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Original poster

What will happen if food poverty and homelessness keep growing in the UK?

154 replies

AbsentmindedWoman · 30/11/2017 23:47

I think it's generally accepted that food prices are rising, and will rise a fair bit more next year. I'm hoping that costs aren't completely insane, though. Does anyone know how much they are predicted to rise?

If they go up by much, surely food poverty and food bank usage is just going to keep going up?

What will happen to homeless people also? There is honestly a shocking amount of people on the street in central London. Many argue that a lot are beggars, and actually go home at night - but that's still not great? That people are cobbling together a living from begging on the streets?

I feel it's so easy to fall into horrific destitution these days - obviously, times over the course of human history were far more brutal and it's still vastly better for us living here in the UK today. I get that. Still, though, the world feels like a kind of scary place to be in many ways right now. As a chronically ill woman with no assets such as property, I feel an undercurrent of vulnerability all of the time. Maybe I need better anxiety medication Grin

What do you think will happen to people in poverty in the UK over the next few years? Will things improve somehow?

OP posts:
makeourfuture · 03/12/2017 18:05

Why no Tories on this thread?

lessworriedaboutthecat · 03/12/2017 18:10

I voted Tory at the last election because they were the only ones who would take us out the EU. yes I know their cunts but they all are lets be honest. The Tories at least are predictable cunts. Labour under Tony Blair are at least as culpable as the Tories for our current predicament.

Degustibusnonestdisputandem1 · 03/12/2017 18:12

I've been saying we're heading for Victorian times/neofeudalism to my friends and family for years now. I'm horrified that it seems I was right... 😣

FlouncyDoves · 03/12/2017 18:16

There’ll be more homeless and hungry people

woman11017 · 03/12/2017 18:33

Labour under Tony Blair are at least as culpable as the Tories for our current predicament
It's 10 years since blair was in. Labour wasted a lot of chances and could have solved some of this, I agree. But homelessness has gone up by 54% since labour was last in in 2010.
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/homelessness-housing-households-shelter-london-england-a7111501.html

JonSnowsWife · 03/12/2017 19:01

Labour under Tony Blair are at least as culpable as the Tories for our current predicament

They really aren't.

PortlyWino · 03/12/2017 19:56

Other countries have much stricter rules about renting with long leases being standard. People have the right to live somewhere and know their rent cannot be put up beyond inflation. Property as investment and all those Sarah Beeney types shows from a few years back have properly fucked the market, alongside foreign buyers who never live in properties. This needs to be stopped. Plenty of countries have rules to prevent foreign buyers.

MistressDeeCee · 04/12/2017 04:35

What will happen? Back to the days of the Workhouse, probably. With right wing inflammatory media admirers welcoming it, vindicated in their smug working class snobbery, looking down upon and scapegoating those they deem poorer than themselves.

Continuing to vote in a government that has decimated the working classes and making excuses for doing so. I can't fathom anything beyond that really, it is what it is. When far too much of society/community has no conscience or concern for the less fortunate then things just implode and it gets to dangerously desperate stage. Nobody much will sit up and take notice until such time

GoingIn · 04/12/2017 04:45

I blame those who voted for more of this.

mogulfield · 04/12/2017 04:48

A good friend of mine and I were chatting about this and in our area 8-9/10 homeless are substance addicted, meaning there are places for them to go, but they inevitably get kicked out when they’re tested/the antisocial behaviour starts again.
So I think, regarding homelessness, the real issue is to treat the growing drugs problem.
Which no government has effectively done; I think we’re moving in the right direction by not criminalising the user (policy in my area) and offering them help, but we really have some way to go.

mogulfield · 04/12/2017 04:49

She works with the homeless, I didn’t make that clear!

sashh · 04/12/2017 05:55

So, if 'we' can all see that our current system is dysfunctional, inhumane and morally corrupt - why is this country still heading in this terrible direction?

Because it is lining the pockets of millionaires who are greedy.

