Page 12 | How would you tackle child poverty and improve outcomes?

Cindyyyy · 2025-10-01T09:09:51+00:00

I would back: - free basic school meals for all from 3 (extras can be paid for) of healthy, veg-based, minimally-processed meals - investment into school-based pre-school, to be free for all from age 3 - increase school funding massively, pay rises for teachers and nursery staff, investment and subsidies into training - increase number of SEN schools and in-school SEN provision, as well as PRUs - subsidised holiday clubs for all parents working full time - extend SureStart, increase reviews by health visitors. If a child isn’t meeting milestones, earlier intervention and increased checks - expand apprenticeships You?

usernamealreadytaken · 02/10/2025 14:01

3WildOnes · 02/10/2025 11:00

Yes- that's exactly what lifelong secure tenancies would mean. I'm no sure that they would be be massively subsided by the tax payer. They would be paying rent until they die- for a lot longer than you pay a mortgage for. And then another family would live in the house and pay rent and so on amd so on.

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If every person could stay in the family sized home for the rest of their lives, the cost of building new council homes to accommodate those needing to move up from smaller to larger homes would be phenomenal and prohibitive. The cost of building, maintaining and improving council homes is enormous, and far outweighs the capped rents which apply to tenants.

Somebody paying council rent is already having their living costs subsidised; the number of people actually paying their own rent for the full duration of their tenancy would be vanishingly small; the majority of council tenants are on some form of benefits and handing them a guaranteed home with no requirement to pay for it, or its upkeep and maintenance, would further encourage that. It's one of the reasons RTB was such a roaring success; people were able to have a stake in their own home. The way it was administered leaves a lot to be desired; the discounts could have been smaller and profits should have been reinvested in building new council homes, but the idea behind it was solid.

usernamealreadytaken · 02/10/2025 14:05

Doingmybest80 · 02/10/2025 13:49

Bloodyhell here we go again, people on UC unless disabled or are a carer HAVE TO FIND WORK if in a couple one of them have to work a certain amount of hours to make up UCs criteria for that wage.
And the other person has to work a certain amount of hours when there children are aged 3 and above.
So unless they are having children every few years until pension age (very unlikely)they will be sanctioned and there UC taken away!!

Also vouchers, my husband works full time, I am a carer to a child who has complex needs.
1 to 1 at school (they are part time as well).
We do get a top up of UC because of my child, why should I be penalised with having to use vouchers!

And the people that are saying it would stop parents abusing money, it won't!
The parents that put their children first will do regardless.
The parents that don't will sell there vouchers (for less) regardless.

Unfortunately there is no helping a very small amount of parents no matter what help and support you give them.
And it's these children that need the most if not the cycle continues.

But I do agree sure start was beneficial to a lot of parents and it had no stigma to it.
People were accepted and supported no matter who you were.

There is no village anymore, no support systems in place any more.

Why is it penalising you if you have £50 vouchers to spend on food, rather than £50 cash?

MyLimeGuide · 02/10/2025 14:06

Ablondiebutagoody · 01/10/2025 10:22

Slash welfare to encourage people to work for a living and improve their own lives, rather than generations languishing on benefits.

This.

Doingmybest80 · 02/10/2025 14:12

usernamealreadytaken · 02/10/2025 14:05

Why is it penalising you if you have £50 vouchers to spend on food, rather than £50 cash?

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What so all places are going to let you use vouchers?
The shops that are a short distance away? So I do not need transport because you know I will need money for transport.

Tell you what the £83 a week I get and the little top up of UC I'll give up and put my child into supportive living.
Which would cost the tax payer way more money then they give me!!!!

So no I don't have many luxurys as it is, my child will always come first!
But I do not agree with vouchers!

Goldenbear · 02/10/2025 14:29

usernamealreadytaken · 02/10/2025 12:36

How does wealth inequality relate in any way to poverty? The wealthy are not taking money forcibly from poor people. They are not claiming benefits, not draining services (often the opposite) and are often providing employment for others. How would poor people be better off if we had fewer millionaires, other than by reducing the number of millionaires by taking their money?

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You don't know why 1% of UK population owning 70% of wealth is a problem and you don't see how that relates to increasing poverty?

Many ways:

- concentrated wealth equates to unequal political influence, resulting in policies that favour the rich and weaken the living standards of those on low incomes
-wealth concentrated on property, shares and financial assets drove up their prices,along housing inaccessible to those without assets and trapping them in dire, insecure rentals.

far from creating jobs, the very wealthy are so due to passive gains and rents rather than productive wages meaning the wealth remains at the top of the triangle and doesn't help to lift people out of poverty.

Uggbootsforever · 02/10/2025 14:30

So what do you suggest? Everyone owns the exact same share of ‘wealth’ so nobody has any?!

Namechange822 · 02/10/2025 14:45

I agree with:

reopen and properly find surestart centres
free school meals for all families claiming universal credit
better cms system with strong, legal sanctions for parents who don’t support their kids when they are able to.
Raise income tax threshold

Id also add change school hours from year 1 upwards to 8.30 - 5.30 as the standard, with the extra time focused on sports, crafts, languages , projects etc. Free for parents on universal credit, a small charge for working parents to cover the additional provision. Fund schools sufficiently to make this happen without placing more workload onto teachers.

