To think Britain is heading towards economical and social collapse

[Cheesecakeandwineinasuitcase]

It feels like we are living in strange times, having come out of a global pandemic, the war in Ukraine and now the cost of living crisis and the added pressure from Brexit.

Ive barely slept tonight, worrying about what might happen with energy prices. I’ve heard the energy price cap is expected to rise to £3,850 in October. A few months ago I’m sure they predicting it would be £2,400 and that was horrifying enough.
Now I’m seeing people on the energy support Facebook group talking about monthly energy costs of £900 per month. It feels like this is escalating out of control very quickly and the Government are allowing us to sleepwalk into a disaster.

I realised tonight that if the price cap does keep increasing at the rate it has then what will happen to all the businesses once people can’t afford their energy bills anymore? They will probably increase their prices to try and cover their costs but that will drive down sales even more as people won’t have as much money to spend anymore. Eventually it will only be the essentials that we can afford so that surely means that all the other businesses won’t be able to afford to keep going?

Then what? Unless our government actually get their heads together about this then the whole country will end up in financial ruin and we will see the breakdown of society. Why so much focus on the leadership contest, surely that must take a back step.

Ive just checked the parliament website and the House of Commons has now gone into summer recess so they won’t meet again until September! I think this is an emergency situation and that they should be called back to focus on this. They get paid enough.

I think it’s outrageous that they can claim for utility bills on their expenses when there are people out there with young children who are worried about being cut off and put onto a prepayment meter.

And cheap food is often high in sugar

we know how satisfying sugar can be

The child in question is 2 years old. A chicken nugget won't make them 'happy'.

Also, you’d be surprised at how many can’t cook or have nutritional knowledge, if you’ve worked with deprivation you’ll know, I mean truly seen it. Many children in deprived pickets of the leafy, well to do shires will literally never have left their estate. Get up, school and hone. Honestly, it’s sickening feel fortunate if you can’t imagine it.

Oh really

I beg to differ ds was not quite 3 when he has his first McDonald’s he loved it (and had ever since)

I live in a leafy suburb of squeezed middles. Most people l know are worried and reigning spending in. In fact they’re really concerned. If it’s difficult for the middles, it must be just terrifying for the ones below.

How can anyone on a low income survive this?

Oh fine, I give up with you lot. Feed your kids shit even if you want even though it's more expensive than real food.

You can pick up the NHS bill in 40 years when they all have diabetes, colon cancer, heart disease and other lifelong diet related diseases.

No wonder the health of this nation is on its knees with people like you around.

Giving a 3 year old Mcdonalds is rank.

oops sorry, he was 2 wasn't he @HRTQueen ?

Nice.

Where the fuck you getting chicken for £2.10/kilo??? Share! 😳

Yes he was 2

he was nearly 3 hence he was able to tell me how nice the McDonald’s was

sweet that you agree with him

Who are you talking to? My children have home cooked everything. A cheeky takeaway on the weekend as both of us work full time. We are educated and have worked our way up. I don’t have to work if I do not want to. I do because the work I do is valuable and needed.

You are showing huge ignorance of how much deprivation there is in this county and how deep it runs whilst remaining hidden.

I saw the 1 kilo British chicken on Tesco website but it's sold out now. Here's a similar one from M&S I just found, £2.33 per kilo:
www.ocado.com/products/m-s-select-farms-british-chicken-legs-519751011?ds_rl=1290893&ds_rl=1291426&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIob6d29yh-QIVBIfVCh3IPA-FEAQYAiABEgKF5vD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

That’s great, Ocado don’t deliver here. Ya anyway.

Don’t worry it’s me Itisasecret it seems I am the parent who makes rank decisions for my child who is apparently heading for early diabetes 🙄

news to me but someone always knows better on the internet

Or 1kg British chicken in Sainsbury's for £1.89:

www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/ProductDisplay?storeId=10151&productId=1299118&langId=44&istCompanyId=1e096408-041f-4238-994e-a7cf46bf9413&istFeedId=689af7a8-5842-4d88-be59-1ee5688a81b5&istItemId=ittriiapr&istBid=t&&cmpid=cpc&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=15424330555&utm_content=shopping&utm_term=%7bsku%7d&utm_custom1=129852755749&utm_custom2=759-449-0952&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8OuL9N2h-QIVC_lRCh1RbwXjEAQYBSABEgKIuPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Oh come on @HRTQueen - did you somehow miss the 20 year memo that Mcdonalds is pretty damned dangerous to eat?

