Food Banks and Poverty- was Nye right?

A relative of mine in his late 50s has recently been released from prison. Determined to turn his life around, he has taken a low-status job, now works 50+ hours per week and has managed to get a flat. He has received a lot of help from the Probation Service. Yes there are a lot of problems out there but sometimes we have to help ourselves (health permitting of course).

growstuff ....my late Mother ( who died early) was born in 1912.
We are all different ages on here so bound to have different memories.

There has never been a generation where women didn't work growstuff but in every generation, there have been some women who didn't. Post-war a lot of brain-washing went on to "encourage" women to stay at home and it worked to some extent. There were lots of nudge factors. You were encouraged to feel you were a bit further up the social ladder if you could afford for the "wife" to stay at home. I wonder if that is where the "Mrs Bucket" stereotype came from.

It's amazing that after fighting the views that encompassed "Kinder, Küche, Kirche" our own government tried to persuade us that the same order Hitler promoted with men in charge, protecting their family and women there to serve and nurture them was the right one. And it worked for quite a while but by the mid-70s, I would guess, as we needed more people working, feminism had been on the march again for some time and many women were better educated than they ever had been in such number it all changed again.

I know you well enough to realise that post was written tongue in cheek GracesGran and it's not a serious suggestion, but you do have a serious point.

I am absolutely astounded that somebody who has not worked since having children has the nerve to lecture other people.

How old are some of the people on this thread? My late mother was born in 1931 and worked full-time apart from the time I was born until my younger sister started school. Even when my sisters and I were young, she still did part-time jobs.

I don't know any woman of my age who didn't work when their children were at school. Many of us took breaks for maternity leave and that was it.

And that's great Tooting but why assume others don't work as hard and as responsibly?

If anything is taking a toll on the benefits bill it is the state pension. Never have so few people had to pay for so many. I am not suggesting we can do away with it but if we are suggesting that those without jobs can go without money to live on or have to be vilified before they get less than it is possible to live on, or that their illness or the level of their disability is to be decided by people with no relevant knowledge, then perhaps we should be looking at who actually needs a state pension?

If you go around creating a culture of discrimination, bullying and harassment where "benefits" we all pay for are concerned, perhaps this should include the state pension. So maybe we should all have to apply and be treated as if we were low life's who never knowingly took responsibility and obviously did not do all they could to improve their lot as they are now sponging in great numbers, after a life-time where many could afford to live off one income, only to end up with our pensions being paid for by a generation who can't.

The government is very sneaky. When it talks about the massive benefit bill (about a sixth of the Treasury's income), It doesn't highlight that the majority of it is paid out in state pensions. It doesn't mention that what most people consider to be benefits are actually a very small part of the total amount.

Strictly speaking, the government does consider the state pension a benefit.

Using the same logic, Contributory Jobseekers' Allowance was paid for too, so should never have been classified as a benefit.

Tooting I'm not knocking those who worked hard. I worked two jobs for a while(civil service pay didn't cover mortgage)
My family all have always worked. My son still does a weekend job.
I can still sympathise with those who can't find/ are unable to work. I'm glad I can be like that, rather than cold hearted and selfish.

State Pension was paid for. It's not a benefit.

Um, I am enormously grateful that my DH worked hard but the downside was he had to spend months away in order to earn enough to pay a mortgage and enable us to scrape by for a few years.
But it was not ideal and not my choice.

Barmeyoldbat how heartless. Exactly how do they think people can manage to wait all that time?

ExperiencedNotOld
I'm with you, some of the comments from other posters are unwarranted and make huge assumptions based on their opinions. I've been there as well holding down 2 jobs and my husband 2 jobs as well to support our families and keep our heads above water. I came from parents and grandparents that just rolled up their sleeves and got on with things. So good role models. Not everyone can do this I admit but lets not knock those that can and have.

It strikes me that all those who managed to give up work when they had children should be enormously grateful that in those days a family could live on one wage. There are very few jobs now that would pay enough to do that and housing is so expensive.

Well OldGem it shouldn't be. So why are people who are on benefits often called scroungers and I have seen it said so on GN. They are referring to you, me and others on pensions are you happy with this?

