The Poverty Line

Mallotum_X

Pimperne1 wrote: »

God, that would be grim.

I really don't think if I was in any of those situations I would consider myself to be in "poverty".

But you wouldnt consider yourself to be in poverty?

I guess it still comes back to Poverty in the UK is not the same as Poverty in africa.

lynzpower

Pimperne1 wrote: »

God, that would be grim.

yes and that is the reality out there.

Many may think its the days of wine and roses on benefits but how can it be when most of the JSA goes to top up the rent? Or your meagre part time or low paid jobs?

oldvicar

Pimperne1 wrote: »

God, that would be grim.

But there's no Council Tax to pay if you have low income and few assets?

PasturesNew

oldvicar wrote: »

But there's no Council Tax to pay if you have low income and few assets?

Isn't there?

In the example shown, a single person earning £8-9k might be working 28 hours/week for £6/hour.... would they be able to get top ups? Even if they could, they might not know about it as most single people plod on without knowing about top ups etc (I certainly wouldn't expect a top up, I'd just struggle on what I had).

Certainly you'd need to be working 30 hours/week and be aged over X (not sure if it's 25 or 35) to get WTC, so I'd have thought there wasn't anything they could get.

oldvicar

lynzpower wrote: »

yes and that is the reality out there.

Many may think its the days of wine and roses on benefits but how can it be when most of the JSA goes to top up the rent? Or your meagre part time or low paid jobs?

Surely this (topping up rent) only happens when someone rents somewhere better or more expensive than the government deems it is necessary to provide at the public expense?

ILW

PasturesNew wrote: »

Isn't there?

In the example shown, a single person earning £8-9k might be working 28 hours/week for £6/hour.... would they be able to get top ups? Even if they could, they might not know about it as most single people plod on without knowing about top ups etc (I certainly wouldn't expect a top up, I'd just struggle on what I had).

Certainly you'd need to be working 30 hours/week and be aged over X (not sure if it's 25 or 35) to get WTC, so I'd have thought there wasn't anything they could get.

So the answer is to pop out 3 or 4 kids. Many have found it pretty lucrative.

lynzpower

oldvicar wrote: »

Surely this (topping up rent) only happens when someone rents somewhere better or more expensive than the government deems it is necessary to provide at the public expense?

You misunderstand.

I do not for one second think we are unusual.

We moved into the cheapest flat in the cheapest area we could find. We actually had a mare at the time as rents were rising weekly, and there was mad competition for flats, they went the same day. So we were looking in wider & cheaper areas all the time, to try and grab something.

We managed to get in to a flat that was 50 quid a month less than our budget. Great!

Then OH lost his job, so LHA pay out: but what LHA will pay is 40 quid less per week than what our rent is. Therefore 40per week has to come out of what we bring in. Oh brings in 67 a week on JSA., and live on...

We did consider moving somewhere else to save money however prices have risen again and we are without doubt one of the cheapest flats in the who NE london area.

Besides we a) wouldnt pass a credit check with OH not working b) dont have the money for deposits and fees upfront ( around 1500) and dont have even the 100 quid to hire a van or the money for our check out fee.

Alls OK now as OH is expecting to start work next week thank gawd.

It might not be African poverty but if you cant afford to buy food then...you feel the same? If you cant afford your prescription...? We all bleed the same and have the same needs. If you have no suitable shoes to wear?

pqrdef

Pimperne1 wrote: »

Single adult, no children: £165 per week (£8580 pa)
Couple, no children: £248 per week (£12896)
Lone parent, 1 child: £215 per week (£11180)
Lone parent, 2 children: £264 per week (£13728)
Lone parent, 3 children: £314 per week (£16328)
Couple, 1 child: £297 per week (£15444)
Couple, 2 children: £347 per week (£18044)
Couple, 3 children: £396 per week (£20592)

Clearly a highly sophisticated formula is employed:

One person, £165. Partner, half as much again. Kids, oh, let's say £50 a week each.

Months of detailed research must have gone into that.

oldvicar

lynzpower wrote: »

You misunderstand.

I do not for one second think we are unusual.

We moved into the cheapest flat in the cheapest area we could find. We actually had a mare at the time as rents were rising weekly, and there was mad competition for flats, they went the same day. So we were looking in wider & cheaper areas all the time, to try and grab something.

We managed to get in to a flat that was 50 quid a month less than our budget. Great!

Then OH lost his job, so LHA pay out: but what LHA will pay is 40 quid less per week than what our rent is. Therefore 40per week has to come out of what we bring in. Oh brings in 67 a week on JSA., and live on...

We did consider moving somewhere else to save money however prices have risen again and we are without doubt one of the cheapest flats in the who NE london area.

Besides we a) wouldnt pass a credit check with OH not working b) dont have the money for deposits and fees upfront ( around 1500) and dont have even the 100 quid to hire a van or the money for our check out fee.

Alls OK now as OH is expecting to start work next week thank gawd.

It might not be African poverty but if you cant afford to buy food then...you feel the same? If you cant afford your prescription...? We all bleed the same and have the same needs. If you have no suitable shoes to wear?

Lynz: I am genuinely pleased that things are looking up for you and OH, now that he has found work.

Did you know that if claiming income-related unemployment benefits (ie you are out of work and have hardly any savings) you can get free prescriptions?

Whilst I have no income to speak of, and I get no benefits, I am fortunate to have a bit put by so I have to pay for my prescriptions. It does annoy me a bit to know how much I pay the NHS for a pack of tablets costing 19p. But I think of it in the round that I am helping to ensure that nobody in this country has to go without medicine they really need.

MacMickster

Pimperne1 wrote: »

Here is the definition:

WHAT IS THE POVERTY LINE?

Single adult, no children: £165 per week (£8580 pa)

The crazy thing here is that we would actually take several hundred pounds in income tax and national insurance off the single person earning these poverty level wages,