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AIBU?

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Original poster

WTH is going on?!

131 replies

hungryhippo90 · 03/08/2018 22:22

This isn't so much about my circumstances, but more about the circumstances of others,

Growing up we were on benefits, our family seemed to struggle more than most others In the same sort of financial situation, but I don't remember things being anywhere near as bad as many who are on UC and are finding themselves without benefits, being evicted etc.

I heard on the radio yesterday that there are a large portion of teachers who believe many childrens families won't be able to buy enough food over the holidays,

Now I've just read that 2/5 don't have £100 saved up.

I know a family with a working mum and a deceased dad, they go to the food bank a lot.

What I'm wondering is, am I right in thinking that instead of things getting better that they've gone sharply down hill over the past several years?

I don't understand how things seem to have got so much worse.

Are things going to continue to decline?
Why is this being allowed to happen?

OP posts:
Mrskeats · 03/08/2018 22:24

Yes with this Brexit nonsense things will be getting a whole lot worse.
It’s called Tory policy.

huha · 03/08/2018 22:26

Yep let's just blame everything on Brexit shall we? Hmm

I think since benefits have been slashed cash is restricted with many working (and middle) class families.

happypoobum · 03/08/2018 22:26

Yep - keep voting Tory people.....Sad

mineisarossini · 03/08/2018 22:27

It is nothing to do with Brexit and everything to do with the global depression in 2008 and the austerity that followed. Ten years on and the results are being felt everywhere

UpstartCrow · 03/08/2018 22:28

Its not just people on benefits struggling, its people in work as well. Its Tory policies, austerity and Brexit.

mineisarossini · 03/08/2018 22:29

Both Tory and labour voted for brexit by the way. Proudly sbd consciously.

Mrskeats · 03/08/2018 22:29

Nothing to do with Brexit. What a joke. The fall in the pound has made anything imported, ie loads of things, much more expensive. Is this hard to understand?

mineisarossini · 03/08/2018 22:29

And

MrsTommyBanks · 03/08/2018 22:31

Its austerity. It's Global.
It's going to get worse.

CleanHonestGoals · 03/08/2018 22:32

I work 40 hour week above min wage, my DH works a min wage job 30 hours. We have kids, get no tax credits and for the first time in a long time are on our arse.

We've had a recent sudden change which has meant through no fault of our own we are struggling. We were never well off but I the last time I felt this vulnerable was a long time ago as a young single parent. We have no savings anymore. Our wages cover all it needs to and not much more at the minute. It's awful and I fear it's only going to get worse

Poodletip · 03/08/2018 22:37

That's austerity for you.

Original poster
hungryhippo90 · 03/08/2018 22:37

I didn’t say it was only those on benefits who were affected, I certainly don’t think that’s true, everyone is poorer than I’ve ever known, and I’ve only been an adult since the 2008 depression so I don’t really know what life was like as an adult before then.

I’m worried seeing that the most financially vulnerable in society seem to be being let down, and those who were pretty flush a few years ago, on the same or more money are usually struggling quite a bit.

It’s a scary thought that it will continue, or most likely continue to get worse.

I was rather hoping people would say it was all media and in reality not that bad.

OP posts:
LeftRightCentre · 03/08/2018 22:56

YANBU

Ethylred · 03/08/2018 23:00

Mrskeats, you do realize that the fall in the pound was caused by the result of the Brexit referendum? 15% instantly.

dontcallmelen · 03/08/2018 23:01

@Hungry I think it’s a hell of a lot worse than some on MN would have you believe, it’s very very hard for a great many people & with the continued roll out universal credit, it’s set to become a lot more difficult & many food banks are appealing for extra donations through the school holidays.

MereDintofPandiculation · 03/08/2018 23:02

Its austerity. It's Global.
I'm not sure it's global. We seem to have a achieved a lower wage growth than any other European country apart from Greece.

Glidingto40 · 03/08/2018 23:03

Brexit has nothing to do with UC, that was already happening before then.

From a real world pov, when I had to give up work a few years ago to care FT for my DD as a lone parent my HB & CT stopped but I could at least make part payments to rent and buy food with CB & CTC. It took 5 months to get all benefits sorted. I now bring in over £600 a month less.

