Poverty or not?

@mollie I read that piece by Caitlin Moran and wanted to know where her mother was in all this. We were not well off but sts were there - albeit made to last too long and bought last minute. Don't mean to derail but Sandro and so on are now my foodbank must donate.

Not Sandro Sanpro . Don't know any Sandro.

Clearly the system is not working as well as it could but what could be done to change it other than throwing lots more money at it and putting taxes up.

Maybe there is a case for counselling for those on long term benefits not related to health? Perhaps all could benefit from Phoenix's skills in making a little food to a long way? How would we get such education/help across?

I remember many years ago a group I belonged to having a discussion with a couple of young people from a deprived estate. They had lots to complain about, some of which we found difficult to cope with, but no suggestions about what they wanted done. One of our group asked "if we had all the resources in the world what could we do to make life better" and was roundly told that it was not all about money. He had never suggested it was.

There are scroungers in the system. I know of 2 women, now in their 60s who trained many years ago with a friend of mine. She has gone on to have a career using that training and they have not. They have never worked and live in social housing in Worthing paid for by the taxpayer. Maybe counselling years ago would have helped them learn a different attitude and helped them into work? They are actually quite proud of their situation.

Well done that Scottish council but there must be a better answer.

mollie you have said what I was going to say. I found the article by Caitlin Moran both moving and shocking, and her point very true, that 'hygiene poverty' is something not much considered but very important.

Nonnie - this government is closing family centres and preventive services to vulnerable children and families are being closed because of the austerity agenda. Those services were doing good work in educationing the people using their services on cooking healthy food on a tight budget, money management, parenting skills and many other life skills. The wider costs of the cuts are showing themselves in family breakdown, homelessness, increased drug and alcohol dependence and mental health problems. I know some will see these comments as political but my view is it’s fairly straight forward, you done take from the poor and give to the rich and make a healthy society.