Britain is a poor country pretending to be rich

[socialmedia23]

archive.vn/RhqFe#selection-1335.45-1638.0

'The problem is that it is not even remotely true. In fact, the opposite is the case: Britain is turning into a relatively poor country, and fast. In terms of GDP per capita, the UK is soon expected to fall behind Mississippi, traditionally the worst off state in the US. According to some projections, in less than 15 years we are even set to be overtaken by Poland, the country that used to supply us with an endless army of cheap workers.'

I don't agree with the reasons that the writer of the article gave for the current situation. But I think that it is very stark that even the Telegraph is admitting that we are a poor country. Guardian and FT have admitted that a long time ago.

And also house prices are horrific round me.

Some people just love to wallow in misery and put Britain down. I would rather live here than any other country in the world.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow does Harrogate or York have that problem? There are poor areas in London and the South East too just as there are affluent areas in the North. I live in an affluent part of Essex but we have empty shops and homeless people here. And there are other areas that are much much worse. I am a Northerner by the way. It really isn’t all moonlight and roses in the South East. Pretty much everything costs more and incomes are not proportionately greater. In fact, there’s no London or SE weighting where I live so you get paid the same but pay more for everything which means less disposable income.

I recognise much of what the article suggests. DH and I are both retiring in our 50s so are / will be economically inactive. Mainly because we can financially and want to but poor health is a factor too and a feeling of over 50s not being welcome in the workplace. Cruising / yoga sounds good.

My friends are (mostly) wfh more than 50% of the week and I know many young people who cannot afford their own place yet spend high.

I don’t ageee we are a poor country though, we are forgetting the sort of poverty and lack of safety nets that exist in poor countries in saying that. I am not saying everyone has a high standard of living but the lowest, say, 20% in terms of standard of living doesn’t compare to the lowest 20% in truly poor countries.

UK shouldn't be comparing its self to developing countries.

We should instead compare to Germany France, comparable countries economically and socially.

& we are lacking.

The gap between rich and poor is now too great.

People running the country are multi millionaires, how can they ever know what its like to live on NMW, let alone have to record a charity single to get enough money to buy paper and pens for their primary school.

Northern England is in no way comparable to a third world country.

I've been to many third world countries and your comment, is frankly, highly offensive - multiple families living under the same road bridge, shanty towns without even the basics such as running water, open sewers running through them, children begging on the streets, no healthcare, no hope.

Educate yourself by watching the Ross Kemp documentary about the street kids of Kenya with 3 year olds sniffing glue as they eek out an existence on a massive rubbish dump.

The world outside 'the west' is brutal and cruel. You don't have a clue.

The North of England is a bit poorer then London. That's about it.

If you don't look at things objectively, that it is a poor country, it would be hard for you to (a) make life decisions that would be vastly different from someone in a rich country, (b) choose the right political party.

As I knew from the start the UK is a poor country (but I do want to live here), I assumed that there would be no NHS and always got private health insurance. Now with 1 million on the NHS waiting lists, I know that this isn't wrong. I also knew that the nuclear family setup isn't sustainable so stayed with family for as long as possible even when DH was paying higher rate tax so we could buy our own place instead of paying rent. This is what people in poorer countries do- they can't always do what they desire, they have to fashion their lives in a very specific way, go into specific jobs if they don't want to be in the poverty trap. They need to budget for healthcare. They often need to adhere to traditional family setups (as that is more economical than living alone or in flatshares). They need to put up with a fair amount of discomfort despite being well educated professionals because in poorer countries, often professionals may not be paid so well.

*1 million on NHS waiting lists in London

Tbh homeless people may not always be an indication that 1 place is more deprived than the next... After all homeless people (assuming you mean rough sleepers who are visible) are mobile..I have a friend who used to sleep rough on occasion due to her mental illness and she always chose central London to sleep rough..she says a rich person once gave her £50 in Mayfair and lots of kind people give her money and free food. Places with high population density & wealth= better chance of getting food and money. I also once read Brighton attracts lots of homeless people because the council has a kind policy towards rough sleepers.

