Poor Kids

[NearlySpring]

Documentary on BBC1 now.

Sat here in tears watching this show following children living in poverty.

One woman, with 3 young girls all under 8. Her partner left her alone and she is struggling with money. The girls were given a sausage roll each for dinner. They are let out to play on a building site and derelict houses- where the he'll is the mother? Mother comes on saying how she can't cope financially- kids saying they have to miss meals as mummy can't always afford food. Next scene, mother has acrylic nails and a massive dog!

AIBU to ask if she can't afford to feed her kids basic cheap meals how the he'll does she feed a massive dog that is bigger than her 3 kids put together!

It must be terrible to be in that situation but surely you get your priorities straight. Who has a pet if they have no money?!!

Mary - why not, if its so good give it a go . How the hell do people know what peoples incomes are. Shes probably got them on credit or maybe she saved up all year into the post office xmas club

If you have money spare to save I reckon your not that bad off, most working people don't have any to put a way for a I phone for each of their children

Not wishing to cast aspersions (sp) but when we see documentaries about long term poverty leading to drug dealing/ prostitution/petty crime - that's the kind of situation they mean. I'm on Incapacity Benefit etc, dp on Carers Allowance. We do get all we're entitled to. We are poor. we survive by exending the mortgage about 2k a year. That covers the replacement car when it breaks down, the household repairs, etc. lucky we can do that.

I know a landlord who buys repossession houses and rents them out to people at £600 per month. He only takes HB.

I also know a money lender who prays on people on benefits and charges £100 for £50.

Then theres the legal lenders

brighthouse
Provident
Shoppa Check

They charge £50 on every £100 the lend.

Fifis25 - shame the CofE abolished Hell; what are we gonna do with the bastards private buy to let enrepreneurs now? Eh?

Maypole I think the savings thing is for people in work who lose their job. That can actually happen you know! What with redundancy money 'n all.

And yes as someone on carers allowance and working tax credits we have 7 iphones between us. And a Merc, sixteen bedroom house in Chelsea and no end of designer clothing. Holiday this year is in Mauritius.

Natch.

And by savings they eman money in an account: so if your mortgage or rent go out on Monday, the amount you have in on the preceeding Sunday is 'savings'. Even if is immediately spent on a basic need.

I totally agree with what was said earlier about people on benefits being looked down on either way. We actually live reasonably well despite being poverty - and from the outside nobody would ever know. They assumed that DH earned a lot as a successful, popular pharmacy manager with responsibility for other stores... but actually it was under 18k gross. FYI don't bother working for Boots

He lost his job recently after being off sick for too long with a prolapsed disc (he's only 43, but the back problems were exacerbated by childhood abuse and it's taking a long time to recover). The amount of people who assumed we could afford health insurance or to go private was astounding.

Because we were lucky enough to find affordable rent in a lovely area, and the DCs don't go without too much (clothes/presents/nappies etc all from Boots with discount), and because my parents help out a bit and mum buys posh clothes in sales for the DCs, we look, I don't know, 'normal' I guess

It's not as easy on the inside though, not in a serious way like on the show, but life is pure drudgery. But certainly without my parents we would be seriously in the shit by now. This programme really rammed that home, how lucky we are. Life might be boring but at least we can afford to eat. We are educated and have a lot of skills with food etc.

I'm waffling now but basically I have a slight gripe with my friend ATM. She had wealthy parents and wound up with a DP who earns over 50k. She fits in a PT job as her DP works short hours and can look after their DD. She is constantly moaning that she's not entitled to any benefits! Erm, that's because your DH earns roughly double the national average she complains that I get a bit of help with childcare, and a funded OU degree. She says she could quit her job and go on benefits and be better off like me. WTF! She genuinely has no clue 'how the other half live'. She just assumes we must have the same expensive lifestyle as her but funded by benefits. No, we damn well don't. Which is fine - I don't resent her at all for having more money than us - I just really wish she didn't complain and make me feel about 2 inches tall.

Did make me laugh though when she said she had phoned up HMRC to ask for help with childcare, because I'd told her DH got childcare vouchers and our CTC increased a little. She complained at them that she had no money left over every month and therefore she deserved help. Then she listed her expensive outgoings. Hahahaha. They just told her "that's not how it works you know..." but I bet the staff had a right laugh about it after the phonecall!

Sorry, bitchfest over I feel so much better now...