One Third of All Brits live in Poverty

[planosteve]

Heard on the radio today that 1 out of 3 people in the UK live below the poverty line. Thought it was interesting. Maybe that is what life is like after your country was an empire.

[Grassman]

We should be more like Europe huh?

[Zelda]

It depends what your version of poverty is....and a third of Brits living in poverty is not the Britain I see.
No one is starving, everyone is entitled to free health care and we have a benefit system that ensures everyone has what they need.

And that may be the confusion here, interviewing people about what they want and what they need is a totally different matter.

This report was not based on the official definition of poverty. The academics who devised this study based it on a "minimum standard of living" by asking a small number of people what they felt was necessary to them...ie they asked people what they thought they needed.

Go to any run down area where people live on benefits and where there will likely be a betting shop and a pub on the corner... and chances are some will think they need to gamble and drink.

[Bob Of Burleson]

Go to any run down area where people live on benefits and where there will likely be a betting shop and a pub on the corner... and chances are some will think they need to gamble and drink.

Sounds just like here.

[planosteve]

I believe in the UK the poverty line is defined as 60% of the median income. I found this on Wikipedia:
Based on study by Poverty and Social Exclusion project at Bristol University in 2014,[1] Poverty in United Kingdom has been increasing over the past decades. Study claimed that in 2012, 33% of people in Britain were living below the poverty line.[2] It has more than doubled since 1983, when the figure stood at 14%.

[Zelda]

I believe in the UK the poverty line is defined as 60% of the median income. I found this on Wikipedia:
Based on study by Poverty and Social Exclusion project at Bristol University in 2014,[1] Poverty in United Kingdom has been increasing over the past decades. Study claimed that in 2012, 33% of people in Britain were living below the poverty line.[2] It has more than doubled since 1983, when the figure stood at 14%.

It depends on what you base the poverty line on.
This latest report took into account people who couldn't afford a social life, family holidays and cars.

Thanks to this useless government we have now many poorer people are managing on less, some benefits have been cut, especially for people who rely on housing benefit and child tax credits, and many jobs are now working less hours and being paid a lower rate thanks to the legal fiddling of work contracts.

No doubt some people are struggling here as they are in many places, but.......is it really living in poverty because you are struggling meeting the cost of household repairs or having to ration your heating ...which were two other questions asked that compiled the report?

[Red Oak]

The mass immigration of Third World people has also had a serious impact on poverty rates and increased drain on Social Spending; correct ?

[Mark]

It depends what your version of poverty is....and a third of Brits living in poverty is not the Britain I see.
No one is starving, everyone is entitled to free health care and we have a benefit system that ensures everyone has what they need.

And that may be the confusion here, interviewing people about what they want and what they need is a totally different matter.

This report was not based on the official definition of poverty. The academics who devised this study based it on a "minimum standard of living" by asking a small number of people what they felt was necessary to them...ie they asked people what they thought they needed.

Go to any run down area where people live on benefits and where there will likely be a betting shop and a pub on the corner... and chances are some will think they need to gamble and drink.

Free health care? So all of those NHS employees work for free?

[Zelda]

It depends what your version of poverty is....and a third of Brits living in poverty is not the Britain I see.
No one is starving, everyone is entitled to free health care and we have a benefit system that ensures everyone has what they need.

And that may be the confusion here, interviewing people about what they want and what they need is a totally different matter.

This report was not based on the official definition of poverty. The academics who devised this study based it on a "minimum standard of living" by asking a small number of people what they felt was necessary to them...ie they asked people what they thought they needed.

Go to any run down area where people live on benefits and where there will likely be a betting shop and a pub on the corner... and chances are some will think they need to gamble and drink.

Free health care? So all of those NHS employees work for free?

People here are entitled to free health care (as in no charge) whether they have paid into the system or not....which is what I meant....obviously.