ShyMaryEllen · 02/10/2025 14:58

I'm more about carrot than stick, so would stop means-testing everything, so that people could save or work towards a step up (promotion, pay rise, pension fund or whatever) without losing money that is free to those who neither save nor work.

I agree about increasing MW and stopping top ups. I'd make child benefit universal, but only for households with both parents working at least 20 hours a week each, unless there is good reason why they can't, such as disability, caring responsibilities or studying. Ditto nursery provision.

I would stop Right To Buy immediately, and offer incentives to people selling rentals to local authorities to increase the numbers of council houses. I would also increase taxes on private rents and ring-fence the proceeds for more LA house building, so that ultimately there would be enough to make them available to all who want them. No fixed tenancies, no ghettos and fair rents.

Rather than fining parents who take children on holiday in school time, I'd have heavily subsidised residential trips for children who attend regularly. Also school lotteries with tickets going in a 'hat' for every full week/month/term of attendance, and a decent prize that children really want (not a dictionary or pencil case 😀). Tickets could also be awarded in the same way as house points, for good behaviour and other achievements.

I also approve of free school meals for all - not means-tested, very little choice, and all healthy. Probably vegetarian, so all religious groups can eat the same things. I wouldn't allow packed lunches other than for those on special diets with some sort of proof of reason, and would give out recipe cards (or online versions) so that parents and older children could make the meals at home.

Allthatshines1992 · 02/10/2025 15:32

Freeatlast001 · 02/10/2025 13:09

I'm a private landlord. Myself and DH worked hard to buy our own home and now have a rental property too. The rental will help pay for our teenagers further education, deposits on homes and money for old age and inheritance for our children.

Why should I be penalised for actually working hard, making good financial decisions and thinking about my children's future.

I have seen cases of families " crying poverty" but the real ones are few and far between.

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Loads of people work hard and aren't rich.

CoffeeCantata · 02/10/2025 15:47

38thparallel · 02/10/2025 10:09

proper care for adults with addiction and other MH issues.

The problem with addiction, be it alcoholism, drug addiction or gambling, is that however much help is available, nothing can be done to help people unless they want to stop.
Maybe one day there will be a solution to this but until that happens the addict will put their addiction before their family and everything else and so poverty and a chaotic lifestyle is unavoidable.

The NHS was set up to provide basic health care, free specs and dentures. It was never set up to deal with the complex issues of addiction and MH. I don’t believe it can ever do these things.

Addiction and MH are totally open-ended problems. Who ever said “Ta very much - that’s my 6 NHS counselling sessions - I’m sorted! Bye!” No-one ever.

Sometimes problems don’t have solutions.

CoffeeCantata · 02/10/2025 15:51

LoftyRobin · 02/10/2025 07:41

So you think the only people who work are those who share your conservative views? And the rest of us just don't work? Claim JSA?

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Still waiting for you to address my ‘conservative views’.

You can’t, though, can you? You don’t really understand much about politics.

LoftyRobin · 02/10/2025 16:12

usernamealreadytaken · 02/10/2025 13:49

There are nearly one hundred midwifery related vacancies on NHSJobs.com, and hundreds of B5 nursing jobs advertised. The NHS is desperately short of staff, and I find it incredible that your friends/neighbours/acquaintances with medical qualifications cannot find work.

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They cant find work where they live. I could leave my job tomorrow and find another one. Not the case when all the hospitals that used to provide maternity care in your county have been reduced to one or two.

Many of the people I studied with cannot afford to live in or near London..

LoftyRobin · 02/10/2025 16:13

CoffeeCantata · 02/10/2025 15:51

Still waiting for you to address my ‘conservative views’.

You can’t, though, can you? You don’t really understand much about politics.

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You've said enough to expose yourself as a conservative. I'm not playing attention seeking games with you. Shoo.

CoffeeCantata · 02/10/2025 16:32

LoftyRobin · 02/10/2025 16:13

You've said enough to expose yourself as a conservative. I'm not playing attention seeking games with you. Shoo.

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Cop out - quelle surprise! 😆

Googoogrrfff · 02/10/2025 16:36

LoftyRobin · 02/10/2025 16:13

You've said enough to expose yourself as a conservative. I'm not playing attention seeking games with you. Shoo.

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I'm a conservative.. proud of it

LeaderBee · 02/10/2025 16:37

A 2 child limit policy.

LoftyRobin · 02/10/2025 16:40

Googoogrrfff · 02/10/2025 16:36

I'm a conservative.. proud of it

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Great. Share some of your confidence with that other user who can't admit it

daddysgirlnot · 02/10/2025 16:44

Araminta1003 · 02/10/2025 10:57

“It's madness that we encourage nearly 50% of teenagers to attend university, yet nearly 50% of jobs are not graduate level/type jobs. I know of so many, first generation, undergraduates who genuinely thought that their degree in 'Business and Fashion Management' (or whatever) from an ex poly, was going to lead them directly to a glittering career at Vogue, or a buyer for Harvey Nics etc.”

