Child Poverty. With our benefits system ie. Housing, council tax, income support, child benefit. Is there any need for a child in the UK to be suffering from this?

[Bubble99]

Discuss.

if things go smoothly in life, possibly not, but things don't always go smoothly. eg. tax credits overpayments, expense incurred re:illness etc.

Not sure what you mean, tbh. Do you mean the benefits system is so good no child can really be poor?

No unless the parents are spending the money on drugs or drink.

Why Bubble99? Have you started this? You sound like me

Im on benifits and the system sucks nuts big time. I mean yes it helps out most people who cant work so we can provide for our chil/children, but the country has made it to easy for people to not work. I tell you one thing i cant wait to go back to work once my yougest starts school, i dont want hand outs much longer i feel ashamed!

Also despite someone coming onto a thread earlier this week saying that her h had kicked her out. I believe that had she gone to a police station and just sat there, she would have got aid.

As opposed to a lot of countries, then yes, edam, I'd say our benefits system is fantastic.

Free schooling.
Free healthcare.
Free housing.
Free council tax.
Free money, both in the form of child benefit and any benefits the parents qualify for.

Can a child really be deemed to be suffering from poverty in the UK?

Why don't you go and look at the Child Poverty Action Group website? They know a darn sight more about it than you, or I.

If aprents are putting their kids needs first, no there's no real reason- I mean it does depend what you mean by poor, but there's no excuse fro unfed kids etc. There will always be comparative poverty.

Only exception really is when things go tits up- eg benefits cheque doesn't arrive, parent lost job and benefits take ages vcoming through, or indeed a WTC mess up whcih can leave a family in dire starits- espcially those not on benefits as such.

And, FWIW, I know teachers who bring in food for children who don't have much to eat at home.

As opposed to a lot of countries, then yes, edam, I'd say our benefits system is fantastic.

Free schooling.
Free healthcare.
Free housing.
Free council tax.
Free money, both in the form of child benefit and any benefits the parents qualify for.

Can a child really be deemed to be suffering from poverty in the UK?

Poverty is relative to time and place. What is classed as poverty here and now, might be considered relative affluence in Darfur or in 17th century London. So there will always be poverty as long as some people are richer than others.

I know a single mum who gets most of the above...she has protected the father of her child from the CSA for nothing and she got a doorstep loan, where they come every week for the repayments-loan shark basically-and Barclaycard gave her a limit 5 times her annual income which she in the end ran up. Her child has had periods of getting loads of new stuff and then years of poverty while she paid it all back, which I think she has done now.
I think the poverty of being in debt and on benefits is one that most of us will never know how hard it is. I think it may be widespread though.

I agree with what bubble says but it sucks in a way of there a lots of people on benifits now days becouse most of the time your better off on them then working. Pride is what some people need not so much the single parents or the disabled or carers but the teenagers who cannot be bothered to work or those who claim incapacity benifit when f alls wrong with them!

How can a family who are having all of the below paid for not be able to afford to buy a loaf of bread and something to put in a sandwich?

I would genuinely like to know?

They can thats my point, people on benifits are in poverty, people who run away and who are homless are

Isn't it dependant on the parents spending their benefits on the child? I'm sure there are some who spend it on drugs or drink

sorry ment to say people on benifits are not in povery

thats rare though- usually poverty is far more subtle

Genuine case- mum we had to help resettle after she was palced hundreds of miles away from her family after being in a domestic violence hostel. 5 kids. She couldnt talk to family ever agin, they'd tell him where she was.

best mum I ever meta nd certainly her kids got fed etc. But was she poor? god yes! being rehomed like that- she ahd nothing. her armchair was a wooden one found in a skip! The council had a place where those on a low income could get furniture but it was still £25 delivery plus a cost, well byong her means. She literally ahd what she stood up in.

try this for more info

The link I gave below points out that parents try to protect their children. It's not the case that child poverty is caused by greedy parents spending all their benefits on fags and booze. That's just an urban myth that makes those of us who are not poor feel better about ourselves.

Sorry, edam. New 'puter and haven't/can't load adobe.

Give me the gist, please?

I cannot get my head around a family in the UK, receiving benefits, who can't afford to buy the wherewithall for a sandwich.

Ive just split with partner at end of may, am self employed selling on ebay, sold last of stuff...in first 3 weeks of splitting from him..no money to buy more.
Have had no Tax Credits since. Have spent my paltry £875 savings on bills and food and have nothing left.(thats 2 months living)
My mum will go without for us. So we will not starve. But if it wasnt for her we would, I guess, no idea where I would magic up food money from.
Hope this is sorted out before the kids go back to school as I have no money for petrol to get them there and no money for food to put in thier lunch boxes.
And as im not on IS, there will be no free meals, no free presciptions and when Housing Benefit realise I havent put in a Tax Credits Award form they will stop that too.
Rent arrears................arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

i get £170 a week for my 2 kids and i read that link they recon on the chart that im borderline and to be comfertable i should have £371, if i was on that a week id be laughing id get more then my mates do working and the government recon thats after housing cost