UK's Poor becoming reliant on Food Banks Just to survive, page 1


Pages: <<  1    2    3  >>
ATS Members have flagged this thread 14 times
Topic started on 17-4-2012 @ 03:00 PM by michael1983l

Shocking figures have revealed that every week a new food bank opens in Britain as more people find themselves struggling to make ends meet.

And the number of people needing emergency aid is expected to rise with many food banks operators worried that the full impact of the recent budget will not kick in until 2013.

There are now over 190 food banks nationwide, 88 of which were launched in 2011 alone.


(Visit link for full article)

www.dailymail.co.uk...

Basically the article goes on to say that in 12 months the number of families relying on food hand outs by the food banks has doubled and they expect it to get worse by 2013 when the latest government cuts kick in. We are not really talking about unemployed people here either, the food banks report that the majority of people in need are low income families. Is this a sign of the times, when a supposed developed nation that sits in the top 10 economies in the world cannot afford to feed its people through conventional means anymore. Is this the start of the end for the UK, have we really slipped this far?

Those that live in the UK should take notice of this news and be worried, the economy is still stagnent and out exposure to the Eurozone and the USA is dangerous as if either falls so does Britain. The times are desperate and we are in for a rough ride.

Time to cease international aid, we need that 0.7% of GDP to feed our own people.


reply posted on 17-4-2012 @ 03:22 PM by markymint
I'm impressed with the work behind food banks, and was pleased to see one open in the local area. Where I live we only have a Waitrose and no other supermarkets within walking distance. I can't afford Waitrose, and have seriously considered going to a food bank. We have a local shop but it's very expensive too (Londis). To give you an example, cream crackers in Tesco are about 30p. The only pack they do in Londis is £1.39. I had no food or money last week and it was a very depressing few days. I can only imagine it's the same for other people. But yeah it's good the food banks are opening up, even if it is a sign that things aren't so great with the economy, earnings etc.

I also noticed Sainsbury have just upped prices on their basics range, not by 5 or 10p but by 50p or more, which really, really sucks. Pub meals in the local area have gone up by about £2, and with the Waitrose I mentioned being expensive, it's hard to have decent meals frequently now.

That said, all this hard times-ness has pushed me to start my own business. And if that works out I'd like to try and help other locals get food they deserve to survive as it's been such a tough situation for me for the last year or two. It's not nice. But kudos to those who are running the food banks, it's a great idea. If my reaction to the local one near me is anything to go by, I can only imagine a lot of people are sighing with relief when they learn of one near them.
edit on 17-4-2012 by markymint because: spelling


reply posted on 17-4-2012 @ 03:24 PM by michael1983l
reply to post by Maxatoria


I am not sure that is the general case and is more of an isolated set of incidents. When you start looking at costs of essentials, like a roof over your head, transportation, food, heating and council tax it starts to look very grim for those earning below £30,000 for the household. We are in a mess and I don't see how we are going to get ourselves out of it, these times have all the ingredients for a revolution all we need now is someone with a good idea and the ability to open peoples imaginations.


reply posted on 17-4-2012 @ 03:33 PM by michael1983l
reply to post by freewestray


I believe you are refering to the maximum benefit of £25k to reflect average wage. I also believe this has not been ratified yet as the house of lords voted against it, meaning those with 10 kids and no employed people are still getting 30 ood thoasand a year in tax free benefits. However the thrust of the original article seems to refering to those in work but on the lower incomes. This is worrying as it is proving that our minimum incomes are now lower than what would be classed as a minimum standard of living.


reply posted on 17-4-2012 @ 03:33 PM by stumason
reply to post by freewestray


Not quite true, the first child gets the most, £20.30 a week but there is no limit on subsequent children after that, who each will net you £13.40. From next year, however, child benefit will start to be cut for anyone who earns over the higher tax threshold.


reply posted on 17-4-2012 @ 03:47 PM by stumason
reply to post by Biliverdin


That is what I am being told is what I need, if it's less, then bonus! But stamp duty is the killer, as round here a 4 bed house is the better part of £250-£300K, which means I'd have to find an extra 3% of the price to give to the Government.

