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Child poverty cash

(36 Posts)
Caledonai14 Sat 27-Jul-19 13:17:08

As I understand it, 13 million poor people in other EU countries have benefitted from this fund (mostly through food aid), but our government stalled once it discovered school breakfast clubs were not eligible.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-49131685

Is is just me, or do other Gransnetters feel someone could just have asked the other countries how they managed to spend the money within the rules before it got to the stage of having to hand back some of the cash and being in danger of running out of time with the rest?

Someone, somewhere, needs to wise up. This is the sort of thing that makes me very nervous about claims concerning how much we pay into the EU and how much we get back.

This was to help the very poorest in our country.

Ilovecheese Sun 28-Jul-19 13:39:19

I have read that the Government wanted to spend the money towards free school meals, but that was not allowed. I suppose that they then could not be bothered to find another way to spend it.

GillT57 Sun 28-Jul-19 13:46:31

As the grandaughter of a miner, I am no fan of Scargill, but I agree with Grandad1943, Scargill was never going to get reported honestly by the right wing press, certainly during the time of Thatcher, also remember there was not social media, no FB to refute the worst statements and allegations made by papers like the Daily Mail. This does not in anyway mean I supported Scargill.
Back to the point of the thread, it is incredible that money available was not used, or are we to assume that people are being left to struggle and go hungry to save the government's face, because acceptance of funds would mean acknowledgement of the problem?

FarNorth Sun 28-Jul-19 18:34:32

Callistemon it need not have been spread over the whole UK.
Any help for any children in poverty would be welcome, in my view.

FarNorth Sun 28-Jul-19 18:37:19

By the way, another thread on this topic was started by mistake.

It doesn't have any discussion of miners and/or unions on it, tho.

It's here :
www.gransnet.com/forums/news_and_politics/1264223-EU-money-for-UK-poverty-not-used-by-UK-Tory-government

Whitewavemark2 Mon 29-Jul-19 09:49:34

The Social Metric Commission have said that.

4 million people in the U.K. are trapped in “deep poverty”

Meaning that their income is 50% BELOW THE OFFICIAL POVERTY BREADLINE.

This includes 2.3million children.

This is almost entirely down to the austerity measures imposed by this government.

Tell me? How much is Brexit costing?

Then look those children in the eye and say it is worth it. If you can do so you are not fit to be a member if the human race.

trisher Mon 29-Jul-19 10:00:53

Surely if it could not have funded Breakfast clubs or free school meals (and why the hell should it? The first are often subsidised by local firms and the second are surely the responsibility of the British government) it could have gone to foodbanks or any of the other organisations that help to feed and clothe the poorest children. At the best this is inefficiency at the worst it is deliberate and an attempt to manipulate the figures on EU funding.

Callistemon Mon 29-Jul-19 12:30:14

Free Breakfast Clubs in Wales - it sounds an excellent idea. However, although the food may be free, parents have to pay £1 per child for the half hour of care they receive.

I still think the Sure Start centres could have benefited from the money. Perhaps some could have been re-opened.

gillybob Mon 29-Jul-19 12:56:57

My DGC's primary is in a deprived area of the North East. No breakfast clubs and no after school clubs either.

trisher Mon 29-Jul-19 13:45:52

gillybob it's not the area that causes that. I worked in a very deprived area where the head established one of the very first Breakfast Clubs which eventually morphed into a sort of Community Cafe run by the parents and families. It takes a lot of commitment and dedication from a good team leader and a strong supportive staff to do those things.

gillybob Mon 29-Jul-19 14:01:07

I know its not down to the area trisher but my DGC's primary are on to their 3rd head in less than a year and I think its a case of the staff doing what is expected of them but no more. Many of the parents are either out of work or working long hours in (mostly) menial jobs. My DGC have not been able to get into a school close to home which means that picking up and dropping off is very difficult and mostly down to me. I have spoke to the school about starting something but they really don't seem interested.