[Zelda]

The mass immigration of Third World people has also had a serious impact on poverty rates and increased drain on Social Spending; correct ?

A huge impact...., not just from deprived countries either....though some people prefer to close their eyes to that fact.

Housing, jobs, NHS facilities and school places are in very short supply in many areas, lots of jobs especially in catering and the building trade are taken over by immigrant workers and depriving local people of work.
I imagine it's the same in any country that offers more than can be got at home....even the immigrants complain about immigration here.

[Dancer]

The mass immigration of Third World people has also had a serious impact on poverty rates and increased drain on Social Spending; correct ?

A huge impact...., not just from deprived countries either....though some people prefer to close their eyes to that fact.

Housing, jobs, NHS facilities and school places are in very short supply in many areas, lots of jobs especially in catering and the building trade are taken over by immigrant workers and depriving local people of work.
I imagine it's the same in any country that offers more than can be got at home....even the immigrants complain about immigration here.

Zelda, from Burleson Tx to you in England: You Rock!

[GFB]

It depends what your version of poverty is....and a third of Brits living in poverty is not the Britain I see.
No one is starving, everyone is entitled to free health care and we have a benefit system that ensures everyone has what they need.

And that may be the confusion here, interviewing people about what they want and what they need is a totally different matter.

This report was not based on the official definition of poverty. The academics who devised this study based it on a "minimum standard of living" by asking a small number of people what they felt was necessary to them...ie they asked people what they thought they needed.

Go to any run down area where people live on benefits and where there will likely be a betting shop and a pub on the corner... and chances are some will think they need to gamble and drink.

Free health care? So all of those NHS employees work for free?

People here are entitled to free health care (as in no charge) whether they have paid into the system or not....which is what I meant....obviously.

I think Mark is saying..people being able to go to the doctor, or spend a week in the hospital without getting a bill does not equal free health care.

[Zelda]

It is free for the recpient.

Obviously like everything else the national health service is funded by taxes, but access to medical care is free here whether a person pays tax and insurance or not.

[Zelda]

The mass immigration of Third World people has also had a serious impact on poverty rates and increased drain on Social Spending; correct ?

A huge impact...., not just from deprived countries either....though some people prefer to close their eyes to that fact.

Housing, jobs, NHS facilities and school places are in very short supply in many areas, lots of jobs especially in catering and the building trade are taken over by immigrant workers and depriving local people of work.
I imagine it's the same in any country that offers more than can be got at home....even the immigrants complain about immigration here.

Zelda, from Burleson Tx to you in England: You Rock!

Thank you...but I imagine most people who are not in denial would think the same.

[Mark]

"Free" health care is the most expensive health care in the world. The stupid, short-sighted Left in America are learning that lesson right now.

[Bob Of Burleson]

[BigTex]

How much do the French litigate their hospital stay?

[Zelda]

"Free" health care is the most expensive health care in the world. The stupid, short-sighted Left in America are learning that lesson right now.

It's worked here since 1948...free health care from the cradle to the grave.
Two different countries with completely different systems, I can only talk about the one I know.

[scarlett~nc]

"Free" health care is the most expensive health care in the world. The stupid, short-sighted Left in America are learning that lesson right now.

It's worked here since 1948...free health care from the cradle to the grave.
Two different countries with completely different systems, I can only talk about the one I know.

Zelda, if you needed Knee replacement , could you get it done within two weeks after you and your doctor decide it is the way to go ? maybe even in the next week as I did both knee replacements ?

[GFB]

"Free" health care is the most expensive health care in the world. The stupid, short-sighted Left in America are learning that lesson right now.

It's worked here since 1948...free health care from the cradle to the grave.
Two different countries with completely different systems, I can only talk about the one I know.

Zelda, if you needed Knee replacement , could you get it done within two weeks after you and your doctor decide it is the way to go ? maybe even in the next week as I did both knee replacements ?

..and could you get in to see the doctor of your choice today?..or tomorrow?