AIBU?
To be sad about these latest UK figures of child poverty?
Mamasaurus82 · 19/11/2019 21:49
"The number of children growing up in poverty in working households has increased by 800,000 since 2010, a new study suggests.
The TUC said its analysis indicated that child poverty in working families rose to 2.9 million cases last year, an increase of 38 per cent since the start of the decade."
How can this be allowed to happen?
Snowjive2 · 19/11/2019 22:05
When did the ‘I’m alright Jack’ rot set in? Am I just being nostalgic or did people in the UK used to care about each other, rather than fretting that someone else, somewhere, might have got something for nothing?
Another word for ‘something for nothing’ is luck. We all want it, and wish it to others.
IAmUniquelyMe · 19/11/2019 22:43
@Snowjive2
"....not many people seem to care about other people's children.."
True. Have you thought about giving you child/children only one single present at birthdays or Christmas? Then you could use the money you would have spent on other presents providing presents or necessities for other children. Also parents should not move house to get in the catchment area for the best school. Thereby depriving a not her child who lives on the borders of the area of that school place.
Naturally most parents put their child first and consider other children after.
Fairyliz · 19/11/2019 22:48
But what is the definition of poverty they have used? Is it living in a household with less than average income?
If that is the case there will always be people classed as living in poverty. I.e if 10 families have a household income of £100k and 1 family has an income of £80k then the latter would be classed as living in poverty.
Do you have a link to the statistics?
Venger · 19/11/2019 23:02
Link to the TUC report referenced
www.tuc.org.uk/news/child-poverty-working-households-800000-2010-says-tuc
I agree that there will always be people earning below the average household income however an income that is below the average should still be able to provide such basics as food, housing, heat, suitable clothing, and opportunities (e.g., extracurricular activities).
fatulousatforty · 19/11/2019 23:28
As a child I lived in poverty. I had little food was dirty ( no hot water) no money for anything.
I've worked in schools and seen hungry children and children with no coats and broken shoes.
It's truly horrendous.
But I can assure you this shit happens regardless of which political party is in Downing Street
Mamasaurus82 · 20/11/2019 08:32
Oops, years not tears (but also many tears).
Also, the united nations have mentioned how unacceptable this latest level of poverty is. It's austerity and that is down to the Tories. We're supposedly the 5th richest nation, yet 1 in 5 people lives in poverty.
BarbaraofSeville · 20/11/2019 09:22
While there's no denying that there are people in poverty, the numbers don't necessarily paint the whole picture, for example:
It's important to remember that it's about relative poverty, and the way the numbers are compiled (having less than 60% of the median income) mean that poverty will never be irradicated, unless there are major major shifts in the equality of incomes - eg huge additional taxes or reductions of incomes on middle to high earners, including all those on £50-100k who claim to be 'not that well off really' to increase help to people on below average incomes, below about £30k pa.
You could give just over half the country a million pounds and the rest £400k, and there'd be 50% poverty, because they had less than 60% of the average amount.
After the financial crisis in 2007, the percentage of people in poverty actually went down, because the drop in incomes was greater for middle to high earners than low earners and people on benefits, so the arbitary poverty line fell faster than low income families incomes. Didn't help the people at the bottom of the income scale, or those who were 'no longer in poverty' because they still had the same amount of money, just that the people that were better off than them, didn't have quite so much.
The 'poverty line' for a family of 4 in the UK is 60% of average earnings after housing costs, which translates into something like £400 pw after housing costs, so people around this level are hardly sitting in the dark eating cold beans, which is the sort of picture that 'poverty' paints.
Which is why you need to understand what the actual figures mean, rather than blindly thinking 'poverty has gone up, that's terrible'.
Emeraldshamrock · 20/11/2019 09:33
It is very unfair.
Especially this time of year.
Lots unfortunately have to depend on high interest loans, I have use them myself.
It is a rip off, the interest is huge, though I have been very grateful they exist for Christmas in the past.
It only takes a child to destroy their trainers to put you back a month.
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