Child Poverty in Middlesbrough

Child poverty in a country with such wealth is something that shouldn't exist beyond the very oddest exception, the reason it is on the increase is because successive governments have failed our children with policies based on supporting the haves whilst removing support from the have nots, you only have to see the focus on austerity and the impact it had on those that had least as an indication of the governments intentions.

We were promised a levelling up by the Conservative's at the last election in return for breaking the Red Wall, however the figures do not back this up and continue to show a widening divide rather than any narrowing of the poverty gap, of course Covid etc can be used as an excuse but it is just that and hides the real issue which has been the continued erosion of social support by the Government and the increasing reliance on charity to cover the shortfall that helps keep the most needy afloat.
 
AM it's what they have always believed in. I remember David Cameron being cornered on what he meant by 'the big society' before the 2010 election and he replied that he wanted a country where rich benefactors take up the responsibility of providing for the needy, rather than the welfare system. In other words, a return to Victorian times. He even harked back to them in the answer and when the interviewer mentioned the word 'Dickensian' he waved it away.
 
Eight of the 10 UK local authorities suffering the sharpest child poverty increases over the period, which covered the peak years of austerity, were in in the north-east, headed by Middlesbrough, where 41.1% of children were in poverty in 2018-19, up from 28.6% five years earlier.

This is thoroughly abhorrent. 2 out of every 5 children below the poverty line and, as someone else remarked, much darker days are coming.
 
Corcaigh_the_Cat said:
When is the country going to awake from this slumber?

There'll be somebody along soon announcing 'fake news'.
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Its never going to happen, we had almost 2 decades of Thatcherism and 10 years of austerity followed by another landslide of flag waving two bob idiots. People no longer care about others or these children who come from poor homes. We have no Govt desire to be progressive, to build , to inspire. The only thing that Ive seen that gets peoples juices going is waving flags and Brexit. However some these people are about to see things get really bad and actually voted for it.
 
It's easy to make sure every kid gets a meal in the country. All you have to do, is tell these political tw@ts to give up their expenses and there will be enough money to buy them a meal. But they will never do it as they are on such a good deal. Its like fcuk the rest of you, we are ok Jack
 
ticker_tape said:
We have to be honest, we cant do much but donate to food banks or give to local charity who help kids, breakfast clubs. We havent enough people who want to see progress and new ideas. To busy worrying about sovereignty, Abbot, Corbyn,Barnier.
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Very sadly, I have to agree. I deal quite often with my local foodbank. Every time I do something for them I tell them it's in the vain hope that there'll be no need for them soon and every time they agree, but we both know that day is an awfully long way off. What a country we live in....
 
HarryVegas said:
Very sadly, I have to agree. I deal quite often with my local foodbank. Every time I do something for them I tell them it's in the vain hope that there'll be no need for them soon and every time they agree, but we both know that day is an awfully long way off. What a country we live in....
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Sadly that day will be a long way away. The numbers are increasing at a very significant rate unfortunately.

Genuinely dont know how anyone can vote for this government when this is happening all around us. Regardless of your views on any other political issue, seeing people resort to food banks in one of the richest countries on earth is sickening, and voting in the government that has overseen them being needed on a mass scale is just as bad.
 
I do donate a small sum every month to 2 charities for children and have for 20 years. I hope it goes to help children in poverty.

When there are food bank collections at the Riverside I always give something - its doesn't cost much.

Most people could do this if they so wished. I don't think I am a particularly generous person.

We are becoming a much mored divided country in terms of income and wealth. I know its not this country but if a wealthy man like Donald Trump can boast he pays no income tax or a tiny amount something is very wrong.

We don't need taxes to be high, just be paid and for that money to be used to ensure poverty is reduced. I know Youth services were decimated by the 2010 Government to save short term money. Further education was significantly cut which can offer a way out of poverty. Universal Credit has been reduced, numbers receiving disability benefits reduced, while the top end of society incomes and wealth have increased faster than inflation.

To be fair recent Governement have increased the Living Wage and Minimum Wage rates, but they have to ensure they are fully implemented. They have raised the thresholds for paying National Insurance and Income Tax.

I'd like to see more on Job creation in areas of the country where unemployment and under employment are relatively high like Teesside. Its no good reducing thresholds for Income Tax at £12,500 a year when there are many applicants per job at that level.

Social housing has been reduced reduced and reduced. I would give local authorities some loans to build houses and flats, This is to replace proprties bought by renters in the past. The loans could be paid back at low interest rates say 3% satrting 2 years after the properties are completed. This would lower the cost of renting. A driving force of poverty is rents increasing faster than income for people on low incomes. In 2000 I paid £300/month to priovately rent a small house which would be £600 today. Incomes have not doubled (100%) in that time more like up 70%. It would be worth around £45k then and now around £147k (just checked on Zoopla). For people moving to private rented from a local authority rent the jump will be very big in price.
 
Redwurzel said:
I do donate a small sum every month to 2 charities for children and have for 20 years. I hope it goes to help children in poverty.

When there are food bank collections at the Riverside I always give something - its doesn't cost much.

Most people could do this if they so wished. I don't think I am a particularly generous person.

We are becoming a much mored divided country in terms of income and wealth. I know its not this country but if a wealthy man like Donald Trump can boast he pays no income tax or a tiny amount something is very wrong.

We don't need taxes to be high, just be paid and for that money to be used to ensure poverty is reduced. I know Youth services were decimated by the 2010 Government to save short term money. Further education was significantly cut which can offer a way out of poverty. Universal Credit has been reduced, numbers receiving disability benefits reduced, while the top end of society incomes and wealth have increased faster than inflation.

To be fair recent Governement have increased the Living Wage and Minimum Wage rates, but they have to ensure they are fully implemented. They have raised the thresholds for paying National Insurance and Income Tax.

I'd like to see more on Job creation in areas of the country where unemployment and under employment are relatively high like Teesside. Its no good reducing thresholds for Income Tax at £12,500 a year when there are many applicants per job at that level.

Social housing has been reduced reduced and reduced. I would give local authorities some loans to build houses and flats, This is to replace proprties bought by renters in the past. The loans could be paid back at low interest rates say 3% satrting 2 years after the properties are completed. This would lower the cost of renting. A driving force of poverty is rents increasing faster than income for people on low incomes. In 2000 I paid £300/month to priovately rent a small house which would be £600 today. Incomes have not doubled (100%) in that time more like up 70%. It would be worth around £45k then and now around £147k (just checked on Zoopla). For people moving to private rented from a local authority rent the jump will be very big in price.
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Couldn't agree more. This is well worth a watch:
 
HarryVegas said:
AM it's what they have always believed in. I remember David Cameron being cornered on what he meant by 'the big society' before the 2010 election and he replied that he wanted a country where rich benefactors take up the responsibility of providing for the needy, rather than the welfare system. In other words, a return to Victorian times. He even harked back to them in the answer and when the interviewer mentioned the word 'Dickensian' he waved it away.
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Wasn't that during the " all in it together" era ?
 
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