What is child poverty in the UK?

Dunroamin

mkzebra wrote: »

I think when the goverment means poverty, they really mean that any child who is disadvantaged by a lack of money.

I think the exact definition or word doesn't matter, but I've seen and grown up with children and young teenagers that really do need help. Unfortunately there are people who take advantage of the system.
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I think we would all agree that this happens but many of us would say that the cause of this is parental neglect rather than poverty. There are some families who, however much money you throw at them, won't use it for the benefit of their children.

mkzebra

Dunroamin wrote: »

I think we would all agree that this happens but many of us would say that the cause of this is parental neglect rather than poverty. There are some families who, however much money you throw at them, won't use it for the benefit of their children.

That's why things like free school meals are a good idea, because they go directly to the child.

I would say instead of money, these children could really use clothing (specifically for children.) and other kinds of vouchers instead.

Derekdevans

I have voted but there is a definite issue here. What is the definition of poverty. Many of the items here relate to potential child neglect, or abuse that would warrant intervention of a different kind. I may have done the wrong thing in voting across the spectrum but perhaps the term child poverty if it is being used should be financial specific only. Whether an adult chooses to use the value of finance that they have in satisfying the health and welfare of a child or children is a different matter.

For example, free school meals have been mentioned as a saving point for children, but free school meals are only available on a means tested basis, just like every other benefit that is child related (the exception for the time being is child benefit). However, if you had parents who earned alot of money but were drug addicts then the child would not be considered to be in poverty and free school meals would not be available. Only observation of that child's general wellbeing would give rise to a potential intervention.

lkate

Lack of Internet access or tv! I wouldn't count that as poverty but I guess it depends on what generation you're from. And I'm only 22!
I'm not sure if it really has much to do with income these days. As I would class poverty fir children as a lack of care, even if their parents are rich!
I voted,
A lack of food, shelter or clothing
Parents who are drug addicts
A home with no heating at all
A child without their own bed

Some are worse than others. For instance the bed thing. Social should just give them a bed if there is no underlying issues
Things like holidays, Internet, tv and school trips I would count as luxuries

chog24

Ultimately, the point here is that there ARE children in the UK who are growing up in backgrounds which are less affluent. But we have the welfare state, so in my opinion, there really shouldn't be any such thing as true poverty in the UK. For me, poverty is when you have no access to clean water, to sanitation, to healthcare, to a roof over your head, to food... Poverty exists in the third world. Poverty also exists, shockingly enough, in first world countries with no welfare state (America, can you hear me?). But there should be no reason a child in the UK should grow up without clean water to drink, food to eat, a roof over their head and medical help as and when they need it.

I don't think that growing up without access to the internet counts as 'poverty' (well not yet, at least). Growing up in a house with no fridge, maybe.

JimmyTheWig

lkate wrote: »

Lack of Internet access or tv! I wouldn't count that as poverty but I guess it depends on what generation you're from.

I'm not saying that TV is a necessity. Many people choose to not have a TV and I wouldn't say they were in poverty because of this choice.
But I ticked the option to mean that a family who couldn't afford a TV would count as being in poverty to me.
You can get a TV from freegle/freecycle pretty easily. Could probably pay someone a tenner to drop it off to you.
I think a family who want a TV but can't get together a spare £10 over time to get one is in poverty in my book.

Vix79_2

I voted for an income under £13,000 a year (as well as no food, heating etc). I earn £12,000 a year, which after tax is around £890 a month. After rent, council tax, gas, electricity & water, I have under £60 a month for food, life insurance (to look after my child if anything happens to me), clothes (inc school uniform) and entertainment. I do receive tax credits on top of that, so I don't class myself as being in poverty, as I have enough to live on, we're warm & fed and have enough to go to the cinema every couple of months or so. No holidays, not even short breaks in the UK, and we're online with an ooooold laptop that someone gave to us a few years ago, which is probably going to expire this year. So that'll be the end of internet access at home. But holidays and internet access and tv are luxuries, not at all necessary to live! Although without those tax credits, we'd be in a bit of a pickle. And there are people much worse off than that!

I have to say, anybody who spends money on alcohol and/or cigarettes when their child/ren is/are cold or hungry is just unfathomable to me! (If it's spare money after necessities are paid for, that's not an issue). Basic needs should be met first, and those of the children are priority.

diversrock

One thing I couldn't believe is that over 700 people voted for no TV!!!! I don't have any TV and haven't since I was a toddler. I'm definitely not in poverty though - I have nearly everything else on the list. That should not be a marker of poverty.

JimmyTheWig

diversrock wrote: »

One thing I couldn't believe is that over 700 people voted for no TV!!!! I don't have any TV and haven't since I was a toddler. I'm definitely not in poverty though - I have nearly everything else on the list. That should not be a marker of poverty.

See my post two above yours.
I take the question as meaning "wanting a TV but not being able to afford one". I'd say that would describe a family living in poverty.
Sounds like in your case it is a choice not to own one, which has no bearing at all on poverty.

jessegee

Dunroamin wrote: »

I would say that only "A lack of food, shelter or clothing" , "A home with no heating at all" and "A child without their own bed" count as poverty. Income is no indicator without knowing about housing costs.

I agree, I have worked with romanian orphans. Good food shelter clothing and heating are necessary.
The other things are parental choices, some good, some bad, but even drug addict parents do not represent child poverty, its a seperate welfare issue found in rich and poor families.

jesse