Britains Hiidden Hungry on BBC1

[Darkesteyes]

Tonight at 10.35.
Its about people who have had to use food banks. I just thought id flag it up on here for anyone who would be interested in watching it.
Ive only just spotted it in the TV guide.

And dont forget that even if the young person does have loving parents if those parents rent then they might have downsized LIKE THIS GOVERNMENT HAS ALREADY TOLD THEM TO DO so that elusive third bedroom in their EX childhood home is no longer there because Shiny Dave has already forced those parents to move to a smaller house.
Do you work for the BBC Xenia.
Because after the spectacular evidence they have shown lately of being either thick as shit or simply not caring i think youd fit right in.

Just watching this on i-player and whilst I think Charlotte is totally genuine what the fuck is that stupid woman doing with those dogs!!??? I cannot understand how a food bank which should be run for those in serious need are delivering to her house! The first thing you feed is your family. We can't afford a cat and we're both working. taking the piss or what?? Not watched it all yet but am astounded!

It is amazing how much stuff and nice the houses are of those who fell onhard times and perhaps those of us who don't fall on hard times don't because we never took out loans to buy posh furniture, use second hand furniture for year (I sleep in a bed bought 27 years ago and only drink tap water etc). I never thought in a million years i would agree with xenia but, yes, you do not buy hideously expensive things on a whim and sit there showing them off and moaning about how you bought them when things were 'ok', whilst going to a foodbank. You sell them and live responsibly. You donlt have massive great dogs if you can't feed your children, sad as it may be, you take them to a shelter, you bloody well live within your means! I agree, it may have all been staged and seriously needy families should have also been shown, but it proves that there are some people with that sense of 'entitlement' really do exist. I'm appalled - and I say that as someone who has been through some shitty times and worked with people who have been through some shitty times too.

Come on Xenia you don't usually hang back, so let me have a reply to the issue I raised with you.........

Butthisismyname - I think some of us (I certainly am)are of the view that the whole programme was staged from beginning to end and people played their parts as if in a play. It was BBC who are pretty right wing and I can only assume they wanted to show that not all these people needing food banks were genuine. Great - plays right into the hands of the Xenias of this country, and there are many thousands of them sadly.

Totally agree Nana.

NN, tyhat is the piont. My position is we all have a responsbility to support ourselves. I have never once expected the sttae to support me. I sort out my own problems. Yet even to ask the questions you ask suggests you think the state should be some all great provider.

butis, I agree. Many people cannot afford dogs. The Times had some interviews with more genuine "poor" yesterday and one had had to sell her dog because of hard times which of course is a more normal course of action.

If young people know they will not have housing paid for until they are 25 (a) they might ensure they don't have babies until they are older - my grandfather waited until he was 40 to afford it, my parents were married 13 years saving up before they had me etc (b) they might believe it or not seek a job! which enables them to pay for rent in a shared house in a part of the country they can afford. I know it's amazing that they might have to work or work two jobs or move 300 miles or go to Paris for work or whatever but yes they will. Or be nice enough to their mother that she doesn't throw them out if they have on.

By the way there are live in jobs going in the UK and there is a huge unmet need for live in carers and some of those jobs come with accommodation. A good few parents are looking for a live in au pair too. Loads of options and if this is the kick up the bottom under 25s need wow wonderful just what they need.

"Darren wouldn't have given his permission for the programme to go out with him being found out to be a benefit cheat and con man."

Release forms are signed before filming.

Contributors don't get a say in what is broadcast, under normal circumstances.

Nana - this programme was a documentary not a reality programme, and no, it wasn't "staged".

I think the journalist lost objectivity when he started giving people money, and his fury with Darren for scamming him meant he put out a programme where the story that was too much focused on Darren personally.

The rest of the programme was poorly focused and not sure what story it was trying to tell.

I give up with you Xenia - I'm convinced now you are Theresa May or Edwina Currie.

ha ha Theresa May.

Athinginyourlife - yes I know the programme was a documentary so yes I did make a mistake in calling it a "reality" programme, but there's not a lot of difference when all is said and done. However you can't proove at all that this was not staged just as I can'r proove that it was, but nothing will convince me that it wasn't. And why couldn't they have signed a release for beforehand.

I disagree with your view of why the programme was put out and I think I started the discussion about the authenticity of the programme. However I think this is digressing from the real point, that food banks are now neededin the UK and the people that use them on a regular basis are not staged they are genuinely hungry and that is a disgrace in a country like ours.

There is a big difference between a reality show and a documentary.

I don't need to "prove" it wasn't staged. It's obvious that it wasn't.

But if "nothing will convince" you out of your idiocy, I'm not going to waste my time trying.

Happy to be Edwina Currie as she's funny and sensible in relation to childcare issues too, a lot of wisdom, huge pity she had to leave politics (although whatever she saw in John Major I have no idea).

I think must be only person in the country who would be happy to be mistaken for Edwina Currie

Athinginyourlife do you really think it's necessary to make personal attacks just because someone doesn't share you point of view. Is that how you conduct your life. However as I have said before all this business of the programme being staged or not is detracting from the far more serious issue of people needing foodbanks in the UK and losing benefit when they are seriously ill or disabled.

