To think in the UK, in 2022...

[justonanote]

The lowest incomes should be able to -

Have food in at all times and be able to do a shop without fear they haven't got enough

Adequately heat their homes and have as much hot water as they need

Have a enough left over for a few little treats. An ice cream, a coffee out once a week, enough to enjoy a cheap trip out every now and then?

The lowest of incomes.

I despair, I honestly do.

I don’t think anyone is going to disagree with you.

So now, what are you going to do about it?

Yup.

Food, heating.

Basic human rights. Not luxuries.

The UK has 5 of the 10 most deprived areas in Europe.

It is very, very far from being a developed country.

There is too much "belief in British exceptionalism" and not enough "this is the reality so lets improvw it"

Nothing will change in the UK until you get rid of that fantasy of British exceptionalism

Shouldn't apply only to the UK

@rolypolydoly indeed it shouldn't. But I've used the UK as an example as this is where I live and we are suppose to be civilised people with 'fair' systems in place

@VodselForDinner

I don’t think anyone is going to disagree with you.

So now, what are you going to do about it?

Not vote Tory for a start.

I was pressured to by my husband a couple of years ago. I felt very 'naughty' voting labour in

Never did tell him that's who I voted for. Until today

What was your husband's reason for wanting to vote Tory? Did he simply not know anyone trying to cope on disability benefits or struggling to access social housing, or anything like that?

I just don't know how anyone can look at the last decade and think they give a damn about poor or vulnerable people.

It's not ignorance. They just really don't care if people are hungry, sick, cold. If children are struggling with respiratory infections etc due to unsuitable housing.

I completely agree. I’m not even a low income family. I am a single parent, so it is just my wage coming in but even so, I should be able to manage more than comfortably on what I earn. After the NI and energy hikes I’ll have to make changes.

Don’t ever vote Tory. Dear God, they suck the life out of people.

Time and time again people vote against their best interests. The Tories have been in power for well over a decade and it doesn’t seem to be getting any better I’d like to see why people keep justifying voting for them when many are struggling to make ends meet.

@idiotwhoworries

What was your husband's reason for wanting to vote Tory? Did he simply not know anyone trying to cope on disability benefits or struggling to access social housing, or anything like that?

I just don't know how anyone can look at the last decade and think they give a damn about poor or vulnerable people.

It's not ignorance. They just really don't care if people are hungry, sick, cold. If children are struggling with respiratory infections etc due to unsuitable housing.

His choice baffles me. We have a severely disabled son. Shock horror he gets disability benefits

Not sure why H wants Tory. He can't really answer either but has plenty bad to say about Labour!

Not vote Tory for a start.
Yes to this
I'm old and things are so much harder and more unaffordable under their rule.

Even the Tories should understand is that if everyone in a society has access to basic needs plus (gasp!) even a little luxury every now and then, it makes life better for everyone in the society, not just the poorest. If there is less despirartion, there is less crime etc.

I genuinely believe the Tories' hen is about to come home to roost. The massive wealth divide is going to kick off merry hell once food shortages/starvation/illness and death through unfit and freezing housing conditions bites.
I am severely disabled through repeated medical negligence, and now shower once a week, have 1 hour of heating a day if that, live on cereal and only turn lights on if essential.
I spend everyday out of the house, from school drop off to collection time, then out again after if we can, as I cannot afford for us to be home.
Yet I am one of the lucky ones. The list of businesses which will fold due to no longer being able to afford the basics of their business, such as heating and electricity, causing mass unemployment is huge.
YANBU OP.

I completely agree, on minimum wage everyone should be able to afford the basics of food and heating. That is a full time minimum wage though, and two full time wages if a two adult household, not working only 2-3 days per week and expecting to be able to cover everything with that. Childcare always seems to be the biggest barrier to people working full time, perhaps that should be sorted out so it’s affordable and no longer a barrier. Families certainly can’t be expected to pay over £1000 per month childcare whilst on minimum wage. There should also be proper carers allowance for people who really can’t work due to their child’s disability. The current amount is a joke.