Blasted computer changing things I type. Should be UC

Very well said Annepi. My son had to apply for US once and he went 13 weeks with no money. It was lucky that we were able to help him out and it was only him. During this time he was able to go on some very good training courses but a wait of 13 weeks, I ask you, it was totally unacceptable. They even asked him how he was managing for money, may be thinking he was doing some cash in hand jobs or something. He was able to show them bank statements that showed money from mum. If it hadn't been for us he would have been homeless and living on the streets, branded a scroungers and useless, all through no fault of his own.

If I can help anyone even though they are not family I will.

Pension IS a benefit...

The pension paid out by these schemes is defined as a 'benefit'. ... Contributory benefits under Part II of that Act are listed, and the sixth is retirement pensions. In addition, the introduction of the new State Pension from 6 April 2016 is also classified as a “benefit” under Section 1(1) of the Pensions Act 2014.4 Mar 2016

Those that can work being strongly encouraged ie promise them if they take a low paid job they will be supplemented by UC
The reality for many like my AC on UC. The stress of continually having to wait for money as not one payment ever came on time and was never the correct amount. Childcare was paid monthly in arrears. How does that work? Childcare has to be paid for in advance.
Luckily I was there, but not everyone has someone to help. And not everyone wants to ask family for help.
Her MP was dealing with hundreds of complaints.

UC is NOT just paid to those who don't work. It replaced working tax credits.
(Incidentally many are paid low wages because greedy employers want to maximise their own gain.)

Working tax credits were paid a year in advance. Much better system.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jun/15/universal-credit-colossal-catastrophe-national-audit-office

JenniferEccles Can you imagine a father (or mother) not being able to provide and having to steel themselves to ask for a referral to a foodbank? It must be horrible, and not done lightly.

Whilst I have money to spare some of it will always be used to help others. Why? Because that is what we should do, as human beings. And if some is misused that is ok. No system will ever be foolproof. We have to allow for that. We can't stop giving those in need in case a small percentage is given to someone who is undeserving. And we can't make the rules so tight that those in genuine need don't get it or don't claim it. That is what is happening.

Pensions are not benefits. We paid for them when we worked. Saying it is a benefit causes ill will towards older people from the young who say they are paying for our pension.

People are easily fooled. Divide and Rule!!

Well, it was simple if your husband was at home too!!
My mum worked in a hotel and took me with her, I had great fun, but there was only me at that time. The others were older.

Not so simple if a husband's job took them away.

ExperiencedNotOld I assumed you didn't realise how rude you were being and thought it best to ignore you.

Callerston, I worked for many years in a hotel in Bournemouth, 6 to 10 during the week. Saturday afternoon and 2 to 10 on a Sunday,. Who looked after my children, simple my husband they are his children as well as mine.

During the winter months I would take the children in with me and do the office work and book keeping whilst the children helped the chambermaid.

Later on when the children were older I was able to share childcare with a friend, I looked after her son while she worked or did training and she returned the favour.

GGMK3. Maisie may have answered you but I’m still awaiting your response. Anyway, I’m off out for a responsibly cheap evening in a friends house with more friends. Happy New Year to all.

Use of the word “benefit” for retirement pension (latterly known as State Pension) has always been classified in law from the time of the1946 National Insurance Act, which applied from the inception of the National Insurance scheme. *

The state pension is and always has been paid for by the next generation. We paid for those retiring before us an those working now pay for our pensions by the means of their National Insurance.

However, the benefits from that insurance are not limited to our pensions. NI is a "working life" insurance not only against poverty in old age but against unemployment, sickness, etc., and a small percentage goes to the NHS although about 80% of the costs of the NHS now come from general taxation. The only difference is that pension is a universal benefit.

If someone - your married women for instance - never worked, never paid NI but ended up in need they would still get the equivalent to the basic pension benefit. Benefits are the result of insurance. If you receive a work pension or private pension what they are paying you is called a benefit.

The problem is not the misuse of the word benefit when applied to a state pension but the derogatory use of it in our MSM and by some political parties to make it seem irresponsible to claim what you have paid for. This attack on working benefits suits many of those whose pride has sadly gone before someone else's fall.

*Recent reply in Parliament to a petition.

Probably more in benefits is unclaimed.

Although fraud should be tracked down and eliminated if possible.