Who will suffer the most under the present parliament?

[Rupert_Baehr]

... In this country the state does provide inadequate housing to the less well-off, often very inadequate. ... The unemployed person said "It's shoes that get you. You need a new pair of shoes and you're <removed>". That's living right on the breadline.

 

The standard of some council housing in the UK is indeed inadequate. A few years a go I helped some friends move into a council flat (not in Sheffield.) The flat needed some work, so I said I'd do it. The kitchen was appalling! Rotten cabinets, black mould, leaky drainpipes. - The filth was even under the (now detached) flooring. It was a major job. Had anybody tried to lease a house like that over here - anybody including the council - then that person/organisation would've been in serious trouble. Housing standards tend to be enforced here (and for private leases, I understand there is a rent control authority. (It's not all one-sided; the tenant has as many obligations as the landlord, but the result is that there is accommodation available and the prices are controlled (and reasonable.)

 

The remainder of the welfare package does tend to be pretty close to the breadline. You have enough money to live on (and to eat properly) but 'the state' seems to be very keen to make people aware that if they want more than 'necessary items' they will have to provide those themselves.

Edited June 24, 2010 by sibon
Quoted masked swearing

[RonJeremy]

There are no poor British people - they get free education; free healthcare; free money; free housing all paid for by the hard working in their taxes. The people paying most, and thus the people supporting the potential poor, are those earning most. This is where the money comes from.

[Guest sibon]

There are no poor British people - they get free education; free healthcare; free money; free housing all paid for by the hard working in their taxes. The people paying most, and thus the people supporting the potential poor, are those earning most. This is where the money comes from.

 

Translation:

 

The people making most money generally make it by making other people work harder than they do, for less money.

 

The highest paid of these hire smart accountants to make sure that they don't pay their share.

 

The bulk of the income tax paid comes from those on modest incomes.

 

This is where the money comes from.

Edited June 24, 2010 by sibon

[mossdog]

Translation:

 

The people making most money generally make it by making other people work harder than they do, for less money.

 

The highest paid of these hire smart accountants to make sure that they don't pay their share.

 

The bulk of the income tax paid comes from those on modest incomes.

 

This is where the money comes from.

Nobody forces you to work harder for less money than they they receive!

The highest paid sometimes do find ways of reducing their tax bill...........but no more so than some of the those on low incomes and benefits,lots who could run rings around accountants at avoiding tax.

Edited June 25, 2010 by mossdog

[llamatron]

Poverty, in a country like Britain, is not having the resources to live a comfortable life.

I would describe it as not having a motor car, not having labour saving devices in the house, not being able to take at least one holiday abroad a year, no computer or television, things such as that.

 

Dont forget we are one of the most successful countries in the world.

 

People who use 3rd world definitions of poverty are throwing down red herrings.

No contributing member of this country should have to without those things unless they want to.

 

That isn't poverty and it belittles the situation of the people who are actually poor!

[Anna B]

Being poor is sleeping in a shop doorway or under a bridge;

Being poor is having to beg for money to eat or go hungry.

Being poor is raiding supermarket bins to find food to eat.

Being poor is not being able to afford heating or hot water.

Being poor is not having enough money for bus fare to get somewhere urgent.

Being poor is being heavily in debt, not for luxuries but for everyday living costs.

Being poor is having the electric cut off for non payment of bills.

Being poor is wearing shoes with the soles coming away from the top.

Being poor is depending on the good will of others to survive.

Being poor is having to resort to crime to survive.

Being poor is being looked down on and reviled by society.

Being poor is being without hope for the future.

Being poor is a life of grinding depression and low self-esteem.

 

All happening to some poor sod in Britain today.

[truman]

Being poor is sleeping in a shop doorway or under a bridge;

Being poor is having to beg for money to eat or go hungry.

Being poor is raiding supermarket bins to find food to eat.

Being poor is not being able to afford heating or hot water.

Being poor is not having enough money for bus fare to get somewhere urgent.

Being poor is being heavily in debt, not for luxuries but for everyday living costs.

Being poor is having the electric cut off for non payment of bills.

Being poor is wearing shoes with the soles coming away from the top.

Being poor is depending on the good will of others to survive.

Being poor is having to resort to crime to survive.

Being poor is being looked down on and reviled by society.

Being poor is being without hope for the future.

Being poor is a life of grinding depression and low self-esteem.

 

All happening to some poor sod in Britain today.

 

Who is forced to this in the UK?

[Anna B]

If you work in social services you will know plenty.

 

According to Government statistics there are 84,900 households classified as homeless.

 

Unfortunately people in this catagory tend not to write on forums so can't speak for themselves.

Edited June 25, 2010 by Anna B
addition

[eastbank]

Being poor is sleeping in a shop doorway or under a bridge;

Being poor is having to beg for money to eat or go hungry.

Being poor is raiding supermarket bins to find food to eat.

Being poor is not being able to afford heating or hot water.

Being poor is not having enough money for bus fare to get somewhere urgent.

Being poor is being heavily in debt, not for luxuries but for everyday living costs.

Being poor is having the electric cut off for non payment of bills.

Being poor is wearing shoes with the soles coming away from the top.

Being poor is depending on the good will of others to survive.

Being poor is having to resort to crime to survive.

Being poor is being looked down on and reviled by society.

Being poor is being without hope for the future.

Being poor is a life of grinding depression and low self-esteem.

 

All happening to some poor sod in Britain today.

 

i dont know anyone who does that....are you sure this happens...if i had to sleep rough i'd buy a tent and head for newquay,and make sure that i found the nearest waitrose..for a better class of leftovers...and i'd beg outside the pubs/clubs for a better chance of getting money when everyone is drunk...well it beats working for a living...no hassle

[donkey]

My own opinion is that people who do piddly nondescript jobs where they do not earn much, but top up massively on benifits will suffer the most. We all know the type, professional scroungers.

The have a few kids, scrounge heavily and live happily ever brigade.

 

I love the smell of troll in the morning!