The cold weather is on the way and fuel costs the same regardless of income as most of us know (unless Xenia thinks differently). Let's forget the people out of work for the minute, and think of my nephew on minimum wage (lower rate) approx £5 per hour and can only get 20 hours work a week, (used to be full time but where he works "Pets for Us" are not doing well - so £100 per week - less £30 tax and N.I. = £70.00 per week. He is getting HB at the moment but this will stop next April because you won't be able to get it unless you are working at least 26 hours per week, even though many shops are cutting the hours of the staff. SO Xenia any ideas on how my nephew is to manage on £280.00 per month. He is taking his CV around to every shop in the neighbourhood, but the staff are telling him that their hours are being cut, but they take the CV anyway. Oh and guess what, it all comes to nothing. He would be very cold and hungry this winter but of course he has a kind aunt to help him out.

I'd love to see the tory toffs manage on £240 per day never mind per month.

Edwina C has many supporters. She is a funny clever mid life woman who seems to like life and have brought up her children whilst being a successful politician. Her affair with Major was not good of course but no one is perfect.

NannyNina

If your DN is earning £100 per week and paying £30 in tax and NI then he needs to speak to his payroll team as he shouldn't be paying either tax or NI.

NI is only payable if you earn more than £146/wk and the tax personal allowance is £8,105pa, which is approx £155/wk before tax would be payable.

Oh thanks Betsyboop - it was just me assuming that to be honest - glad to hear that. He doesn't like to tell me too much because he knows how worried I am about him. He is my sister's youngest son (and she died 4 years ago at aged 65)so I've sort of taken him under my wing. He's a lovely young man and is trying sooo hard to get a full time job, and I know there are thousands of others like him, but they are just being called "scroungers" - his friend has made over 100 applications for jobs and only got a reply from about 2, neither offering an interview. This is why this JSA is so unfair. It would be fair enough if there jobs but there aren't. We live in the West Midlands and unemployment is very high, with companies closing down and thousands of people being made redundant every week.

My friend who is living on a state pension has a son who lives with her and he has recently been made redundant from HMV when they closed most of their stores. His father left my friend when she was pregnant and she has struggled to bring up her son by doing all sorts of low paid jobs (sometimes 2 or 3 at a time) He was on JSA for 6 months and despite no end of applications, phone calls, e mails, taking his CV around, he has found nothing. He found out last week that his JSA was stopped altogether because he is still living at home. So he has no income whatsoever and my friend is only just making ends meet on a state pension of £400 per month. There is no mortgage, but all the other usual outgoings and now her son cannot contribute anything, and he has become depressed because he is so worried about his mother.

There are the real life people (never mind TV programmes) who I know of that are struggling so much under these heartless evil tory toffs.

Meanwhile Asda is using workfare in the run up to Christmas instead of employing people and actually paying them.

Pay day loan companies are probably the people to go and seek a job from, given how many of them there are these days.

Oh, and as to the bucketheads saying 'don't use them' the trouble is, if you are poor, you can't get credit anywhere else, and if you are living on very little, you have no funds for emergencies such as a broken cooker/window, or the DC trashing their one pair of shoes or their school uniform. SO you have to use a payday lender, and they are always ever so keen to lend you more and more until you hit the wall.

NanaNina

Is your friend claiming Pension Credit? - The "Guarantee Credit" part will top up her weekly income if it?s below £142.70. Ditto Council Tax benefit.

Also (unless her son is under 18) they won't have stopped his JSA just because he's still living at home. After six months his entitlement to contributions-based JSA will cease. (This is based on his past NI contributions, ie not means tested.) and he should have been transferred on to income-based JSA, which will be means-tested to take account of any savings etc he may have. (They don't take into account any parental income/savings.)

If they aren't clear what they are entitled to or their benefit has been stopped unfairly, then I'd suggest a visit to the CAB.

I am not saying there are loads of live in jobs or they are easy to get but here is one

www.gumtree.com/p/jobs/handyman-and-housekeeper-couple-wanted/1002165838

Here is another 0 in a bar with live in accommodation on their newlybuilt staff accommodation

www.gumtree.com/p/jobs/experienced-waiting-staff-couplesingle--stag-on-the-river--live-in-available/112849085

He could also try advertising like this couple are www.gumtree.com/p/jobs/couple-looking-for-a-job/1002528572

Thank you again BetsyBoop - I will check out with my friend all of the things you mention. Her son is definitely not getting any JSA. Am going to see her tomorrow armed with this helpful info. You are very helpful and knowledgeable BB- do you mind my asking if you are a lawyer or a CAB employee. I was a social worker for 30 years (now retired) and very rusty on welfare rights. We used to used the Child Poverty Action Book as the best one as it covered all aspects of welfare rights. Can you recommend an up to date one that I could buy. Thanks again.

Xenia - please please go away - I just find it so insulting that you are posting these dreadful "live in" jobs with their long lists of requirements and their talk of their portfolio of investments (yuk) they sound like your sort of people. The idea that my nephew who is somewhat timid and still prone to depression and anxiety following the death of his mother, and has none of the requisite skills could just "up sticks" and apply for something like this is just nonsensical. It means you are more out of touch with "ordinary" people than I first thought. I woud sell my house rather than see my nephew work for such people even if he did have the skills. These people want servants but edge away from using the actual word.