Poverty in the UK - disappearing according to Boris

Can I just "like" the last few posts. I really haven't the energy/patience to post my views. I will say there are a couple like Ladymuck and JenniferEccles who get ?

Importing cheap low skilled labour from abroad has helped to keep wages low.

Businesses/Employers need to train their workforce from the bottom up. If the training is expensive then the employee should sign a contract to stay with the employer for a set amount of time.

This would incentivise business to train people as they would know that once trained the employee will not up and leave immediately they are qualified/trained.

(This should apply to Doctors, Nurse and Teachers also)

While I disagree with your first point, GG13, I agree with your second.

The problem is, NOW people pay for their training. Teachers do not get a bursary for doing a PGCE. They take out student loans. You can't get someone to pay for their training and then lock them in. If you want to lock staff in for a specific period, then their education needs to be state funded.

If someone has paid £50,000 for a degree and a PGCE, of course they will immediately want to go overseas to work, to enable them to start paying their loans back with higher wages.

Yes, all those teenage girls in 'period poverty' will be able to get free sanitary wear at school now, it seems. They can now use their spare cash to top up their smart phones or buy computer games or make-up. Should be good fun in those school toilets which are now gender neutral- the boys will be having a field day.

oldg tbf to GB, the idea of topping up low wages was not his idea although it’s true he expanded the concept. If you want the full history of supplementing low pay, it actually started in the 18th C with the Speenhamland System but it’s more modern incarnation was Family Income Supplement which then became Family Credit

Quiz queen , can't you see that for some families the essentials for sanitary protection are just too expensive. There is no spare money and it could be a case of food or sanitary ware. Perhaps a trip to your local food bank might open your eyes.
Gagajo I agree with you completely . It's surprising how many people think that students do not have to pay to do the PGCE.My grandson is in that group and is now doing a Masters which is essential .No wonder they have to go abroad to work to try to cover their previous costs.

'Spare cash'? I guess you're talking to the public school brigade there quizqueen, because I can assure you, most state schools only provide pads in an emergency. And I have yet to work in a state school that has mixed toilets, although I'm sure they are on the way.

oldg forgot to add it was Edward Heath so not even a Labour Government

Gagajo this sanitary product scheme came into force on Monday. All schools are able to apply for free pads and tampons as from then. They are meant to be available to all girls for duration of their period.

Just looked it up, GG13, and it includes menstrual cups too. Although I can't see most teenage girls being happy with emptying one of those at school.

Very good! Condoms have been free for years.

I think its great they are free now. They should be. I remember the nightmare of not having enough STs.

Just how many millions are on benefits these days?
I honestly do wonder judging by the fuss on threads like this about Universal Credit.

The Welfare State, originally set up to help a relatively small percentage of the population, has mushroomed into a massive institution costing the country billions every year.

I am sorry but I really find it hard to believe that so many are genuinely unable to work.

I had better stress yet again that those truly unable to work should continue to be helped.

JE you really don’t understand the benefit system do you? People who are in work can be entitled to benefits because their earned income is so low. Do you really not know that? You don’t appear to be reading the thread properly. There are also posters on GN getting benefits who are working or if retired getting with housing costs or council tax. The real scandal is not people on benefits but that people in work aren’t paid enough to live on.

Quizqueen - Yes, all those teenage girls in 'period poverty' will be able to get free sanitary wear at school now, it seems.

What??

I have to bloody pay for mine as I cannot get an appointment for 3 months to see anyone - and when I do they will no doubt offer me a 'nappy' How demeaning ..... they will not even count it as a disability related expenditure to disregard against paying for care - it would be costing me a bloody fortune that I cannot afford - or is it that in order to not spend the money I am not looking after myself as I should? Eventually I will no doubt be hospitalised which of course will cost more. As it is am sat covered in blankets with my dressing gown and gloves on so as not to put on the heating until later, I haven't eaten all day but I am looking forward to my egg sandwich later which is about all I can manage. Eggs boiled in a microwave as I cannot afford to put my range cooker on to cook anything.

One bonus of being used to the very 'fresh air' in my house however, is that I do not catch 'bugs' - not had a cold or tummy upset for well over a decade - it's a bit like the old TB hospitals where they pushed everyone out onto the verandah .... good job really ....

JenniferEccles The largest portion of state benefits goes on the state pension - £96.7 billion in 2018/19. £69.2 billion on income related benefits and personal tax credits. Like everyone else on here, once you get to state retirement age you too will be receiving a state benefit. Some of the personal tax credits will be pension credits paid to individuals on low incomes to top up their state pension

I am sorry but I really find it hard to believe that so many are genuinely unable to work.

I don't believe you are in the least bit sorry for the arrogant tone you apply to your fellow men and women in your posts.

This may help the "no-nothings with an opinion on everything"

There were 20 million people claiming DWP benefits at February 2019
Two-thirds of benefit claimants are of State Pension age (13 million)

Since the introduction of UC in 2013 [the] picture has been gradually changing, with more people claiming UC and fewer people claiming combinations of the other benefits. In February 2019, 16% of the individuals included in the benefit combination statistics claimed UC, up from 9% in February 2018.

The key headline figures show:
2.3 million people were on UC, at 11 July 2019
760,000 (33%) UC claimants are in employment
930,000 are in the ‘Searching for Work’ conditionality regime
490,000 are in the ‘No Work Requirements’ conditionality regime

www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-benefits-statistics-august-2019/dwp-benefits-statistical-summary-august-2019

State Pension is by far-and-away the biggest benefit and will no doubt have to be means-tested at some point in the future.

Perhaps we should be pointing the finger at some of the posters on here who clearly don't need the State Pension but are still claiming while watching TV and all the other things they charge those on other benefits with.

Sorry, Dinamo a bit of a crossed post. I type slowly, correcting often.

Well here we are posting pesky facts - cue outraged posts from the right wing because by doing this we are implicitly criticising those posters who think it’s absolutely fine to post rubbish. How very dare we?

We will also get outrage because the SP was called a benefit - which it is.

I'm liking this idea. We don't have enough for housing, the NHS or a living benefit it seems, so how about we start by stopping the State Pension going to the top 5%. The LP was being generous when they put this at an income of £80,000. The 95th percentile of incomes began at £75,300 although if this has gone up in line with earnings it will be £80,000 this year.

Those figures don't include non-tax payers. If you include them the £80,000 a year folks go into the top 3%. I can see no reason - other than believing in universal benefits, why such people should get a pension.

It sounds like a good idea to funnel money through to where it’s most needed GGMk3 but what I found working for a millionaire many moons ago was that he gave far, far more than £9000pa to charity.

Most well off people do give a lot back in different ways and maybe that would stop if they were means tested, after all they pay NI the same as everyone else.

Some people should learn the facts before commenting! !

annepl that’s a joke right? On GN there are opinions all of which are equally valid. If knowledge of facts preceded posting , some threads would be decimated.

GGMK3 I wouldn't have a problem with "means testing" State Pension, but would that lead on to NI rebates for those who have Private Health Care (which is a taxable in work benefit) and for those who pay for their children's education?

No, GG13. I pay a LOT of tax/NI. I'm probably never getting a pension. Can't access the NHS. Have private dental. BUT I pay tax/NI because I support those that have less than me.

You don't get to opt out just because you don't NEED the state system. Go live in Jersey if that's what you want.