The madness is, while I cannot get a mortgage to buy the house I need, which would be around £700-£800 a month, but I am renting a smaller house for much more, currently £950 a month. I could be much better off, ironically if I could only save the huge amount of money in the first place.


reply posted on 17-4-2012 @ 03:48 PM by michael1983l
reply to post by Biliverdin


That includes searches and mortgage fee's. The mortgage fee was £550 alone if I remember correctly.


reply posted on 17-4-2012 @ 03:50 PM by freewestray
reply to post by michael1983l

Its getting worst than that my friend, my brother is on working families tax credits because he is self employed and his income is quite low at the moment, he has just has his tax credits cut by £70 per week, he now faces a choice of heat or eat for himself his wife and three small children.

Now some at this point will say, why the ***k doesn't he just get a better payed job? but trust me the UK is suffering a huge shortage of job`s at the moment, unemployment is rising and businesses are closing daily.

Another thing to add here is the fact that his money was cut a week before the budget and the inland revenue have told him that it will take at least three weeks to get everything sorted out, they say he needs re-assessing in light of the budget, but WTF they are contradicting them-selves.

Our government are just making a fast buck out of the poorer folk, the words piano wire and swinging from lamp posts come to mind when I think of our MP`s.


reply posted on 17-4-2012 @ 03:56 PM by Biliverdin
reply to post by stumason


When I bought my house in 2000 I paid about £300 in conveyancing fees, same again for surveys. Inflation has certainly, well, inflated things.

If you can get a deposit together there are ways around the borrowing issue, like saying you plan to let one of the rooms, that can be added to your income...but if you can't get the deposit together, it is a useless loophole. And, it would seem, from what you and the OP have said, that the legal fees are helping to keep people off the property ladder by themselves. Not a very helpful situation. I'm trying to sell my house at the moment, but am not looking to buy, but it seems to be the reverse situation to when I bought it. Then it was cheap to buy, expensive to sell, but it will cost me very little in comparison to what buyers are seeming to have to fork out.

No wonder I can't shift the bastard thing


reply posted on 17-4-2012 @ 03:58 PM by Biigs
reply to post by stumason


Ive ranted about the whole house thing before on ats.

tax, interest rates and one off tax.

you work, you get taxed, you save, you get poor interest on your savings and lucky to beat inflation.
you spend your savings on a deposit and get a mortgage, high interest of course (from the banks money it gets from others saving)
you pay your stamp duty
you pay your solicitors
you pay your mortgage off, which is as much as renting anyway
you die you give leave your house to your kids, your house is over the limit for inheritance by just 50k
kids have to find 40% of 50k
kids have to sell house
kids split whats left of the money
kids spend it on..... you guessed it another mortgage!

amount of work you you did vs the amount that was taxed from you and taken off you in the form of horrible saving interest vs insane loan interest...... never ending cycle of tax.

If you had to take any loans out while you were in the saving and renting phase, increase impossibility factor by 5


edit on 17-4-2012 by Biigs because: (no reason given)



reply posted on 17-4-2012 @ 03:59 PM by freewestray
Originally posted by stumason
reply to post by freewestray


Not quite true, the first child gets the most, £20.30 a week but there is no limit on subsequent children after that, who each will net you £13.40. From next year, however, child benefit will start to be cut for anyone who earns over the higher tax threshold.


Then how come my brother has had his child benefit cut?

He has phoned them up and nothing can be done for the next three weeks, we all know that he is entitled to it but if you look at his situation and the many hundreds of thousands like him you will see that there is a government savings plan at work, come down to his level and see what its like eh.
Pages: <<  1    2    3  >>    ^^TOP^^



How US Dollar Collapsed - Inside Job
  Posted 2 days ago with 65 member flags
Debt Free at Last!
  Posted 2 days ago with 20 member flags
Get Your Money Out of Morgan Stanley—Fast!
  Posted 15 days ago with 13 member flags
This Is Why We Are In This Mess!!
  Posted 15 days ago with 10 member flags