10 million in severe poverty

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Vitamin c
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10 million in severe poverty

Post by Vitamin c »

Financial expert Martin Lewis interviewed on newsnight recently warned that 10 million people are facing moving to severe levels of poverty this winter and we are heading towards a genuine catastrophic crisis , he told newsnight of civil unrest and civil disobedience also people will refuse to pay their bills and warned that government action is to little to late.

Sobering words indeed.

Do you think you could be one of the 10 million would you consider not paying you're bills , how would companys and government react to can't pay won't pay it killed the poll tax .

Discuss ☺
Fill er up jacko...
WomanOfTheWoods
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Re: 10 million in severe poverty

Post by WomanOfTheWoods »

I've just googled the definition of Severe Poverty in the UK , and according to Professor google it is those existing on 60% of the median UK income. But I think this is an outdated definition and all things are relative. For this definition doesn't take into account the massive price hikes in almost everything nor which part of the UK you live.. Does anyone really believe we have 10% inflation? I'm seeing it to be more like 30% - 40% in some things, especially food!

For example, if you lived with family in a small ex local authority house in a pit village in the North East, mortgage paid off, had an allotment or two, kept a few chickens, used public transport, shared lifts with mates, cooked traditional food from scratch, had a strong community that would exchange goods and services with you,,, living on approx £15,000 a year is doable. But try doing that alone in the South East!! I'd say it would be near impossible.

I live on much less than £15,000 per annum and I consider myself to live well,,,,, but I earn a lot more than that and save the greater percentage of my income. Not because I'm a miser. But I just don't need or want things... Poverty is relative!

Now for the solutions,,,,
There's been an increase in food bank use. But most of the food isn't the healthiest. And there's often no point in providing fresh food if people can't afford to run fridges and cookers. I've ran a small community kitchen which provided meals for the elderly and a lunch once per week.

I have an idea...
Food banks by their very nature are often demeaning. Now please don't all bite my head off,,, but I know I could never bring myself to ever accept food from a food bank. I would see it as a massive personal failure and I'd honestly rather not eat for days than accept charity. I would see it ( on a personal level) as below rock bottom.. Humiliating, degrading, an utter failure.

People need to feel valued. To have a purpose, To be useful,
There are plenty of closed down cafes and coffee shops with Class 3 Consent.
What if these were opened as Community kitchens,, People getting together and producing simple, nutritious home cooked meals. Food could be cooked, packaged up, and taken home. Everyone has a part in the operation. People would be warm. They don't have high energy bills to pay to cook. I know companies who would donate food, meat, fish, vegetables.

I had thought of starting this. But I have also questioned whether there is a need in my area.

Any input appreciated,, and please don't bite off my head about me not being able to go to a food bank.It's just how I am.

And in reply to "it killed the poll tax", the difference is that the poll tax bill was only one creditor,,, the local authorities,
jansman
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Re: 10 million in severe poverty

Post by jansman »

Ooh this is a deep one, for sure. Well, let’s be clear from the start: Inflation/ fuel supplies/ food shortages/ climate issues, the whole shebang - is worldwide. As a species, we have pretty much wrecked the joint. This ain’t political, it’s real. So please, no political leanings or rants , or the thread will be locked.

It’s an interesting topic, so please carry on.
In three words I can sum up everything I have learned about life: It goes on.

Robert Frost.

Covid 19: After that level of weirdness ,any situation is certainly possible.

Me.
Vitamin c
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Re: 10 million in severe poverty

Post by Vitamin c »

A friend of my daughter went to the local community fridge (a scheme that supermarkets give reduced price / going out of date food to charitys too give away for free) and it had run out of food again .
The lady explained that it's not just the unemployed who use the service but pensioners /disabled / workers too and they now always have a que of around 15 people waiting outside every morning when they open.
At first clients were allowed to take what they wanted but now it's so many items per person.
Fill er up jacko...
Vitamin c
Posts: 1070
Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2020 1:16 pm

Re: 10 million in severe poverty

Post by Vitamin c »

A friend of my daughter went to the local community fridge (a scheme that supermarkets give reduced price / going out of date food to charitys too give away for free) and it had run out of food again .
The lady explained that it's not just the unemployed who use the service but pensioners /disabled / workers too and they now always have a que of around 15 people waiting outside every morning when they open.
At first clients were allowed to take what they wanted but now it's so many items per person.
Fill er up jacko...
Kiwififer
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Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2018 1:02 pm

