Are you watching the Prime Minister speaking live on news channels?

Cancelling HS2 would save a lot

Neither false logic or untrue actually.
Having an NHS free at the point of use is a fantastic saving, and everybody uses their GP services quite apart from hospital treatment.
It may be a good idea to up the money slightly for a limited period this year, but I have no idea if that idea is feasible given all the vast amounts already needed to give elsewhere during this crisis.

^If we raised it more, we would be giving considerably more
All told, than any other country.^

That is false logic and completely untrue.

pogs I don’t dare comment or say anything positive as when I did I was jumped on from a great height from certain of your fellow ideologues ????

pernilla have comfort in knowing that we are all in the same boat. Nothing lasts for ever.

Watching and listening to Rishi Sunak live on TV at Select Committee as I type I think he is doing very well.

Measured, confident, respectful and honest and is on top of his brief.

I watched a repeat of Homes Under the Hammer this morning to avoid the news, I should be interested but I'm finding it depressing and boring in one go. it isn't that I think the government are making a bad job of all this it is just the endless commentary and the closing down of my social life bit by bit, no mothers day is making me particularly weepy with both sons working from home a log way away.

I think you mean trisher lemon

Statutory sick pay at £94 a week is totally inadequate

I totally agree Whitewave . How can anyone (unless they have savings) be expected to live on this is beyond me.

Having said that I don't think small businesses should be made to foot the bill either.

£94 is less than some European countries, but they don’t have an NHS health system for a start.
If we raised it more, we would be giving considerably more
All told, than any other country.
Not to say that can’t do it, particularly for the coming six months.

Wrong on all levels WW ....14.23.14.
Am only too thankful that the Conservatives are in power.

Statutory sick pay at £94 a week is totally inadequate. I would raise that to at least nearer the level we find in Europe

It's the country that is badly run lemon if it were being properly run the death rate and the danger would be considerably smaller. But I understand that having elected this useless crew and allowing them to run down the NHS you now realise what a huge gamble that was and how it is coming back to haunt you

Badly run perhaps trisher ( the NHS) but not under funded.

All heart or all heart problems?
I don’t expect sympathy ( just as well) but am very worried indeed.

You can worry about those less fortunate ( again, have been in that position!) but none on here are actually saying what they want the government to do over and above what they are
Doing.
So...over to you, what should they do ( that they aren’t planning to do) and perhaps you need to check facts first.

Well if you realise how threatened we are lemon* perhaps you could acknowledge that the reason we are so much in danger is because we have an underfunded NHS. My MP asking questions in Hof C today about there being enough protective clothing for staff. It's not something that should be happening. We ae not a poor country we are simply badly run.

Isn't it good to see some people are all heart? I hadn't noticed this limit on compassion you imply Lemongrove. Just because I feel for one group has not yet stopped me feeling for another. It's a shame some people are so narrowly focussed.

lemon then our DHs are in exactly the same position, and yes I am very alarmed, he however, is being far more stoical.

But that does not stop me from worrying about those less fortunate than ourselves and arguing for legislation to mitigate against a real issue in our society, that could in fact make matters worse for reasons that are obvious.

I have plenty of experience of being poor, thanks GGM3
So have already been in that position.
I ask again....what do you expect government to do that they are not already planning.
They can’t go around stuffing tenners through doors.
This whole year or more is going to affect almost everybody.

Or....perhaps very worried that their older DH with heart problems and recent pneumonia ( my DH) will now catch another life threatening illness.

What do some expect the government to do, more than they are promising to do?
All aspects of this virus and what goes along with it are being considered and planned as fast as it’s humanly possible, from
Hospital care to the economics, including loss of jobs or a week or so off work due to self isolating.
Younger working people are not going to die, but the older retired people ( not just really elderly) will do, particularly those with other health problems.
Yes, losing a job is worrying, also managing for a week or so
With limited sick pay, but in the end, it’s all of us older ones that are in real danger.

The usual prejudices coming to the fore I see!

Yes, from those who are blind because they won't see. There are times I could wish the graceless ignorant could be put in the position of those they know so little about but that is just too unkind but I do end up dispising some for their chosen lack of knowledge.

I'm not being political I'm talking about empathy and common decency. I'd like to think that the 'older people' that are in a 'worrying situation' are actually worrying about 'younger' people that are worried about not paying rent/feeding their families.

Yes iam64

We see teachers on the television worried about the children in their care knowing that they will go hungry if school is closed.

What I would love to see as one of the results of this virus is the recognition of the wide and increasing inequality in U.K. society, and legislation brought in to try to mitigate it.

And if anyone needs help with money they have to seek help

if?

If the polarised tone of this discussion reflects the way the rest of the country is thinking, heaven help us all.

We always contribute to our local food bank. At the supermarket a few days ago we bought extras of the goods identified as needed.. When we went to deposit them in the boxes, it was obvious that other shoppers were also contributing more than usual. We've also decided to set up a monthly payment for the next 3 months which we'll review if things settle down.
Once the schools close, vulnerable families will face periods of time confined together with no free school meal.

I can only assume that posters who believe that sickness pay or universal credit will automatically kick in, have no direct experiences of using the benefits system.

Typical remark from you Labaik still being personal even when we are living through difficult and worrying times for us older people.
Try being objective and not using the thread as a political battering ram.