comment by sandy (U20567)
posted 1 minute ago
Hopefully they will get rid of the Royals, to fund this Defence spending.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
or, using the two birds theory, strap charlie boy to our very latest missiles, and fire him at...the french, like at the end of dr strangelove.

lose the spongiest sponger in the uk, take out a few frogs, and carry out a missile test, a triple win for the country.

comment by sandy (U20567)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Picasso (U21397)
posted 1 minute ago
Out of every £ 8 The government spends ...
£1 goes on welfare benefits.

There’s a thought.

I know some 60/70 year olds Who have never Worked all their lives.....benefits.

Some people expect something for nothing ...
They say it’s their ‘right’.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm on benefits now at aged 71, although I did work for 49 years, so I do feel a bit guilty taking money off the Government.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You worked, you’ve paid your taxes,
You’ve got every right to what you get.
No need to feel guilty.
Well done old timer.....

comment by sandy (U20567)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Picasso (U21397)
posted 1 minute ago
Out of every £ 8 The government spends ...
£1 goes on welfare benefits.

There’s a thought.

I know some 60/70 year olds Who have never Worked all their lives.....benefits.

Some people expect something for nothing ...
They say it’s their ‘right’.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm on benefits now at aged 71, although I did work for 49 years, so I do feel a bit guilty taking money off the Government.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Oops you’ve slipped up here Sandy as your character is supposed to be 72. Liars always trip themselves up eventually.

comment by Winston (U16525)
posted 13 minutes ago
"If you can't feed your children, don't have them."

Jesus wept.

May your life always be this simple.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Life isn't always simple and that's why we have the safety net for the few who fall on hard times.

Rather than blaming the govt, why can't we study the few children who go hungry and then provide real solutions?

comment by mancini (U7179)
posted 36 seconds ago
comment by Winston (U16525)
posted 13 minutes ago
"If you can't feed your children, don't have them."

Jesus wept.

May your life always be this simple.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Life isn't always simple and that's why we have the safety net for the few who fall on hard times.

Rather than blaming the govt, why can't we study the few children who go hungry and then provide real solutions?
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Have you considered that many of the decisions this government have made have directly affected the poorest in society?

Strange how you said that life isn't always simple and yet you also say that if you can't afford to feed your children then don't have them. That's a really poor statement.

comment by Picasso (U21397)
posted 13 minutes ago
Someone I know...
6 children.........
£2,550 a month plus a council house.....oh ..and a car ( SUV ) supplied by the council.
Her boyfriend, he claims his own benefits.

Nice stuff if you can get it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
To be honest, I don't care about what anybody receives from the govt if they are entitled to it.

However, no child should go hungry in this country because of the benefits paid by the govt to every qualifying parent.
If any child goes hungry, then questions need to be asked.

comment by mancini (U7179)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Winston (U16525)
posted 13 minutes ago
"If you can't feed your children, don't have them."

Jesus wept.

May your life always be this simple.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Life isn't always simple and that's why we have the safety net for the few who fall on hard times.

Rather than blaming the govt, why can't we study the few children who go hungry and then provide real solutions?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The United Nations completed a study on extreme poverty in the UK last year.

The report found that policies implemented by the UKGov since 2010 directly impacted child poverty. "...much of it the direct result of government policies."

"Although the United Kingdom is the world’s fifth largest economy, one fifth of its population (14 million people) live in poverty, and 1.5 million of them experienced destitution in 2017. Policies of austerity introduced in 2010 continue largely unabated, despite the tragic social consequences. Close to 40 per cent of children are predicted to be living in poverty by 2021. Food banks have proliferated; homelessness and rough sleeping have increased greatly; tens of thousands of poor families must live in accommodation far from their schools, jobs and community networks; life expectancy is falling for certain groups; and the legal aid system has been decimated.

The social safety net has been badly damaged by drastic cuts to local authorities’ budgets, which have eliminated many social services, reduced policing services, closed libraries in record numbers, shrunk community and youth centres and sold off public spaces and buildings. The bottom line is that much of the glue that has held British society together since the Second World War has been deliberately removed and replaced with a harsh and uncaring ethos. A booming economy, high employment and a budget surplus have not reversed austerity, a policy pursued more as an ideological than an economic agenda."

