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?!!

Poor little things. :( What was the little Scottish girl saying that she'd seen? Something about when she and her friends were out to play and something about a bag and a chappie and it not being very nice for her to see it at her age. I couldn't understand what she said.

Yes Cinnabar I have known people where it is seen as acting snobbish to try to "better" yourself. The "who d'ya think you are" bit. It's a defense mechinism more than anything I'm sure.

Some people don't have a mam to borrow money from.

IME working in palliative care hardship loans etc. from the local authority and DWP are rarely paid out, even for people with a life limiting illness. The documentation involved in applying is enough to put people off from the start so a loan from elsewhere is often the only option.

Some people genuinely have no idea.

One of my friends lived in an absolute pit. She had no idea how to clean it or keep it clean, until she asked a couple of us how we managed. We took her shopping, then spent a day round there showing her how to clean properly. That was purely a product of her background, which was the opposite end of the scale. Parents had cleaners, and she had never had to look after a house herself.

Another friend took her under her wing and helped her learn how to cook. It wasn't neglect, laziness or MH problems. She simply had absolutely no idea how to run a house and nobody had ever shown her.

ILovePonyo I understand your point completely.
16p on your electric meter...check your account...no IS paid in.
Go to benefits office for crisis loan...spend all day with screaming,thirsty kids.

Just a memory from my benefit days

In regard to people on benefits indulging in treats, fair enough. However if its meaning your children are missing out on a meal then comprimises have to be made. It's not right.

I don't know what the answer is. On the one hand we have people on benefits saying they get by, they can afford to buy food and clothing and on the other hand you have people like were on the programme last night who struggle to feed their children and are living in what can only be described as squalor. I don't understand it.

zukie.....but do you also get income support/jsa.....and dont you teens get EMA?

Our local Surestart centre runs a class on improving cooking skills; not sure how well attended it is. The baby massage and baby group there seem to be attended by mainly upper working class / middle class parents and I do wonder if this puts other people off as they fear being judged. The Surestart centres are surely the ideal place to check that people are receiving all they should be i.e. school uniform grants etc. but you need to get people through the door first.

For anyone whoo couldnt borrow £20 you can ring the crisis loand number and tell them why you need a one. If you can have one they tell you what time to collect the giro from the JC. No ones sits for hours anymore. It hasnt been like that for a long time. For white goods you can apply for a Budgeting loan which is interest free. I can request up to £800

Fifis25StottieCakes My experience was years ago...it has probably all changed now,and for the better,I hope.

It has Crazy

I didn't watch it but I can relate to some of it. I grew up in a council house which was damp. I am sure that my chest problems are down to that. However, I did have wonderful parents. They both worked and always put us first although income was low. I have not read all the thread but I do know makes are made by benefits agency. My sister is on jsa and does voluntary work. At least twice mistakes have been made and she has not been paid. She had had to travel to another town to sort it out. They than said she would have to call back. She was on the phone 30 minutes. She has to pay for their mistakes out of her measly £60 is per week. It made be so angry on her behalf.

I agree JSA is a nightmare

I was really impressed with the father cooking from scratch and doing everything in his power to make his son's birthday special

I knew lots of children at boarding school whose parents bothered far less about them than he did

and his children are intelligent, articulate, thoughtful and downright lovely

poor bastard can't even afford to see a dentist for himself

how DARE anyone sit in judgement on parents who are struggling to bring up children in these horrific conditions? Quibbling over a bottle of Coke fgs Everything is stacked against these families. All of the parents featured were doing their absolute best IMO.

Fifi you're lucky you've always received your payments. I've had many clients have problems and sit for 3 hours waiting a decision on a pissing £30 crisis loan, or just get refused any social fund loan at all. Jobcentre staff are so rude here aswell, its amazing what a difference response I get from them depending on whether I am wearing my work badge or not.

crazynanna I'm lucky I've only experienced this through work and not personally.

I have a son called Sam. It breaks my heart to think of him or any other little one growing up like that. :(

Can I just send the kid some trousers? Seriously.

The programme was very sad - DW yesterday was saying that life is just shit at the momement - think I'll get her to watch it through (I was up at 3am and couldn't sleep).

Terrible conditions for all the families and just not acceptable that we have so many living below the poverty line. I'm not necessarily advocating that all benefits are increased but what benefits are given are well spent. Example why do the poor pay more for gas and electric, when the guy had to possibly think about a short term loan with mega interest payments because his benefits were late - need more help from agencies that can assist these so that these poor are not being so blatently ripped off (ultimately its the tax payer who is ripped off- IYSWIM).

Probably even my DS(14) is not aware of any cuts and stuff - on the one hand I'm glad they don't have to suffer like that - on the other do they need to be socailly aware that this goes on?

Personally I can't think of anyone I've ever known that was skint and living in such conditions. We have way too much stuff and doing some clear outs of old clothes, shoes and books - not sure how easy it is to find out how to donate these so they can directly benefit others in such circumstances.

Quite like the idea of sponsoring / supporting a local family rather than through a generic organisation / charity. I know which are the deprived areas in the nearest town but how would you go about that?

PONYO - This musnt be national but where i am you ring the free phone number for a crisi loan then they ring you back with the decision. They tell you a time to collect the Giro. I dont agree the staff are rude. My loan parent advisor has helped me a great deal arraging course and child care. Some of the staff are rude but then so are some of the people they are having to deal with. I regularly seen kick offs in the jobcentre as someone hasnt bother to sign on for their JSA and is demanding their money

Following on from HappyMumOfOne's post earlier, if you've got two kids and a low income, child benefit and child tax credit combined will be £130 per week.

Sam's dad is lovely, a lovely good man.
I think Sam must take after him so I can only hope that will stand him in good stead for the rest of his life.
I wish I could reach out to help that particular family but I have no idea how.

but the benefits system is an absolute minefield.
you can have this but you cant have that.
if you have that, you cant have this,
but wait, it is in the In Tray.

my dh lost his job and i deal with all these benefits and they are confusing.
many people would be over whelmed.
the dad of sam and the girl he was on 400 per week now it is per month. that must have been fairly recently. and hence, only just becoming entitled to free school meals. plus the boy is 12 and the mother left on his 2nd birthday.
how does the dad actually feel.
all this judging and sweating over the fake nails is appalling attitude. oh why dont they clean the house. on the other hand most of you would admit to having mess in your homes. children play, life is tough. and there is more to life than folded clothes.

Prepare for a flaming

Me and 3 Kids Roughly

£120 per fortnight income support
£152 per week child tax credit
£47 per week child benefit

I pay

£7 rent as i get housing benefit
No council Tax
£12 Gas
£12 Electric
£3 Tv licence
£100 On line Tesco Shop
£10 to top up dongle
£10 to top up phone

This leave me enough to go to primark or Asda and clothe the dd's. The woman in the programme if she lives in a council house probably gets roughly the same as me.

Forgot free school meals and £12.40 milk tokens