Shocking Oxfam report on N.I.

Cotta

qwert_yuiop wrote: »

Poverty is defined here as half of national average income or less, not the UN definition of under a US dollar a day income. Therefore the first definition Is of limited value, as poverty exists in Monte Carlo using that formula.

The US definition is under 10,000 dollars a year income. Which is not much.

How can there be poverty here when there is social housing and a benefits system which sometimes equates to more than the national average?

saverbuyer

Cotta wrote: »

How can there be poverty here when there is social housing and a benefits system which sometimes equates to more than the national average?

For a single person benefits isn't some fabulous lifestyle.

duggan1

Cotta wrote: »

How can there be poverty here when there is social housing and a benefits system which sometimes equates to more than the national average?

I know people on benefits who manage to save money, and people on identical benefits who are always skint and asking to borrow money etc.

Guess which group the smokers/drinkers fall into.

Cotta

saverbuyer wrote: »

For a single person benefits isn't some fabulous lifestyle.

I know a few single people on it who cannot be prised away from it, of course the odd days work cash in hand does no harm either.

tommie

and when you see a foodbank in `affluent` Bangor do a roaring trade you know there`s something badly wrong with the local economy..

http://bangorni.foodbank.org.uk/

warmhands.coldheart

saverbuyer wrote: »

..............the essentials (lower earners pay more on essentials) have increased by more than headline inflation.

A 25p tin of beans from LIDL costs the same no matter what your income!!
500 Litres of oil costs the same no matter what your income!
The Price of petrol or diesel is the same no matter what your income.

warmhands.coldheart

tommie wrote: »

and when you see a foodbank in `affluent` Bangor do a roaring trade you know there`s something badly wrong with the local economy..

http://bangorni.foodbank.org.uk/

A relative works in a "public service" where they put people in touch with food banks....... she recons 3/4 have no need for it....... they do it a lot of the time to avoid conflict with the people who can become quite aggressive if told they aren't really in that much need....

motorguy

saverbuyer wrote: »

For a single person benefits isn't some fabulous lifestyle.

I dont think the benefits system is designed to fund a fabulous lifestyle?

motorguy

warmhands.coldheart wrote: »

A relative works in a "public service" where they put people in touch with food banks....... she recons 3/4 have no need for it....... they do it a lot of the time to avoid conflict with the people who can become quite aggressive if told they aren't really in that much need....

True

The problem here is we dont really "know" what poverty is. Real poverty, not "i only have an iphone 4S" poverty.

saverbuyer

warmhands.coldheart wrote: »

A 25p tin of beans from LIDL costs the same no matter what your income!!
500 Litres of oil costs the same no matter what your income!
The Price of petrol or diesel is the same no matter what your income.

You're right. I was meaning as a % of their income. I muddled up my points there. Sorry.

I was trying to say luxury things have been getting cheaper and basics more expensive and poorer people have to spend a larger percentage of their income just to "survive".