But statistics alone cannot capture the full picture of poverty in the United Kingdom, much of it the direct result of government policies (unless otherwise indicated, “Government” in the present report refers to the United Kingdom Government). Official denials notwithstanding, it is obvious to anyone who opens their eyes. There has been a shocking increase in the number of food banks and major increases in homelessness and rough sleeping; a growing number of homeless families – 24,000 between April and June of 2018 – have been dispatched to live in accommodation far from their schools, jobs and community networks;7 life expectancy is falling for certain groups; and the legal aid system has been decimated, thus shutting out large numbers of low-income persons from the once-proud justice system. Government reforms have often denied benefits to people with severe disabilities and pushed them into unsuitable work, single mothers struggling to cope in very difficult circumstances have been left far worse off, care for those with mental illnesses has deteriorated dramatically, and teachers’ real salaries have been slashed. The number of emergency admissions to hospitals of homeless people ( “of no fixed abode&rdquo increased sevenfold between 2008–2009 and 2017–2018.9

https://undocs.org/A/HRC/41/39/Add.1

comment by What would Stuart Pearce do? Rampant (U3126)
posted 0 seconds ago
comment by mancini (U7179)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Winston (U16525)
posted 13 minutes ago
"If you can't feed your children, don't have them."

Jesus wept.

May your life always be this simple.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Life isn't always simple and that's why we have the safety net for the few who fall on hard times.

Rather than blaming the govt, why can't we study the few children who go hungry and then provide real solutions?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The United Nations completed a study on extreme poverty in the UK last year.

The report found that policies implemented by the UKGov since 2010 directly impacted child poverty. "...much of it the direct result of government policies."

"Although the United Kingdom is the world’s fifth largest economy, one fifth of its population (14 million people) live in poverty, and 1.5 million of them experienced destitution in 2017. Policies of austerity introduced in 2010 continue largely unabated, despite the tragic social consequences. Close to 40 per cent of children are predicted to be living in poverty by 2021. Food banks have proliferated; homelessness and rough sleeping have increased greatly; tens of thousands of poor families must live in accommodation far from their schools, jobs and community networks; life expectancy is falling for certain groups; and the legal aid system has been decimated.

The social safety net has been badly damaged by drastic cuts to local authorities’ budgets, which have eliminated many social services, reduced policing services, closed libraries in record numbers, shrunk community and youth centres and sold off public spaces and buildings. The bottom line is that much of the glue that has held British society together since the Second World War has been deliberately removed and replaced with a harsh and uncaring ethos. A booming economy, high employment and a budget surplus have not reversed austerity, a policy pursued more as an ideological than an economic agenda."

But statistics alone cannot capture the full picture of poverty in the United Kingdom, much of it the direct result of government policies (unless otherwise indicated, “Government” in the present report refers to the United Kingdom Government). Official denials notwithstanding, it is obvious to anyone who opens their eyes. There has been a shocking increase in the number of food banks and major increases in homelessness and rough sleeping; a growing number of homeless families – 24,000 between April and June of 2018 – have been dispatched to live in accommodation far from their schools, jobs and community networks;7 life expectancy is falling for certain groups; and the legal aid system has been decimated, thus shutting out large numbers of low-income persons from the once-proud justice system. Government reforms have often denied benefits to people with severe disabilities and pushed them into unsuitable work, single mothers struggling to cope in very difficult circumstances have been left far worse off, care for those with mental illnesses has deteriorated dramatically, and teachers’ real salaries have been slashed. The number of emergency admissions to hospitals of homeless people ( “of no fixed abode&rdquoincreased sevenfold between 2008–2009 and 2017–2018.9

https://undocs.org/A/HRC/41/39/Add.1
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Or if you are Dominic Rabb, the vast majority using food banks are not poor but have "a cash flow problem."

comment by mancini (U7179)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by Picasso (U21397)
posted 13 minutes ago
Someone I know...
6 children.........
£2,550 a month plus a council house.....oh ..and a car ( SUV ) supplied by the council.
Her boyfriend, he claims his own benefits.

