WTH is going on?!

[hungryhippo90]

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?

Tory policies. Especially austerity. Because it was poor people who fucked up the global economy, so it’s only fair that they should pay to put it right.

Everyone who voted Tory is responsible...this is what Tory policies bring, mostly because of austerity.

Brexit is a whole other issue.

arethere I don't know about people claiming disability for themselves but as a parent carer I had to give up my job before I was sacked on final dismissal two months before DD was awarded DLA. I had already been off work three months unpaid. I couldn't claim JSA as I couldn't work or would have been at my current work still and would have been sanctioned. The income drop has been huge for me, I'm nearly £2k in rent arrears and now have two CCJs as I had hardly any money coming in. And no, no holiday in three years.

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

Well if you look at the time Tories got into power and austerity, you will understand.

I am politically homeless at the moment, but you cannot deny facts.

Cuts to EVERY SINGLE THING that are in place to help poorer people in society, that have all but disappeared, well, that's why.

Crikey arethereanyleftatall where do you live? (roughly).
My friends are all ok, but most have big interest only mortgages and have quite fancy lifestyles, so who knows whether they would be able to weather any bad times. We are in a reasonable position because my DH is naturally "thrifty" so we have savings and no debts (left to me I would have blown it all on plants.)
I do really worry about it though. You can see that when so many people are suffering they blame 'others' for their woes, which is why there is so much racism, violence and hatred swilling around. It's all pretty toxic.

In the uk too many people and not enough jobs. Also think media propaganda but thats just my opinion.

Tory idealogy is to reduce benefits to make them untenable for all but the most desperate. Even if the most desperate aren't able to claim.
Austerity was something cooked up by a couple of posh boys in response to a global issue as the solution for the UK. In the 40s we invested our way out of austerity.
Tory govt blame the EU for failure to invest in UK industry. Globalisation moves jobs. People left behind find a scapegoat. Brexit wins in areas screwed by globalisation, capitalism and Conservatism.

@SarfE4sticated
A very nice town in Hertfordshire. It's lovely tbh.

Wages have not increased. They have decreased. My husband is currently being paid for a full-time higher level job what I was being paid for an entry level part-time job 12 years ago. We're basically living on pennies and have option until our son is old enough to go to school as we cant afford childcare and the 70% fee coverage is a load of bollocks. If we cant afford to pay upfront how the hell can we claim it back?

i don't understand the point of your thread. Of course things are getting worse, did you ever hear of period poverty in previous decades?

it's austerity. it started in 2010, its been 8 years, what do you expect?

Will everybody please stop blaming the world’s ills on the Tories. There were still social problems under Tony Blair, lest everyone forgets.

My money in equals my money out. Food etc has gone up, my wage hasn't
I don't do nights out and haven't been abroad since I was 13. Now do a FT job and a PT job to cover my bills

“Did you ever hear of period poverty in previous decades ?”

No, but then that was because the internet didn’t exist.

I don't think that there were quite so many working people using foodbanks under Tony Blair though Unicorn, and we had Sure Start, and investment in schools.
I actually think it's shameful the level of poverty in our country now.

I think how you feel probably comes down to age. A retired, mortgage free couple will feel
a lot more comfortable that a working family. We are relatively comfortable largely by the fact we got on the ladder when a bit younger & there are plenty much worse off. Our money is defo not going as far as it did a few years ago & I think we will see tax rises very soon which actually pisses me off.

The concept of period poverty did exist in the 00s, it just didn't get as much publicity. Partly because less poverty, partly because there has been a recent resurgence in feminist activism.

I think people are possibly struggling more now due to low wage growth, high housing and childcare costs and rising food and fuel prices. I also think a lot of people have too much debt by way of credit cards, loans etc. We have a want it now mentality where due to sustained low interest rates people think it is fine to borrow for stuff rather than save or buy within budget. Poor money management skills also contribute to people struggling to make ends meet.

I am not sure it can all be blamed on Tory cuts, austerity or Brexit. It is global and happens in other countries too. There is gradually getting a bigger and bigger divide between the haves and have nots.

OP YANBU child poverty is a huge problem, if you want to find out more then look at the work/findings of the Child Poverty Action Group, they have been around for a long time and their research is sound. Before the financial crisis income growth was at around 2% since the crisis it's at 0%. In addition as other posters have said prices for goods and services plus housing have risen, and the weak pound has had an impact on costs in general. The Trussell Trust who run a number of food banks report on their use regularly and it's clear that use is soaring as low wages, high costs and slashed benefits hit hard. I personally think that Brexit could make things far far worse, impact on prices for example, loss of jobs, businesses having problems. But even if that were not the case the situation is pretty dire, those who have not noticed this are either not looking or don't want to see what is happening. I don't know what to do as an individual but certainly this summer we're upping our donations to local foodbanks.

The UK is struggling to recover from the Great Recession. That coupled with Austerity and Brexit I don’t expect the country to ever recover.

We left the UK and haven’t looked back. Our standard of living is better that it could ever have been in the UK.

It has everything to do with a government who’s been shafting us since the ‘thatcher thatcher milk snatcher’ days.

All our so-called austerity measures are designed to continue lining their pockets whilst making us work harder for less pay and making us spend more than ever before on rents and mortgages.

Employers are allowed to pay shitty minimum wages which haven’t risen in line with inflation whilst landlords are allowed to charge whatever they want. Benefits don’t cover full rent, people have to top up rents from their benefits or those who are working are entitled to very little benefits,mortgages and childcare fees are huge.

The cost of living has increased massively. Tories promoted a culture that encouraged people to set up as self employed, and sold off so much low rent council housing stock.

Thatcher’s ‘every man for himself’ encouraged so many people to set up their own business but many small/medium enterprises can’t actually afford to pay decent wages so working class people are earning minimum wage and struggling to put food on the table.
Now these employers could never go back to working for another boss so consistently shaft their own staff in various ways rather than admit they can’t afford to run without exploiting workers. Hence zero hours contracts, no obligation to provide set hours means they can get away with not paying sicknesse or holiday fees.
privatisng our national services has not helped either, so many of our jobs are outsourced or filled by casual staff via agencies.

So much more to rant but I’m tired and I doubt anybody is reading this, It’s only going to get worse whilst under this government.
votelabour

dragonflyflew
I am far from a socialist but I do agree with you.

I also think the UK is overpopulated.

Unfortunately with the heatwave causing a failed harvest, followed by a predicted cold harsh winter. Then Brexit. I seriously think that people’s lives right now is as good as they are ever going to get. It’s downhill from here.

To pp, tony Blair was a Tory in sheeps clothing. He was no socialist and was chosen to keep the Labour Party watered down and become more middle than left in order to get more new labour members.

...though it's already been downhill for some people, and some areas, for ten years now.

@AornisHades

"Globalisation moves jobs"

Yes I nearly mentioned this in my first post. I feel like such a prat, when the anti globalisation protesters were out, I was doing 60 hour weeks and not really paying attention. They were spot on, though I don't know how we can stop things really. It seems the majority want things as they are.

Its austerity. It's Global

I can assure you that it isn't Global. Since leaving the UK to live in Australia, I've never felt so well off. And that's with no real change in circumstances....DH still works full time at a manual job and I work part time as I did in the UK in a similar role.

Here we have enough money to eat pretty well, a much better rental property, a bigger garden and that's all with paying for medical treatment and prescriptions ourselves too.

I despair for my relatives in England and Wales who are really, really struggling. My mentally ill brother is about to be made homeless and one of my friends is at the foodbank all the time. She works full time.

I have begun to send my Mother money.

I feel like an economic migrant. I AM an Economic migrant.