General Chat

BBC News item from last month about the problem:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39095061

Mark, in your other thread I asked whether you had contacted your MP.

He/she may take up the suggestion in the light of Frank Field's comments.

Your 19:08 comment yesterday is something that I have posted about before, namely the building of bungalows suitable for older people and people who need full-time care which many pensioners need eventually.

I was thinking of the suggestion by the government that pensioners living in large houses should downsize in order to release more homes for families. However, like you, I believe older and other people still need three bedrooms for the reasons you stated (a room for a carer and another for a spouse or family visitor).

Builders usually trot out excuses that a one-floor dwelling takes up more space but there is absolutely no good reason for this as a family home needs a much larger garden anyway and the vast majority of pensioners and less-abled bodied persons would be happy with a small patch that many would try to tend themselves without needing to pay gardeners.

In our area we have few suitable bungalows. There are no three-bedroomed apartments that I know of. Anything higher than ground floor would require use of lifts - and I would never rely on them in case of breakdown, fire etc.

Builders and planners need to give their heads a shake.

Have you seen what is in the packs, lots of boil in the bag items for a start. I don't think giving them to homeless individuals would be a good idea. A soup kitchen might help. Here's an idea what's in the packs.

http://www.mreinfo.com/international-rations/british-24-hour-ration-packs/

Thanks for that link PatinCyprus. Very interesting to see what is in them.

This was discussed the other day on the original thread and soup kitchens were suggested, and if memory serves me right that seemed a good fix for most people. Obviously these rations aren't 100% perfect...too high in calories....ability to cook etc etc....but clearly a good step in the right direction.

As Newby says food banks of any kind, shelters, temp accom and so on are looking through the wrong end of the telescope. The UK economy is easily able to ensure that most of the population can be housed and be able to eat without resorting to largesse.

Instead business and govt have colluded to drive down real take home pay for pretty well anybody on under £ 150 K. At the higher end this has caused some hefty shocks as assumptions about housing and schools have had to change radically. This has driven up house prices and rents to unsupportable levels to places as diverse as the East End , Bristol and Brighton. The middle is feeling pain and anger. At the bottom people at the bottom are ground down by falling real pay, the need for frozen tax credits (a subsidy to employers), zero hours contracts, false self employment (casual labour), wanton changes to housing benefit...

Having created a perfect storm we now see low level workers paying more ni and those try and put some sticking plaster on the patient such as food banks pilloried.

That the current govt is embarked on a crusade against the working class has been made clear today by Justin Greening.

Knowing why it happened is not of much interest to smebody who is a victim and just needs their suffering alleviated.

Food banks began here in the '90s as a "temporary measure" to help the poor and homeless.

They depended on volunteer contributions ....... add an extra can or two to your grocery shopping, put it in the box at the front of the store, and someone would come by with a van and take all the donations down to the food bank.

Then add money raising events .............. where the local MP turned up to ever so proudly hand over a rather large cheque.

Fast forward and what do we have .............

not only homeless and those on welfare, but families, refugees, working poor, all depending on the Food Bank for support with EVERYTHING

We're now asked to "remember" to donate diapers (nappies), baby food, pet food, shampoos, soaps, feminine products ............ in addition to food

and the government??

Providing enough money so that food banks are no longer needed is nowhere on their radar ............. but the local MP will turn up a fundraiser and hand over a rather large cheque.


Like many posters ........... it seems a good idea to use army rations that might be thrown out ........ but my question is WHY are they being thrown out????

Past their best date??? Does that mean they're not good enough for the army, but good enough for the poor and homeless???

Precisely Sharron.

Sylvia, the food stores near us have donation boxes near the front entrances too.

One nearby town has a centre with showers (funded by a local builder) where the homeless can clean themselves up and get a meal. One local well-known baker bakes fresh bread, rolls or whatever they are doing that particular day for the centre free of charge - fresh (not leftover).

I can't see the MoD giving out packs past their use-by date, as I wrote previously.

As Newby says food banks of any kind, shelters, temp accom and so on are looking through the wrong end of the telescope. The UK economy is easily able to ensure that most of the population can be housed and be able to eat without resorting to largesse.

