MaizeD. All governments over time have failed these people not just the Conservative goverment over the last 9 years. History shows that there is always a certain number of people at the bottom of the pile. There shouldn't be but the reality is there is. The residium as our Victorian forebears called them. The problems leading to poverty were different yet sadly the same. Famine, infant mortality, too many children, low life expectancy, insecure employment, disability, absent or heavy drinking fathers, domestic abuse up to a huge factor in poverty. Tudors brought in Poor law and parish relief, Victorians the tyranny of the workhouse. As a child in the 60s I can remember slums and bomb sites, shell shocked men from the wars talking to themselves in shop doorways, alcoholic and meths drinkers living in bus shelters homes with no hot water or baths and families struggling to make do and mend, hand me down clothes sourced through jumble sales. Today the population and the poor have increased expedentially. The concept of UC was probably fair in theory, where it fell down is in its execution and delays. The public also take a dim view of those who abuse benefits which has probably led to more complex application process. There has to be some partnership between Government, local authorities and charities to support these people and help them. It's a sad reality of life and history shows us there is no simple answer.