When my area switches to UC my income drops again by £300 a month and I will not have any income at all during that period to pay rent, bills or feed the kids as it's all been put into a one monthly arrears payment to teach me how it would be if I ever got a job.

BoneyBackJefferson · 03/08/2018 23:07

This was happening before Brexit. Its a shame that some people can't see that.

LighthouseSouth · 03/08/2018 23:10

I'm amazed we've had any wage growth

The biggest problem I see - and I've been an adult for a long time! - is rapidly reducing wages, race to the bottom, and in the South East, horrendously high rents etc

IVflytrap · 03/08/2018 23:11

It does feel like we're sliding backwards in many ways. Job hunting four, five years ago, the wages offered for my sector were £18K - £20K. Job hunting at the start of this year, the same jobs in the same sector are advertised at 15K - £18K.

It also seems like some food has got more expensive. Decent quality bread going for £1.10 when it was 80p or 90p less than a year ago.

It's a struggle to save money now when it wasn't a few years ago, and I've always been frugal. Haven't been able to buy anything new for quite a while. No holidays in three years. You try to manage, but life's a bit of a struggle these days.

IVflytrap · 03/08/2018 23:20

I'm a remainer, and I agree that this started long before Brexit. If anything, Brexit is a symptom. What's happening is forced, ideological austerity, which we've been expected to just put up with since the recession. The government doesn't care about quality of life for ordinary people, or even massively about economic growth, they only care about shrinking the state so that no one wealthy has to pay taxes.

In Margaret Thatcher's time, the top rate of tax was 60%, and that was seen as pretty low. Nowadays it's 45%.

arethereanyleftatall · 03/08/2018 23:21

Given the responses above, I know my response isn't going to be popular, and as such I normally don't post on threads such as these, and then my experience isn't heard

I don't know anyone who is struggling, I have lived in many towns, know many people, and none of us are struggling. The people I know who are relying solely on benefits aren't struggling. Those I know on disability benefits aren't struggling. We are all living happy lives, with holidays, and disposable income. This is my real life experience, I'm aware from the stats that food banks are used, but that's not my experience.

With the regard to the 2 in 5 don't have £100 saved. That stated 'not including pensions or investments.' ?!? So, a bit of a pointless stat then. We don't have £100 in saving then, cos it's all tied up in pensions and investments.

WrongOnTheInternet · 03/08/2018 23:21

In Britain I blame the housing problems for much of the problem and the growth of buy-to-let. That won't be popular on mumsnet and isn't anywhere else particularly but it very obviously enables rich people to get richer for little work while poorer people are forced to pay their money directly to the former group for absolutely no return. But employment rights have also been undermined. As far as I understand the economy, the basic problem seems to be that we are now capable of over-producing all the necessities of life with less labour: but instead of choosing to allow everyone to share in that equally the rich are taking more and more even though they have no need for it, and wishing the rest of us would vanish. Unprecedented demographics levels are also having an effect. Too many factors coming together in one place, and every opportunity to forge a new way being ignored.

AmICrazyorWhat2 · 03/08/2018 23:28

I read this week (in The Economist, which I personally think does a good job presenting facts) that Britons pay 25% more for goods and services than they did in 2008, while wages have grown by just 19%.

That's a problem right there.

ProudThrilledHappy · 03/08/2018 23:28

Yep, for many this is Housing Housing Housing

In my area rents have shot up over the last few years, while housing benefit has been capped and the waiting list for social housing means people are waiting years to be offered a home and having to be in dire circumstances to even get on the list in the first place.

Here is my position- I work but as a single parent I have a low income and childcare costs. I get x amount of housing benefit, calculated on a LHA rate of 600 pcm for a two bed property.

Problem is, a 2 bed in my area is minimum 800pcm. So even with the government saying that my income is so low i need help to rent at 600, I am still expected to cover the shortfall of £200.

That £200 comes from pay and child benefit which is supposed to help me provide food and clothing. That means we dont have enough on a day to day basis. If my rent goes up I honestly don’t think I could cope, but with interest rates rising it is likely that this is what will soon be happening

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