In this country homeless people are homeless because they are unable due to mental illness or addiction to engage with services that will provide them help back to society. When given the flat etc many lose it again due to these issues. Other homeless people like families are put up in hostels or hotels which is dreadful but nothing like a 3rd world country. Our benefits and welfare system is generous compared to many eu countries and again nothing like a 3rd world country.

The Telegraph strongly pushed their readers to vote for Brexit by whipping up hatred of the EU and fear of immigrants, so they are never going to admit the damage brexit has done and that the government has had to raise taxes and make even more cuts as a result of the losses. They will seek to blame everything but brexit.

My local area has published that it's out of tap water!

No, 25th richest in the world, not 5th measured by GDP per capita.

www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-richest-countries-in-the-world.html

Agree completely. It’s depressing and feels like 1976 right now.

Which of the things cited by the previous poster do you not have access to? Our of curiosity im genuinely not trying to wind you up.

For those posters blaming Brexit, this is actually why Brexit makes sense.

The EU operates on the basis that richer countries like Germany, Netherlands and the UK (whilst a member) paid in more than they actually got back from the EU. Wheres relatively poorer countries like Poland or Greece received more than they paid in. This was and is a particularly unpopular amongst citizens of the richer countries who felt that they were bailing out or subsidising the relatively poorer countries.

But by deliberately making the UK poorer over the next 10 to 15 years (through amongst other causes Brexit) the UK can ensure when / if it does decide to rejoin the EU then it would be re joining now as one of the poorer countries and would receive more money from the EU than it would pay in.

Genius really.

South hampshire here and we are on water restrictions since Wednesday. We are lucky to have tap water but large areas here have non for over 1 day now. Southern water is operating three bottle water stations around Winchester and Southampton. They blame it on the freezing temperatures (causes leaks) and heavy rainfall (more sediment in rivers). It seems nothing is working anymore.

Homeless has visibly got significantly worse in the cities I visit regularly. If it's alla bout mental health, why is the UK not providing appropriate support/treatment to prevent homelessness any more? The difference is really visible so something has definitely changed.

GDP per capita in the north of England is £23k ($28.5k).

This places it on the world GDP per capita between 50th Greece and 51st Latvia.

That's why people outside of London and the South East feel poor. They/ we are poor. Not sub Saharan African / shanty town poor but not wealthy.

www.worldometers.info/gdp/gdp-per-capita/

www.ons.gov.uk/economy/grossdomesticproductgdp/bulletins/regionaleconomicactivitybygrossdomesticproductuk/1998to2018

Surprised anyone still thinks it's OK to use the term...

Homelessness is not all about mental health (though it certainly causes mental health problems) I work in an adjacent area and we see a lot of people who are on the brink of homelessness. Very high private rents + housing shortage are big factors. Tenants are in a really weak position against their landlord as there is a long Q of people who would replace them, the rent goes up and eventually they can't pay it. Many invisible homeless, a lady I know lives in a van. She has registered as homeless but being in good health and not actually on the street makes her low on the list for social housing which is in dire shortage. She won't be housed until her van falls apart and her health is ruined (mental or physical) and maybe not even then. Her life is hard, though she is used to it, it is never going to get any easier and she won't get younger. Her homelessness is nothing to do with mental health and there are many stories like hers.

It seems mad to retire in your 50s. It's so young. You could well end up being retired for longer than you worked.

This is interesting, thanks

@felulageller but many people in the London and the SE are poor. GDP per capita means jack shit if you are on a low income in an area where property etc is very expensive. GDP per capita is scewed by some people earning a lot - a very big issue in London. In fact, according to the list of countries Bermuda has one of the highest GDP per capita but I know someone who lived there and has family there and she has said that many of the locals struggle. It’s the expats on high incomes that drive up the GDP per capita.

The EU used to give us plenty of grants, but the UK voted to stop those by voting for brexit.