to ask all the skint and struggling people: what would help you the most?

[dreamingbohemian]

I think it's clear that a lot of people are struggling right now. I'm on the thread about parents going without food and it's terrible what some people are going through.

It's also clear that there are a lot of judgmental attitudes, and that the government is not all that interested in tackling the problem.

But you can also see a lot of people are sympathetic and want to help, and are horrified that we are returning to a situation where people have to go without food.

There have been a number of good ideas on that thread, but I thought it might be good to start a new thread to not just talk about the problem, but about how we can all try to do something about it -- whether it's signing petitions, putting pressure on the government, or volunteering or donating in our local communities.

So AIBU to start by asking people who are struggling right now to talk about the top one or two things that would help them out the most? So that we are not focusing our attention on things that might not be the most helpful?

Or, on the flip side, is anyone engaged in anything right now that seems to be helping a lot of people?

I don't want to just be horrified, I want to do something...

Gossip, your post was incredibly patronising, and I am surprised you are surprised by the response you got.

Stranded is right.

Lol @ 'Duracell chicken'.

GossipMonger I beg you, stop.

Have a read of the other thread.

We do not need to be "taught" to economise thanks and we ceratinly don't need "help to prioritise".

For one final time before my head explodes we are not skint because we're stupid

It's called circumstances beyond our control.

Sorry for the derail dreaming great idea for a thread.

IME I think it really is a case of just not judging, don't presume that because someone is struggling right now that they need you tell them how to save money. A little empathy goes a long way. Everyone in the world is one set of circumstances away from poverty. Understanding and accepting that is what people find so difficult. It's far too scary a prospect so it's much safer to bury your head in the sand and think "that would never happen to me, they must have made some very bad decisions to end up like that".

Practically it's the secret things people do, like inviting you to their's for a meal, telling you it would be easier if they picked you up rather than the other way round, coming round with something they've just realised they can't use but can't return so you might as well have it.

I know they're doing it, they know I know. Accepting charity is so bloody degrading a way to keep even a shred of dignity is unbelievably important.

donate to food banks and pet food banks.. Go to the local community centre and see whats going on.
Join HomeStart and help a struggling parent.
All this would have helped me.

Stranded is absolutely right.

Deflatedballoonbelly I think educating the masses that tax evasion is a bigger problem than benefit fraud, convincing our media not to promote such propaganda and shutting down the daily mail!

Yes yes yes - this this this!!!

There are few jobs - thanks Oxbridge government - the wage has been £6 an hour for the last ten years - thanks Oxbridge government - and as families are driven apart and unable to support each other in ways we used to helping out with childcare, clothes, lifts in the one car a relative owns, £6 an hour is not a living wage. It cannot cover the basic costs of rent, fuel, food, clothing, food and transport. The minimum wage should be £12 an hour, or at least £10, but then the governments big money making friends - Tesco, Phillip Green etc - would not be so friendly with them and not so keen to hand out back handers. Once again, thanks Oxbridge government.

Definitely fight the propaganda that says that poor people and people with disabilities/carers should face the brunt of many cuts because we're 'scroungers'.

Yes, let's stay positive people!

Really great ideas here

The government and the media does a good job on turning people against each other, lets not give the fuckers the satisfaction of actually doing it here, eh?

I have realised that we are doing ok for the moment, but redundancy looms large for my DH, and my own job is not assured for very long.

I grew up poor, thanks to a debt trap and my mother being denied the help she was entitled to and there was no nmw back then. She worked up to 10 hours a day for £2.50 to £4.50 an hour cleaning when I was ten years old, depending on where she was. No help with rent/ bills/ school meals/ uniforms. She was paying of the cost of my fathers funeral for 4 years. Yes, she smoked, but I never begrudged her that. She never drank, she never had new clothes, she never let us go without, she worked her arse off to keep us together, rather than have us taken into foster care. I only found out about that when I was already an adult- we had been put on the at risk register when my fathers cancer became terminal and although we had Macmillan support there was no family around, no close friends to help. The Christmas before my father died was only possible for us because of the generosity of the local Lions club who arranged for Christmas presents and a food hamper for us. The next Christmas, it was thanks to the local convent and parish we had a Christmas.

For that reason I get angry at the people who do fiddle the system, but for those who are in poverty through no fault of their own I am willing to help/ listen to and defend from pig ignorant bastards who have never been in that situation.

Sorry about the rant, good thread dreaming.

Flexible work from home opportunities maybe? Then I could try to support my family myself without the worry of how to deal with working and disability.

I want to see the sort of community spirit I see here to spread to the real world, the way it is now is very isolating. All in it together would be much nicer.

Maybe one of those benefits goats I see mentioned so much, for milk.

Going back to earlier points about dignity - some kind folks have overpaid me for little bits of work; some give me birthday money; some have offered house stuff they no longer use; some give me food they 'bought too much of'. It really helps!

If you're giving a birthday/Christmas present to someone you know is struggling, don't give them the spa voucher you think you'd really appreciate in their place - give them cash or a supermarket voucher. With gifts for children, ask the parent what the child wants.

Thank you for caring :) I am still incensed that this problem exists - our government should be looking for ways to reduce poverty, not handing out billions to companies for reducing government support.

People should make sure they pass on anything they aren't using anymore. Spare lawnmower, pushchair, tv, bottle steriliser etc etc lying around anyone? Hoarding is wrong and the stuff gets spolit or out of date anyway shoved in the loft or shed.

I know it is a drop in the ocean but might help someone.

curtainrail that seems like a stupidly simple idea which could be set up anywhere - in any school/community centre/village hall/church etc.

OP maybe you could look into setting a few up in your area, once set-up they would be pretty self-sufficient and then you can move onto something else.

I often think I've got lots of outsize shoes/coats which I'm perfectly happy to pass on to the local second-hand shop, but I'd be happier if they were given to a project which was passing them on for free rather than charging for them.

Very true, pink.

Freecycle is an amazing invention actually!

I wonder if maybe councils or the government could announce a National Clearout Day, get people to really focus on clearing out their homes and passing things on.

I posted about landshare on the other thread
www.landshare.net/

Have you tried talking to the school curtainrail. When I was really struggling I went and talked to the wellbeing team and they've been amazing.

I feel the same way Berri -- I've actually had problems in the past passing along actual items to charities who help people, they generally just want cash donations as they don't have the space and staff to deal with donated goods.

I started using Freecycle and just trying to give stuff to people who seemed like they really needed it (accept that's not foolproof though).