Tory welfare cuts will impoverish 200,000 children next year and more than 600,00 in 2020

Don't some food banks do home deliveries now? That would save any potential awkwardness.

Oh thank god someone else has posted. I thought the love in between Durham Jen and anniebach was going on for ever.

Don't worry, it's still rock-solid on a couple of other threads...

What pathetic comments. I do hope your families are okay.

My post about home deliveries was perfectly serious, durhamjen.

And if you can't take a bit of teasing at your time of life, I feel sorry for you...

I'm surprised that the youngsters using this foodbank feel "awkward" about going to the usual ones. In my experience some of the young people I have dealt with have an air of entitlement, and seem astonished that they have been sanctioned after not turning up (or even applying) for interviews or jobs. Some seem to think that the world owes them a living. I'm ducking behind the sofa now......

Some but not all Ceesan

www.theguardian.com/society/2015/dec/16/benefit-cuts-universal-credit-illegal-labour

Interesting

Coverage of working parents being evicted in London area on VBBC TV news this evening. Miserable.

Interesting indeed Jen, but frightening that a government can be so willing to plunge so many into poverty and be proud of it

I wonder if Keir Starmer will get involved with this. I imagine the former DPP knows quite a bit about the law.

www.politics.co.uk/news/2015/12/17/official-study-bedroom-tax-driving-people-into-hunger-and-de

Just to add to the misery. Government tried to sneak this out on the last day, so it cannot be debated, along with lots of other similar problems.

beastrabban.wordpress.com/2015/12/20/private-eye-maximus-makes-loss-from-fitness-to-work-tests/

Some good news, just before Christmas.

Those of you in Wales, you might like to sign this petition.

www.change.org/p/welsh-government-stop-housing-homeless-teenagers-in-unsuitable-bed-and-breakfast-accommodation?source_location=trending_petitions_home_page&algorithm=curated_trending

(Others can sign it, too. Don't feel left out.)

I was going to ask if you thought it was the Michael Sheen who started the petition. It is.

Have signed it Jen. I am amused by England doesn't put youngsters in B & B,

Just look at how many are homeless

No family can live on £11,000 a year and need help.the fact that the government is trying to give less benefits is because this country is in a mess. We are in horrendous debt. The ordinary tax payer cannot afford to keep paying for other people, the social infer structure etc. etc. there are not the well paid jobs needed to sustain this country. I still bail my children out financially and it's beginning to cripple me. Nobody wants to see children live in poverty. I imagine some parents don't try hard enough but lots won't have the ability to be high earners. At one stage when my children were young we had three jobs but the jobs aren't there any longer. The worst thing is professionals charge an hourly rate that most people can't afford eg lawyers etc. to fight their cause.

Obviously means testing is the only way but people must be encouraged to retrain. For better jobs. I know this sounds hard but They choose to have children and must support them, initially benefits were for people that came on hard times not an expectation.

I haven't read all the pages too many and I have 20 people coming over the next two days.

Pensioners can't live on the state pension!

There seems to be a lot of angst on this thread. I can't believe anyone wants kids to live a poor life. I think it's bad for everyone. As it can lead too bad behaviour.

I don't know the answer.

Yes, Anniebach, England doesn't put youngsters in B&Bs; it puts them on the street.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/benefit-cuts-george-osborne-urged-to-make-u-turn-over-universal-credit-a6787796.html

Another u-turn to be announced, hopefully.

www.change.org/p/welsh-government-stop-housing-homeless-teenagers-in-unsuitable-bed-and-breakfast-accommodation?source_location=trending_petitions_home_page&algorithm=curated_trending

Nearly 50,000 signatures now.

I do wonder why people start petitions on www.change.org as this number on the government website should get a response and another 50,000 should get it a debate in parliament.

www.conservativehome.com/platform/2015/12/matthew-oakley-five-ways-to-help-one-million-more-disabled-people-into-work.html

Pushing disabled benefit claimants into insurance based schemes, according to Conservative Home. I have no idea why insurance companies would think this is a good idea, but it's a way to impoverish disabled people more, and to remove the benefits from government figures, thus making it appear that there are fewer claimants.

Anyone want a job? Running Universal credit?

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/iain-duncan-smith-is-offering-140000-a-year-for-someone-to-take-charge-of-his-troubled-universal-a6791046.html

The fifth person in five years. The one doing it at the moment was only in temporarily and if he wants to keep it, and the money, will have to reapply for his own job.
Can't think why there is such a quick turnover rate!

www.change.org/p/welsh-government-stop-housing-homeless-teenagers-in-unsuitable-bed-and-breakfast-accommodation?source_location=trending_petitions_home_page&algorithm=curated_trending

109,000+ signatures now, Anniebach.

Let's hope we change things, problem is where do they go, they are just children

We ought to start a thread of the consequences of Osborne austerity now beginning to really bite.
An example -

A neighbour who lived with his mother until her death is special needs as is his wife. Since his mothers death he has become alcoholic and is now seriously ill.

Social services are unable to provide sufficient help due to cuts and as a result he is taken in and our of hospital dozens of times oner the past year. They are unable to feed themselves properly - in fact his wife recently needed assistance to be shown how to open a tin of beans.

It is so sad and in more civilised times they would have been in care.