JonSnowsWife · 04/12/2017 06:30

I blame those who voted for more of this.

They don't care goingin they're still getting Brexit so homeless people, some of who are ironically ex soldiers who fought in the war for this country, are simply collateral damage.

With right wing inflammatory media admirers welcoming it, vindicated in their smug working class snobbery, looking down upon and scapegoating those they deem poorer than themselves.

Yep. I've seen this recently on facebook. Two women both single parents, both her were on benefits for over ten years. No shame in it of course. One has been in work for two years, the other one (good for them and all that). Both constantly slag off 'dole dossers' in their posts. Hmm

makeourfuture · 04/12/2017 06:53

"Almost 400,000 more UK children and 300,000 more pensioners plunged into poverty in past four years, new study finds"

We're going the wrong way.

colouringinagain · 04/12/2017 08:44

Makeourfuture

You beat me to it with the reference to Joseph Rowntree research.

Sad and sobering statistics

meredintofpandiculation · 04/12/2017 09:30

People have the right to live somewhere and know their rent cannot be put up beyond inflation. A big difference between now and when i was growing up was that then you could rent somewhere - or you could pay more money each month, but you'd own a house at the end of it. Now, at least where I am, mortgage repayments are lower than rents. So you can fork out for mortgage repayments - or you can pay a lot more and not even get a house at the end.

NK493efc93X1277dd3d6d4 · 04/12/2017 10:04

Stop allowing so many foreigners in, sending so much money abroad and focus on our own starving homeless people.

Still no cure for stupidity yet then?

Alas this is the only allowable view & common sense & stating the obvious is shouted down as stupid.
Whilst this prevails there is unlikely to be a solution.

Believeitornot · 04/12/2017 10:50

Stop allowing so many foreigners in, sending so much money abroad and focus on our own starving homeless people

Sorry but that doesn’t really explain it. The people who are rich continue to get rich at the expense of everyone else.

There aren’t limited funds but those at the top keep sucking them up and are subsidised by benefits and tax credits.

MissUnderwood · 04/12/2017 11:05

.

PoisonousSmurf · 04/12/2017 11:12

Problem with this country is that we don't know how to riot anymore. Successive governments have made sure that the 'plebs' have just enough to keep them comfortable, but with the fear of losing everything.
We are truly 'sheeple'.

Dapplegrey · 04/12/2017 11:20

Can someone help me find a quotation which is sort of relevant to this please.
I can't remember the author of it nor enough words in it to google it, but it's along the lines of people will put up with all sorts of discomfort and restrictions until there is the possibility of change. Once change is on the horizon then the discomfort and restrictions become unbearable.

TreacleFarl · 04/12/2017 14:59

Now, at least where I am, mortgage repayments are lower than rents. So you can fork out for mortgage repayments - or you can pay a lot more and not even get a house at the end.

This is the same where I am. My rent is much higher than members of my family who have a mortgage. It's so disheartening as you're just putting all your money into someone else's money box.

YY to the post earlier about division of people on benefits. There's so much division and judgement. People seem to revel in jumping on other's cases and judging whether or not that person deserves help or pity (usually coming to the conclusion that they don't). I was recently telling someone about a family I know who are living in poverty and are finding it hard to eat, the immediate reply was along the lines of 'I'm sure if the parents stopped smoking and spending money on sportswear and sky they'd be alright.' The family do none of these things but it was that instant stigmitisation of those who are struggling that really annoyed me. We need more support for people and less 'Benefit Street' type programmes. We never see 'Banker Street' where everyone gets a pay out and nothing trickles down.

Sorry, that was long. Like others on this thread I'm just angry and frustrated at the whole situation.

TreacleFarl · 04/12/2017 14:59

Sorry, paragraph fail.

SusannahL · 04/12/2017 15:49

There will always be homelessness until people start taking responsibility for their own situation and lifestyle choices.

We are so lucky to live in a country with many opportunities to make
something of or lives, coupled with a welfare state for the very few in genuine need.