaps it's just a better organised process and as more people hear about them more make use of them. Is there any strong evidence that poverty has increased in the UK? The usual poverty measure always seems flawed to me as it looks at wealth relative to others not absolute figures

[New Judge]

“How do you they were 'hard pressed mums'? “

I made a couple of assumptions, ummm. A bit presumptuous of me, I know but I assumed that:

(a) I knew that at least one of the women was the mother of the children involved as I know about her circumstances. I assumed the other was the mother of the other children Considering the familiarity they demonstrated towards them it certainly looked as if they were.

(b) that they met the government’s often used term (“hard pressed” families; “hard pressed” parents) because they seemed stressed out by the rigours of raising their brood.

I made no suggestion that they put their nails before their children. On the contrary I first mentioned that they had fed their children with an extortionately expensive inappropriate snack before considering their nails.

In addition to my rash assumptions I do have knowledge of the circumstances of one of the women. I know she lives on benefits; I know she claims them as a single parent and I know she has a man living with her. It is not beyond credibility to imagine her friend is in similar circumstances.

However, all this is beside the point. Whether or not you accept that these particular people are as I assume or not is immaterial. Such people do exist but this question is about poverty. Anybody who can afford to buy a ready cooked snack at a cost that should feed her child for a day and then go on to pay somebody to paint her nails is not living in poverty. But these women no doubt technically “in poverty”.

And yes, themorrigan, their money would go so much further if they adopted the practices you suggest. But the taxpayers’ dosh would also go much further if the fathers of the children were compelled to support their broods.

[brandyrose]

Georgiesmum ...exactly. I dont think they will do anything.
Has the Government (Clegg & Cam+ Ian Duncan Smith) contributed to the problem and created a new problem? I think yes - sqeezing people who have nothing already is a recipie for disaster (its only my opinion) - Why would you do it - its insane; and a high % of people will not get work right now and a high % are already unemployable and without a job - stuffed long term (excuse my french). Ian Duncan Smith is too out of touch and it will be too late when he realises the damage he is doing and he will never feel it - and thats the key thing..he will never feel what it is like for people.
My perception of things is that changes (there have been many )in benefits have caused upheaval for families while adjusting to less money, getting benefit claimants to pay more towards council tax and rent etc etc - not thinking through the fact that people who have been just managing are now in a position of "robbing peter to pay paul" and are not coping at all and this will not change. How can it possibly change in the circumstances?. Seemingly mums are out waiting at midnight (cashpoints) for benefits to hit their account as desperate - no food in the house.. (just imagine the stress on that household and trying to give the kids the impression that everything is OK)
If people have been "on the breadline" for a long time they are unlikely to be coping at all but you wouldn't expect them to - but I dont think the Government is in the slightest bit interested. People/families will not be able to continue like this without it affecting them (fact) - kids not eating properly, parents not eating properly, huge stress, relationships affected, not much in the house (as sold things to get by)-- problems with homelessness. Will end up paying heavily for this (mental healt problems etc, kids taken into care) and it disempowers people in the worst possible way (in my opinion) and recovery from it will cost an absolute fortune. The Government could make a huge difference if they wanted to but they wont. Personally, I hate to see people struggling and children living like this.

[sherrardk]

Brandyrose for best answer. Spot on in my opinion. Until you have been there, you have no idea how soul crushing it is (I know there must be some who 'manage', who 'know the system' or who don't want to get out of the position they are in). Finding ourselves in poverty was the worst time of my life and made me physically ill (god knows what it did to my mental health). However, until I had been in that position I suspect I would not have been overly compassionate to those were. I think some people (no one in particular on this thread) should thank their lucky stars that they haven't been in this position and keep everything crossed that they never are.