University is more than what you learn there, it is also about initiation in to adulthood and is about social mobility, not just in terms of the jobs you get. A child from a poorer background going to uni gets to mix and potentially then marry into more wealth and education. The child learns the social etiquette just by being around others who are given that in the cradle. And it is supporting the Higher Education industry which is massive in the UK. We need to value it, thousands of international students certainly do and are willing to pay huge bucks for it. I agree that regulation may be required for suitable courses but I think a lot of unis are doing there bit in regards to advising students on careers.

Frankly, young people deserve to go to uni. I think it is the elderly who are entitled in this country, voting for Brexit now increasingly Reform etc when we precisely need a young educated population and a whole lot of skilled immigrants and unskilled ones to support our ageing demographic. Unis should have never charged fees in the first place, it is unconscionable, most of Europe does not do this. Let’s not forget the reason we do this is to help those who need an NHS, that is the vulnerable and old. The young at the very least deserve to go to uni in the first place.

I agree with you.

Freeatlast001 · 02/10/2025 16:48

Allthatshines1992 · 02/10/2025 15:32

Loads of people work hard and aren't rich.

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I wouldn't class myself as being rich. It's all about priorities though. Maybe some people need to work smarter and not harder.

Crochetandtea · 02/10/2025 17:04

I don’t think it’s solvable. Society is completely fucked imo. Everyone is entitled to everything without ever working. Those with low iqs are having the biggest families because they can and because they don’t have to work- especially if they can get at least one of their children onto dla. Feral children everywhere. Adhd is not an excuse to behave like an animal.
The rich wankers are getting richer off the backs of the working classes who can barely afford a basic standard of living for 2 adults and 2 children.
Men are shagging around and leaving children behind who they never see never mind support ( I’d sterilise them) . Women are having multiple children with multiple fathers and children are growing up not knowing what a family is. I’d offer them women a financial incentive to get sterilised. £1k and a couple do sessions of Botox and some turkey teeth should do it !
Can you tell I’ve had a shitty shitty day dealing with the lowest of society and their ill reared offspring. Fuckers!!

Crochetandtea · 02/10/2025 17:10

Children who don’t want to be in school should be allowed to leave and get a job. Disrupting another child’s education should be grounds for expulsion. Shape up or get a job!

MellowPinkDeer · 02/10/2025 20:09

Harriet9955 · 01/10/2025 17:47

Well you would say that with your eleven ( or has it gone higher ) BTL properties wouldn't you ? The poster was saying that more council properties should be built to keep greedy people like you away.

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If the government stopped the ridiculous notion of paying people’s rents IN FULL as part of UC then rents would naturally lower due to the demand and achievability of the pricing. The government helps create the crazy high rent rates by spending tax payers money on private renting.

usernamealreadytaken · 02/10/2025 20:51

LoftyRobin · 02/10/2025 16:12

They cant find work where they live. I could leave my job tomorrow and find another one. Not the case when all the hospitals that used to provide maternity care in your county have been reduced to one or two.

Many of the people I studied with cannot afford to live in or near London..

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But many of those vacancies will be recruiting abroad because we can’t fill them here. Midwives will potentially move thousands of miles to fill our vacancies, but your friends won’t move towns for a well-paid job, so will go on benefits instead, costing us double. This is one of the reasons we are on our knees FFS.

Squishydishy · 02/10/2025 21:00

Arraminta · 02/10/2025 10:08

It's madness that we encourage nearly 50% of teenagers to attend university, yet nearly 50% of jobs are not graduate level/type jobs. I know of so many, first generation, undergraduates who genuinely thought that their degree in 'Business and Fashion Management' (or whatever) from an ex poly, was going to lead them directly to a glittering career at Vogue, or a buyer for Harvey Nics etc.

Of course it bloody doesn't. Those type of jobs are for the very, very privileged few. Most often requiring some very impressive family/social connections and a maybe a degree from Central St Martin's or Courtaulds. Back in the day, my cousin went to St Martin's and secured a job at Elle Decoration when she graduated mainly because her friend's Mum was a sub editor there.

In reality, the majority of these new graduates will end up working in call centres and coffee shops (which they could have done at 18), but now heavily in debt because of the useless degree they were encouraged to take. It's incredibly unfair.

It’s weird you say that because I did that degree at an ex poly and became a buyer for Harvey Nichols. I had to read your post a few times…! It’s not unheard of.

No family connections etc

5128gap · 02/10/2025 21:17

Cindyyyy · 01/10/2025 11:23

I don’t have a stake in the game on private landlords but I know it’s far less profitable than it was even five or ten years ago.

I do think there needs to be an increase in building council properties though, but cheap to run blocks of flats, not sprawling executive housing estates with five bedrooms and big gardens. Council housing should be for those in need of housing.

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I don't think we need to bring back failed experiments from the 60s. Have you ever been to an estate of cheap council flats? We already know what it looks like when low income and vulnerable people are forced to live on top of each other in little boxes. If you want to lift children from poverty the last thing you need is to create sink estates to bring them up in.