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- #61
You do have a massive chip on your shoulder though.
It's probably from living in Bishop Stortford. I know the place well.
You do have a massive chip on your shoulder though.
My Mum volunteers in a food bank in Hastings and I think you would be surprised by the type of person that uses them. She sees many more recently unemployed professionals who had well paid jobs but have hit hard times than your stereotypical 'dole scum'/council estate type.
In answer to a previous post, you need to be referred by the local authority and present vouchers in order to receive the food.
Without pretending to have the answers, I find it very sad that in such a rich and comparatively prosperous developed nation, there are still people living in poverty and forced to turn to schemes like the food banks.
Wages went a lot further in the past though. Rent and energy have far outstripped inflation.
And I do feel people should feel entitled to be able to buy food in a country which David Cameron himself said is "wealthy." He is quite happy to give "whatever it takes" to flood victims..why no sort out food poverty as well?
Thanks for providing some insight. I'm getting fed up with some of the idiots on here who have no idea what the reality is.
The state's ability to cope has fallen, because life expectancy has increased in that period, thus increasing the share of the welfare bill taken up by pensions. Moreover, there are far fewer council houses than there were in 1981, so a good portion of the welfare bill has instead been taken up by paying housing benefit direct to private landlords - this is massively inefficient.In 1981 the average wage was £7,000 - (£22,750)
In 1981 unemployment stood at over 2.5 million
Spending on welfare was £30 billion - (£97.5 billion)
Equivalent 2013 figures in brackets
In 2013 the figures were -
Average wage - £26,500
Unemployment - 2,5 million
Spending on welfare - £110 billion
So over the last 30 odd years average wages have increased by 16% in real terms, unemployment has stayed the same, (which means more people are working because the population has grown), and spending on benefits has increased by 12%.
A simplistic approach I accept but have people's expectations of what the state can provide grown over the last 30 odd years or has the ability to cope fallen?
These topics so quickly turn politics when, in reality, there are a number of social and economic factors that make it no surprise food bank user numbers are rising:
1. Our economy is growing, attracting immigrants who start with very little.
2. Essentials like council tax, electric and gas have grown incredibly fast over recent years, eating in to disposable income.
3. People live away from their families, there aren't the same support networks that used to exist.
4. The rest of the world is catching up with us, and a significant proportion of our indigenous "workforce" don't have the skills to cope.
5. There is a timelag working here, where people still expect the state will support them whereas in reality the changes are already biting. The writing was already on the wall when the banks collapsed in 2007-08.
I get the feeling that this is sarcastic, but it's over my head.It's okay, looks like average wages are going to be up 1.8% so there is no problem, definitely not. And growth is up, which absolutely proves that Osbourne's 'strategy' is correct.
Wages went a lot further in the past though.
All but arguably point 3 of that list are partially if not wholly political issues.
Nope, they were not. It's about time the Tory government stopped blaming Labour to cover up their **** ups. There is only so long you can keep saying "But Sir, a bigger boy did it and ran away".
If governments and corporations stopped avoiding tax, funding wars and taking far more than they are entitled to we could use that money to feed, clothe and educate every single human being on earth.
WTF?
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/uk/article4064690.ece
Is Cameron's UK turning into Ethiopia?
Better known as communism and going really well in Russia.
Better known as communism and going really well in Russia.