Nice stuff if you can get it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
To be honest, I don't care about what anybody receives from the govt if they are entitled to it.

However, no child should go hungry in this country because of the benefits paid by the govt to every qualifying parent.
If any child goes hungry, then questions need to be asked.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
If any child goes hungry, then questions need to be asked.

Yes your right.

Ask the parents.

Yeah ask the parents and they'll say they lost their job due to unforeseen circumstances and are now unable to afford all they need. But yeah parents should've predicted a pandemic years in advance.

I've seen so many discussions on poverty over the years, but this gives the best explanation for what the statistics truly mean:

https://fullfact.org/economy/poverty-uk-guide-facts-and-figures/

Obviously that's pre-pandemic but gives an idea of what's been happening.

A lot of those problems are down to poor money management, living in credit, mental health issues, bad choices or spending money on other things. It's not as simple as the benefits aren't enough so we need to give more. Homelessness for example is mainly because of mental health problems.

Seems to be a lack of appreciation that family situations/dynamics can change due to a multitude of external circumstances.

The simple fact is that millions of families struggle to make ends meet. Sometimes due to no fault of their own.

I recall reading a few comments condemning a parent for having a smart phone but at the same time struggling to make ends meet.

Owning a mobile phone is not a luxury but a modern day essential.

What year did we change the definition of poverty to 60% or less than the median household income? Oh yeah 2010...

Causes of poverty
Disability - Disabled adults are twice as likely to live in low income households as non-disabled adults.

Illness

Mental illness

Low intelligence - People with an IQ of 60 or below are speculated to be in danger of poverty and homelessness in the US in 2006.

Unemployment

Underemployment - having a low-paid job with wages lower than the living wage, often the minimum wage, and working part-time.

Being born to poor parents

Lack of social capital

Inadequate management of finances

Being a lone parent - half of all lone parents are on a low income

Racial discrimination

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

comment by Just Shoot (U10408)
posted 4 minutes ago
comment by 8bit (U2653)
posted 23 seconds ago
A lot of those problems are down to poor money management, living in credit, mental health issues, bad choices or spending money on other things. It's not as simple as the benefits aren't enough so we need to give more. Homelessness for example is mainly because of mental health problems.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Plus the poverty line isn't that impoverished.

And about 1 in 5 kids are obese. Not just tubby, obese.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
That's more as a result of lifestyle issues, (gaming lack of physical exercise etc) and diet problems caused by eating cheaper junk foods.

Which I'll accept the parent is sometimes culpable.

comment by What would Stuart Pearce do? Rampant (U3126)
posted 24 seconds ago
Seems to be a lack of appreciation that family situations/dynamics can change due to a multitude of external circumstances.

The simple fact is that millions of families struggle to make ends meet. Sometimes due to no fault of their own.

I recall reading a few comments condemning a parent for having a smart phone but at the same time struggling to make ends meet.

Owning a mobile phone is not a luxury but a modern day essential.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ok so let’s explore it. The parents lose their jobs unexpectedly (covid for example).
Universals credit they will get their property outgoings (rent or mortgage) covered in full and receive money on top of that I think it’s around £600 per month for a married couple living together. They have a child let’s say, they get another £93 per month for that child. So that’s around £700 per month with no rent or mortgage to pay. Food & bills, that’s it.

The vast, vast majority of people in this situation will be absolutely fine for let’s say a year until they both find suitable work again.
My household bills (excluding council tax) come to around £230 per month, 2x sim only contracts for £20 per month total.

You’re not living like a king by any means but you have food on the table, heating, hot water, mobile phones & internet.

Welfare spending increases decade after decade after decade.

comment by VOF - Its all about believing .... (U17124)
posted 2 hours, 57 minutes ago
To answer the original question.

Members of the armed forces deserved to be equipped with the right equipment and resources to do there jobs. For too long that's not happened sufficiently. Don't use party political nonsense and distractions to make your point.

