How should poverty be defined given that it drives the benefits culture

MrsE_2

kissjenn wrote: »

It's an interesting debate and one raised by the Channel 4 (I think?) programme last night "How the Other Half Lives", where rich UK families sponsor families in poverty. The question I assume that's asking is "Does charity begin at home."

I watched that too, very interesting.

When the "poor" child said "I can't go to the fridge anytime & help myself, I got to wait till the next meal or go hungry" (or words to that effect).
Well judging by the size of the mother, thats one person in that household who doesn't go hungry:rolleyes:

MrsE_2

spuds wrote: »

That means a family of 4 should have £1556 to live on after housing (mortgage or rent) - well I think you could have a pretty good standard of living in the UK on that, if you'd already paid your rent/mortgage.

We are a married couple (with a working grown-up daughter living at home).
I wouldn't like to have to manage on that a month.
You throw a couple of car payments on that & some other bills & food & there would be nothing left.

PasturesNew

As a single working adult, I've never had £167 left after housing costs (mort/rent/CT). Even where I live now (cheap bedsit in a cheap town) I'd need a LOT more than jobs are offering to come up to that amount.

I've often lived under the official poverty line *checks bank* ... oh, hang on, I'm doing it now still.

michaels

Just wondered if you feel like you are 'living in poverty' - feel free not to answer if it is too personal a question.

I still thin our monthly spending is pretty generous but our 3 kids are under 6 and the one at school is starting to get a lot more expensive so I guess as they get bigger costs may rise quickly - then again my wife could always accept that they don't need a new outfit every day and save a fair bit on clothes...

PasturesNew wrote: »

As a single working adult, I've never had £167 left after housing costs (mort/rent/CT). Even where I live now (cheap bedsit in a cheap town) I'd need a LOT more than jobs are offering to come up to that amount.

I've often lived under the official poverty line *checks bank* ... oh, hang on, I'm doing it now still.

lostinrates

re the £1556 figure pcm, I'm surprised that anyone should find it hard to imagine living reasonably (above poverty level) that

thats £18672 After housing costs and tax. I find it hard to see that as poverty. Whats the average rent for a family of four...do we know? Presuming three bed is likely? I'm trying to envisage the wage this would give with housng and tax added on!

lemonjelly

lostinrates wrote: »

re the £1556 figure pcm, I'm surprised that anyone should find it hard to imagine living reasonably (above poverty level) that

thats £18672 After housing costs and tax. I find it hard to see that as poverty. Whats the average rent for a family of four...do we know? Presuming three bed is likely? I'm trying to envisage the wage this would give with housng and tax added on!

Agree with this here.

For many, that is above take home pay...:eek:

seven-day-weekend

We live on £900 pcm. (Total - Couple - early retired - no mortgage or rent).

No way is this poverty.

Maybe to some people it would be, because we have ONE ten-year-old car, two really old PAYG mobiles that simply do calls and texts, and no Sky TV.

But not having Sky TV or an all-singing and dancing phone or a brand new car does not mean you are in poverty. We have a roof over our heads, enough to eat and drink, pay our way and socialise sometimes. What's so poverty stricken about that?

It's quite insulting actually to say we are in poverty.

As for the little girl who 'can't go to the fridge any time'. well so what so long as she has enough to eat?

molerat

spuds wrote: »

Poverty is relative to some extent, but to say that everyone should have x% of the median average wage just doesn't make sense. Anyone who's living off less than 60% of the median household income is defined by the E.U. as living in poverty.

Which only proves that there too many [STRIKE]earning[/STRIKE] paid too high a wage in this country putting a higher taxation burden on the lower paid majority to fund the benefit system keeping it in line with the "poverty" level. You will probably find that many in "poverty" are wage earners and not on benefits.

We are in pretty much the same situation as seven-day-weekend and are by no means living in poverty. In fact my quality of life is better than when I was working. Less stress, do what I want when I want. But I worked hard (?) for it not just went down the benefit office and signed for it :mad: Just looking forward to 10 years time when we will get a £820 pcm pay rise plus tax allowance increase.

ceridwen

..and to throw a spanner in the works.....can one actually give a fixed cash figure for income and say "beneath that level you are in poverty and above that level you arent"?.

Reason - there are variable factors:
- some people live in a dearer part of the country than others (I am well aware that if I moved from my mortgage-free house here to an equivalent mortgage-free house in many other parts of Britain that I would instantly be noticeably better off - as the bills/food/public transport costs would be noticeably lower (just because of the part of the country I was in):mad:..and before anyone suggests moving (conveniently forgetting all the costs that would be involved in that....) - obviously not - this is my home area and I believe people are entitled to stay in their home area if they wish

- another variable factor is how much an individual person has to spend on healthcare. We may have an NHS in theory - but, in practice, the worse your health is = the more of your own money you have to spend on healthcare. My health is relatively good - but I am well aware that I cant get through a year without spending a 3-figure amount on health needs. In worse years it has occasionally been a 4-figure amount. So - I can well see that someone in constant poor health could easily have to spend a 4-figure amount from their income on health care each year - and thus be worse off than someone on the same income, but with better health.

MrsE_2

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

As for the little girl who 'can't go to the fridge any time'. well so what so long as she has enough to eat?

The little girl said she hasd to go hungry, when her mother was the size of a bus (& clearly NOT going hungry) I found that sad.