It’s ok, I am partial to a McDonald’s nugget too! Don’t tell the police!

Real deprivation in this country is such an issue.
I mean generational, cyclical ongoing poverty. Parents don’t all know how to cook or have the means to do so. Sometimes they may just have a microwave and knock up beans or a micro burger. It’s all they have and all they know. People who don’t get that have never witness true
deprivation on every level which passes through. In such a rich country it’s a failure of us all. People just don’t want to believe it’s the reality for some.

Or Asda. I mean it really is everywhere. I guess you don't need to budget so you wouldn't know:
groceries.asda.com/product/chicken-thighs-drumsticks/asda-succulent-chicken-leg-quarters/1000296140251?awaid=2834&referrer=awin&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8OuL9N2h-QIVC_lRCh1RbwXjEAQYBCABEgIbo_D_BwE&utm_source=323889&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_campaign=Asda_Grocery

If eaten regularly it’s not good for you I would never claim it’s a healthy option

on the odd occasion I can think of many foods that are often eaten regularly that will be more harmful in their overall diet (some considered healthy too)

ds absolutely loves junk food he has always had plenty of home cooked healthy food given the choice I know what he will choose

Back to the regional differences - it's a different set of circumstances here - NW Devon. Doesn't look very deprived, cheerful people - but, but, but....most of the cheerful faces increasingly belong to those that have recently come here, having found a cheaper place to come without having to involve themselves in the local job market.

The 'loads' of job vacancies hasn't hit here - unless you want a Social Care job - but the pay doesn't match the living costs here so, if you plan to retire here bear in mind there's no one left to look after you even if you've got the money to pay.

I agree it really is. Many are just getting by

I find cooking easy, I know how to make a simple meal with few ingredients I think for some this comes more naturally do what flavours work well (of course having to learn the basics). I have a friend who’s mum was the most fantastic cook and tried to teach her. . She is rubbish and has to follow a recipe she finds cooking a real chore

i don’t know why cookery isn’t compulsory at school now it should be it’s a life skill

its not expensive to make a healthy meal but sometimes the knowledge isn’t there and for some just the effort Is overwhelming and it’s easier to do what you already know and know your children will like

You are showing huge ignorance of how much deprivation there is in this county and how deep it runs whilst remaining hidden.

I would wager that I'm the least ignorant person about deprivation on this thread. I live in one of the most deprived areas of England. I've worked with people in poverty and ultra low incomes for over 15 years. I'm on a low income myself, I'm a full time working single mum.

I can tell you now, the answer isn't 'oh the poor things are eating chicken nuggets because it makes them happy and maybe they don't have an oven, let's just leave them to it because they might not know any better and isn't it a terrible terrible shame'.

The answer is: show them how to budget, show them where to get the best healthy deals, show them how to cook. I do it day in day out and the changes in peoples health, wealth and well being is clear.

So get back into your little bubbles and wring your hands and do sod all.

How do you know we do sod all

I spend quite a bit of my time trying to get people to change their eating habits, cook with them show they how to cook simple healthy straightforward meals

no one is saying that education isn’t the way forward it’s understanding why some people are stuck with bad eating habits, why convenience food is so relied on it isn’t as simple as show them and all will change you should know that

people know smoking is bad for them they still do it

Why not sooner?! Are you kidding me? Well. Mainly because I'm recovering from ptsd due to ex's profoundly damaging bipolar crises; caring for dd who is autistic and ds disabled as a resukt of ptsd, sometimes severely so. So I haven't been able to leave them before now. Is that enough of a reason for you?!

This thread is full of people who have absolutely NO idea what it's like if you're ill, disabled, single parent, carer etc. I have a great degree from an excellent university but my children's needs determine my work.

@HotCaterpillar So I'm very Unhappily claiming benefits. And I don't know a single person claiming tax credits or DLA who wouldn't give their right arm to have healthy kids and a nice fat salary.

As other's posters have said, your comfy situation - marriage, career, family home - can all go, in a matter of months if you are hit with, in my case a very severe almist fats