Now take a swipe at PPE contracts and cross rail projects etc..... and i'll back your point. Squaddies have been underfunded for far too long.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Fecking right

comment by Elvis: King of Cult (U7425)
posted 1 hour ago
comment by Just Shoot (U10408)
posted 2 hours, 12 minutes ago
Please tell me the last time a child died of starvation in the UK, not including parental neglect?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell me the last time the UK's shores were invaved.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Just give me a minute will you?

I am on the way, its not easy to get across borders,

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

comment by Sat Nav (U18243)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by What would Stuart Pearce do? Rampant (U3126)
posted 24 seconds ago
Seems to be a lack of appreciation that family situations/dynamics can change due to a multitude of external circumstances.

The simple fact is that millions of families struggle to make ends meet. Sometimes due to no fault of their own.

I recall reading a few comments condemning a parent for having a smart phone but at the same time struggling to make ends meet.

Owning a mobile phone is not a luxury but a modern day essential.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ok so let’s explore it. The parents lose their jobs unexpectedly (covid for example).
Universals credit they will get their property outgoings (rent or mortgage) covered in full and receive money on top of that I think it’s around £600 per month for a married couple living together. They have a child let’s say, they get another £93 per month for that child. So that’s around £700 per month with no rent or mortgage to pay. Food & bills, that’s it.

The vast, vast majority of people in this situation will be absolutely fine for let’s say a year until they both find suitable work again.
My household bills (excluding council tax) come to around £230 per month, 2x sim only contracts for £20 per month total.

You’re not living like a king by any means but you have food on the table, heating, hot water, mobile phones & internet.

Welfare spending increases decade after decade after decade.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Your knowledge of the benefits system is appalling. Please don't comment on this anymore.

comment by Kung Fu Cantona 🙏🏼 🇵🇸 (U18082)
posted 2 hours, 27 minutes ago
comment by VOF - Its all about believing .... (U17124)
posted 27 minutes ago
To answer the original question.

Members of the armed forces deserved to be equipped with the right equipment and resources to do there jobs. For too long that's not happened sufficiently. Don't use party political nonsense and distractions to make your point.

Now take a swipe at PPE contracts and cross rail projects etc..... and i'll back your point. Squaddies have been underfunded for far too long.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Are you actually that naive to believe that this money is going to help properly equip normal soldiers?

It's going directly into the pockets of organisations like BAE systems. So they can produce state of the art missiles, which are more proficient in killing other poor people half the world away.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Like Jihadi John?

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

comment by *Robbing Hoody - Clandestine Boat Pleb (U6374)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Sat Nav (U18243)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by What would Stuart Pearce do? Rampant (U3126)
posted 24 seconds ago
Seems to be a lack of appreciation that family situations/dynamics can change due to a multitude of external circumstances.

The simple fact is that millions of families struggle to make ends meet. Sometimes due to no fault of their own.

I recall reading a few comments condemning a parent for having a smart phone but at the same time struggling to make ends meet.

Owning a mobile phone is not a luxury but a modern day essential.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ok so let’s explore it. The parents lose their jobs unexpectedly (covid for example).
Universals credit they will get their property outgoings (rent or mortgage) covered in full and receive money on top of that I think it’s around £600 per month for a married couple living together. They have a child let’s say, they get another £93 per month for that child. So that’s around £700 per month with no rent or mortgage to pay. Food & bills, that’s it.

The vast, vast majority of people in this situation will be absolutely fine for let’s say a year until they both find suitable work again.
My household bills (excluding council tax) come to around £230 per month, 2x sim only contracts for £20 per month total.

You’re not living like a king by any means but you have food on the table, heating, hot water, mobile phones & internet.

Welfare spending increases decade after decade after decade.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Your knowledge of the benefits system is appalling. Please don't comment on this anymore.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Why what’s wrong? You can correct me you know?

Do you not get rent paid for? Is it not £600 per month for a married couple? Is it not £93 per month child benefits? I thought all of the is was correct so looking forward to being corrected.