Food Banks and Poverty- was Nye right?

There are optimists UG and irrational optimists. They are considered insane. I, optimistically, hope for better times ahead for our country. I believe relying on Johnson to make that happen, based on what we know about him is insanity.

If he improves and does things that actually improve the lot of those who have been left behind for decades rather than just enriching those like himself I will be happy to change my mind but I will not change my thinking that basing optimism on what we know so far seems to verge on insanity.

But then, we are all entitled to our opinion, insane or not. I just wonder if you wear a seat belt or rely on your optimism and impune others when they do choose to wear one.

It's a cany ploy.....My God, you have excelled yourself

I don't have a dog and would find it difficult to cope on £73.10 a week. How would you manage?

Bagg But ExperiencedNotOld seems to think that some people don't deserve to be helped, but claims some do. How does she suggest sorting them out?

As the current level of benefits for people of working age is totally inadequate, is she suggesting raising it - maybe even doubling it, so those who "deserve" it can actually cope?

BTW ENO I've been very close to somebody not coping with life. I suspect I know more about the level and availability of benefits than you do.

A dog on a string tugs certain heartstrings. It’s a canny ploy.

Lets think now Baggs......a dog or spice......maybe the dog.

Is there seriously something wrong with you.

I do wonder how poor souls with dogs in tow afford the dogs. A dog doesn't come free.

Where can this help be found Urmstongran?

I seriously mean it.

There's no need to differentiate if help is universal. How the help is acted upon will often cause different differentiation though.

Ah well, next time you see some poor soul with a dog on a piece of string, as you jump into your transport and off for lunch with the girls, you can feel all cosy and smug inside.

it is their choice, they are obviously deficient losers.

This is about the thinking in Scotland re UBI. They are starting a lot lower but I feel you have to recycle benefits into it to make it work - or you still end up with people on income-related benefits and all the cost of processing these.

Many people feel the Finish project was a bit of a sham; not big enough to show very much but Canada is interested and so is one of the states in the USA although that seemed to be more of a benefits system.

How would you differentiate between the deserving and undeserving poor?

And how would you manage on £73.10 a week?

Think what you like GGMK3. I think we’re all created equal, it’s just circumstances and our response to it that results in a difference. I do wonder just how close have some of the bleeding heart liberals really got to those not coping with life? I’m not talking about those with genuine issues who most definitely deserve our assistance and compassion. I’m thinking about those with ‘ ‘mental health’ as a result of a unwilling to tackle drink and/or drug addiction, those that can’t be arsed with contraception or see parenthood as a route to more benefits, those that just don’t like work (nor took advantage of schooling beforehand) - all things that are within the ability of an individual to improve. I refuse to condone someone that won’t make any effort to improve themselves. Tell me what’s so bad about that.

I'm not sure everyone could "choose to manage" on UBI. As others have intimated, there will always be non-copers. The fact that they're non-copers may not be their fault — probably isn't in fact — but it isn't necessarily anyone else's fault either. No system, however well-meaning and universal, can eliminate all social ills.

That this fact is depressing doesn't make it any less true.

I’m a glass half full type of person GGMK3. Unlike some. I can’t help it. I’m an optimist.
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But trisher we’ve not had a Boris before! You’ll see.
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I worry about that statement UG. You haven't started sticking up posters of him in your bedroom, have you?

Hetty I have been banging on about UBI for years on here. Even as I typed it I could see that it is basically using the same money differently but giving people security. People thrive if they are secure and I would like our fellow citizens to thrive.

We lost £100,000 in the recession so don’t lecture me about hard choices. And if you saw my bank account right now you’d be shocked.

Yet I’m fortunate. Good health and peace of mind? You can’t buy it.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew there was a point where one in three families in this country were only one payday away from losing their home. I checked and it was 2016 but I can see no reason why this has improved. Perhaps someone could find an update of that one. However, I did find one for this year (19 September 2019) that says that almost half of working renters are only one paycheque away from losing their home.

It's a knife-edge for many people UG. Just not you, it appears.

But trisher we’ve not had a Boris before! You’ll see.
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Temporarily maybe. Until they access help. Or some kind soul who knows of their distress points them in the right direction to obtain that help.

That man with only one pair of shoes, that broke? he knew they wouldn’t last forever.

I noticed that one of my unemployed adult students was absent on rainy days. I asked if he'd like to borrow my college umbrella. Then he showed me the soles of his trainers, worn through with cardboard glued inside. He was saving up for new ones!

I really like the old/longstanding idea of Universal Basic Income. With financial security, people can choose to manage on that or work for a better lifestyle:

www.wired.co.uk/article/universal-basic-income-policy-universal-credit

Given the history of this Tory government on acting to improve how Universal Credit works Urmstongran I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for Boris to make things better!

I rather think they do UG. You cannot imagine it; I get that. But it doesn't mean that it can't be true that some people lives are so different from yours that this does happen to them.

Ok, as you wish.