The charities and the people who really care are dealing with these tiny ..small changes ..The people responsible for the situation you are all working so hard to alleviate WILL remain the same..
They are happy for you to do this as it averts the attention to those who are ultimately responsible
We honestly need to look at the the reason why our Government refuse to help despite the pleas of their voters and still direct aid to other countries ..perhaps because they are working for their own agenda?

Rollo the Red...how much do you think people on the minimum wage are really worth?

Can I be honest? People on the minimum wage are worth ...shock ..horror ..the minimum wage!
I employ people on the minimum wage because that is what their skill set is worth .I have to make a profit ..Business is all about profit ..it is how businesses continue to trade. An employee who is not profitable soon becomes an ex employee. Employers are not responsible for making sure 'Mabel ' gets a Mortgage or has 2 holidays a year. Employees pay is based on the value of the skills our employees have. Mabel needs to enhance her value to employers by moving up the employment ladder and take responsibility herself to get the income to support the lifestyle she requires.

Having watched yet another programme about debt and poverty and being such a tightwad myself I can't help thinking that more could be done to teach people how to manage their own finances.

We had a very difficult time after Fred died as you may recall but their was food in the cupboard, all things that needed to be prepared and cooked and that had not cost a great deal to buy.

Even now, because OH gets an MOD pension, my entire pension is used to pay the rent and council tax so we are probably no better .off for having the pension but we have more than enough to live on.

As for those on a minimum wage only being worth a minimum wage, I think that is a bit short sighted. Maybe it was true in the past but there are people who would rather take a job well beneath their capabilities and qualifications rather than not be employed and the current attitude towards the unemployed makes it even more likely.Maybe employers should do a bit of a stock check and see what potential they are wasting amongst their staff.

Many people are in Min wage jobs because that's all there is available, and often on part time hours. Therefore they don't have the money to do extra training nor the time as they often do more than one job to try and make ends meet. Some people are happy to plod along I'm sure just making enough, others want to improve don't assume they don't.
Maybe "Mabel" works hard and can't get a mortgage because she can never get enough together for the down payment. As for two holidays a year, I know plenty who don't even have one holiday a year even at home let alone abroad.......part time jobs don't give paid leave.
Plenty of these people aren't homeless but need to go to food banks to get enough food on the table every night.

good post, Caroline!

Our provincial government in its wisdom some years ago decided that people who serve liquor in restaurants, bars, etc ............ servers who take liquor to tables, bar persons, etc ............ got a lot of tips, so the minimum wage that has to be paid to them is LOWER than the minimum wage paid to any other worker. :-S :-0 :-|

The current minimum wage in the province is $10.85/hour, increasing to $11.25 in September 2017

The current minimum wage for liquor servers is $9.60/hour, increasing to $10.10 in September 2017


FWIW ................ $10 = approximately £6; $10.85 = £6.62

They are of course expected to declare all tips as "income" on their tax returns every year. The federal agency will conduct an investigation of the tax return for "reassessment" if they suspect that the amount of tips declared is too low for the job they're doing.


Many of them love their jobs, but have to work 2 or 3 to get any kind of living wage.

Part timers do accrue paid holidays .. this is employment law also 16 hrs a week employees are entitled to IS or JS ..There is also tax credits for the low paid...
There is now the minimum wage which has to be paid and Pension contributions if accepted by the employee are also paid by the employer
Mabel needs to work out if she wants to continue in a low paid job or move up the job ladder to get the lifestyle she wants. It might mean putting herself out and struggling for a while but the end result is for her benefit alone..It is what people who chose to become self employed do every day of the week

I don't think you can generalize about the employment situation of any individual at the moment.

Sharon ..I am now worried there is a member on here called Mabel who may be feeling victimized... :-0
xx

There are many people who are not given enough hours to get all of what you mention Newby, employers will keep their hours low and employ lots of people so they don't have to give them holidays etc. These are the people who work more than one job, therefore they can not put themselves out or struggle to get up the ladder because they do all that already just to get a little income. Let's not forget its males as well as females in this situation, so it's not just "Mabel" wanting some extra pin money.
The thing about choosing to be self employed is you can choose to work more or less hours each day/week.
Back to the thread though one way or another we need to help those that are trying to help themselves and if one of those small steps is getting them food........