Re: 10 million in severe poverty

Post by Kiwififer »

Vitamin c wrote: Tue Jul 12, 2022 7:17 am A friend of my daughter went to the local community fridge (a scheme that supermarkets give reduced price / going out of date food to charitys too give away for free) and it had run out of food again .
The lady explained that it's not just the unemployed who use the service but pensioners /disabled / workers too and they now always have a que of around 15 people waiting outside every morning when they open.
At first clients were allowed to take what they wanted but now it's so many items per person.
Yup, I once gave a wink and a nod to a food bank that one of my staff members was struggling a bit (I was a team leader in a MH outreach team at the time) and sent him down with a service user who wanted to access a food parcel.

Think about this for a minute. A man who was working full time had to access a food bank. It is crazy when you think about it.

Edited to say, I work in Craigmillar in Edinburgh (I’m at work just now actually) and within 500 yards of me, there’s a food bank and a shop that sells end of life food items at a very low price to help out struggling families. We are meant to be one of the richest countries in the world yet kids go to school hungry. Is this the best we can aspire to?
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diamond lil
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Re: 10 million in severe poverty

Post by diamond lil »

Craigmillar has always been a good strong local community KF, hope they hang on there.
I would be a very strong believer in community cafes/kitchens apart from being angry that in this day and age they are needed at all. But I think it's the way to go, and you could also get some education going in them, let people know that the news and the papers don't nec represent the truth etc. Won't catch on down here though, rural area/very private people/lots of money around.
I do think the CT riots did a great job, we won that round :twisted:
WomanOfTheWoods
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Re: 10 million in severe poverty

Post by WomanOfTheWoods »

diamond lil wrote: Tue Jul 12, 2022 9:46 am Craigmillar has always been a good strong local community KF, hope they hang on there.
I would be a very strong believer in community cafes/kitchens apart from being angry that in this day and age they are needed at all. But I think it's the way to go, and you could also get some education going in them, let people know that the news and the papers don't nec represent the truth etc. Won't catch on down here though, rural area/very private people/lots of money around.
I do think the CT riots did a great job, we won that round :twisted:
Yes diamond lil, I'm with you on all of this.
Having previously lived in the Borders for many years, I agree that there's a lot of money in the rural borders but there's also a fair bit of poverty.
There's a world of difference from the house in the country and ponies in the paddock lifestyle ( which OMG was and is mine)!! to struggling in a tenement in Hawick. But that doesn't mean that I don't understand the trials of the tenement dweller versus my life. It doesn't mean that those who have don't understand struggle.

Community kitchens would work in places like Gala and Hawick. Unlike foodbanks, I don't see these these being charity but as an inclusive community resource. Older people could share their skills and feel valued.

I know of several suitable buildings in Hawick which are available for tuppence. Veg could come from Drysdale at Cockburns Path. Meat sourced from a local butcher,,,, this is all perfectly doable.

That the forum isn't political is rare, unique and refreshing in online times. It's community that will make a difference and not politics.
Kiwififer
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Re: 10 million in severe poverty

Post by Kiwififer »

Community is the reason why I’m a fan of all children receiving free school meals. I’ve seen poverty up close and it’s not pretty, universal school meals ends stigmatisation and ensures all kids of all backgrounds get fed.

Hell, I’d bring back the milk!
WomanOfTheWoods
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Re: 10 million in severe poverty

Post by WomanOfTheWoods »

Kiwififer wrote: Tue Jul 12, 2022 11:14 am Community is the reason why I’m a fan of all children receiving free school meals. I’ve seen poverty up close and it’s not pretty, universal school meals ends stigmatisation and ensures all kids of all backgrounds get fed.

Hell, I’d bring back the milk!
The cost of providing free school meals for all is absolutely nothing compared to the benefits. Increased ability to concentrate and learn and better health are just the start. You should see the meals school kids get in Shetland. Real fresh home cooked food cooked by staff employed by Shetland council.

Shetland council are in a better financial position because of the oil. But if Shetland can do it. Then the rest of the UK can.