I often do vote Tory as I believe strongly that anyone who can work should, and the state shouldn’t be there to prop up people’s lifestyle choices. But I really think the barriers to work need to be removed, and work needs to pay people decent wages, so I would vote for any party who would sort that out.

YANBU

@Overthebow

I often do vote Tory as I believe strongly that anyone who can work should, and the state shouldn’t be there to prop up people’s lifestyle choices. But I really think the barriers to work need to be removed, and work needs to pay people decent wages, so I would vote for any party who would sort that out.

I agree but many can’t !! They should be able to eat and heat their homes . It really gets my goat that people complain about people on benefits but in the next breath say but those that genuinely deserve benefits is ok . You don’t decide who deserves benefits. Often some people can’t work due to the increasing child care costs and not enough flexible working . Not everyone has a support net work .

@TheRealBoswell

Time and time again people vote against their best interests. The Tories have been in power for well over a decade and it doesn’t seem to be getting any better I’d like to see why people keep justifying voting for them when many are struggling to make ends meet.

Some people are more bothered about Labour’s stance on trans issues than the Torie’s grinding people in to the ground. They don’t give a shit about people not being able to afford even the basics. They try to cover up how much of a shit they don’t give by saying Labour doesn’t know what a woman is!

YANBU. There's a perception in this country that people on low wages should be content just to be able to pay essential bills and not have anything at all left over for luxuries. Obviously not 5 star Caribbean holidays, but you're right, even just the odd coffee out, day trip out with the kids occasionally, haircut once in a while. What a mindset.

@Overthebow

I often do vote Tory as I believe strongly that anyone who can work should, and the state shouldn’t be there to prop up people’s lifestyle choices. But I really think the barriers to work need to be removed, and work needs to pay people decent wages, so I would vote for any party who would sort that out.

But the state is propping up working people on the lowest wages as well. I work but I rely on working tax credits to top up my wages as a single parent. That's the problem.

@BambinaJAS

The UK has 5 of the 10 most deprived areas in Europe.

It is very, very far from being a developed country.

There is too much "belief in British exceptionalism" and not enough "this is the reality so lets improvw it"

Nothing will change in the UK until you get rid of that fantasy of British exceptionalism

Yep, not sure why people think the UK is a rich country.

You hear people say we're the 6th richest country, we should have this and this.

On a per head basis we are something like the 30th richest country.

What we need is economic growth (which is totally pathetic in the UK) in order to improve the standard of living.

Sadly the economic "blip" was the decades where each generation had a better lifestyle than the one before.

Is working class need to go back to how it was. Living as a multi generational family all adults put working and contributing, childcare and domesticity provide by one adult. Cars a luxury not using credit etc etc. No going away for holidays.

I have seen it coming for years/decades bloody depressing to be right

I would say we have been in an economic crisis since at least 2008 (non of problems from the financial crisis have been solved), maybe even the route of all of the problems started with 9/11, which kicked off massive military spending on wars.

Some people are more bothered about Labour’s stance on trans issues than the Torie’s grinding people in to the ground. They don’t give a shit about people not being able to afford even the basics. They try to cover up how much of a shit they don’t give by saying Labour doesn’t know what a woman is!

It's not trans issues, its womens issues. Given 50% of this country are women those issues are important.

If you dont believe in safe spaces for women, fine, vote labour. Your choice.

I'd prefer to know that a woman, who has nowhere to go after being raped can safely access a no penis zone. Labour cant even describe what a woman is!

@Overthebow

I often do vote Tory as I believe strongly that anyone who can work should, and the state shouldn’t be there to prop up people’s lifestyle choices. But I really think the barriers to work need to be removed, and work needs to pay people decent wages, so I would vote for any party who would sort that out.

This is pretty much me . I've always thought the welfare state is to blame for a lot of this . It should not have financially propped up people's bad choices for life and if they hadn't there'd be more to go around for those genuinely unable to work through disability etc . The pot isn't big enough to support more and more who aren't adding to it . Having said that employees should earn a wage sufficient to run a home . It's disgraceful that working people are in abject poverty .

Education is free for those who have bettered themselves but in a lot of cases aspirations are missing .