US & UK are poor societies with some very rich people.

There should be no need for charity in a modern progressive country .Many people believe accepting"charity" is something to be ashamed of,some think applying for benefits is equally so.
Surely in a wealthy country we can afford to ensure that EVERY citizen has a roof over them and enough money to LIVE not just exist or scrape by
When the government of millionaires voted to take the "temporary" uplift of a measly £20 off the poorest there should have been a massive outcry ,Not in England apparently ,these people were judged to be scroungers who shouldn't have "my" taxes spent on them
Thank any god you like that I live north of the border where our government tries to help not punish people who through no fault of ther own are in dire circumstances.There will be many joining that situation this winter who knows it might be one of you .

I think it was Errol Graham (in one of the links) that the dispatches programme featured.

The agencies involved with him had "followed policies", and it lead to his death.

Time to either supplement those policies, or make new ones.

Germanshepherdsmum

Frankly I CBA. Ok?

Yet here you are, posting repeatedly about it.

Some 37,000 asylum seekers and Afghan refugees are living in UK hotels at a cost of £4.7m per day, revised Home Office figures show.

A Home Office official said yesterday the total hotel bill was £1.2m a day but the department has since clarified the actual overall daily cost is £4.7m.

It it understood the £1.2m is to accommodate Afghan refugees and another £3.5m a day is spent on asylum seekers.

A spokesman said the use of hotels was unacceptable and a short-term solution.(copied from BBC website)

Perhaps if we weren't spending astronomical amounts on housing asylum /illegals in 4 star hotels, providing health care/dentists, food, pocket money the list goes on there would be more money available, oh no forgot some posters welcome the dinghy boats, perhaps you can't have it both ways, there is only a certain amount of money to go round, perhaps its time to get our priorities right and look after our own people first. Please no posts saying they are not illegal blah blah blah.

? U.K. under the Tories.

Stephen Flynn MP
Five days in broken Britain.

?Mon: UK trade deficit is worst on record

?Tue: Rich to get twice as much cost-of-living support as poor

?Wed: Food inflation at highest level in 14 years

?Thu: Plan to scrap cap on banker bonuses

?Fri: Pound falls to 37yr low against Dollar

MissAdventure

I think it was Errol Graham (in one of the links) that the dispatches programme featured.

The agencies involved with him had "followed policies", and it lead to his death.

Time to either supplement those policies, or make new ones.

Quite MissA. I must admit I haven't watched dispatches

How else can wealth be redistributed other that those who make most paying the taxes they owe at the correct rate and the right amount? Sorry. Am I being too obvious here?
The living wage should be exactly that and not rely on govt to top it up. Increase taxation. Why not?

Maudi

Some 37,000 asylum seekers and Afghan refugees are living in UK hotels at a cost of £4.7m per day, revised Home Office figures show.

A Home Office official said yesterday the total hotel bill was £1.2m a day but the department has since clarified the actual overall daily cost is £4.7m.

It it understood the £1.2m is to accommodate Afghan refugees and another £3.5m a day is spent on asylum seekers.

A spokesman said the use of hotels was unacceptable and a short-term solution.(copied from BBC website)

Perhaps if we weren't spending astronomical amounts on housing asylum /illegals in 4 star hotels, providing health care/dentists, food, pocket money the list goes on there would be more money available, oh no forgot some posters welcome the dinghy boats, perhaps you can't have it both ways, there is only a certain amount of money to go round, perhaps its time to get our priorities right and look after our own people first. Please no posts saying they are not illegal blah blah blah.

Perhaps if we set up an efficient system to deal with their applications and offered them work in those industries that are so short sta Fred if they were suitable we would find the accommodation bills being reduced to zero.

Incompetent and ideological bound government.

sta Fred!? = Staffed

GrannyGravy13

I am all for a safety net for those who are unable to work for whatever reason. I think that is what all societies should provide.

Just fed up with the continuous threads, berating the rich and blaming them for all the worlds ills.

Precisely.

I note that the BoE independence is being compromised.

Kwartang has insisted on a twice weekly meeting with the Govenor.

No surprise.

Norah

GrannyGravy13

I am all for a safety net for those who are unable to work for whatever reason. I think that is what all societies should provide.

Just fed up with the continuous threads, berating the rich and blaming them for all the worlds ills.

Precisely.

I don’t berate people who are wealthy. People are just people as far as I can see. The wealthy are there not because of “hard work” - most people work hard. But because of luck and good breaks.

But I do berate those wealthy who ensure that they pay as little tax as possible.

I also berate the tax system that fails to ensure a more equal society.

nanna8

It’s changed then. I find that difficult to comprehend.

If you are not poor nanna8, you won't see it. There isn't just a division in income but in where you live, etc. Even if we don't live in a physically gated community, we tend to live in a mentally gated one.

volver

It has changed nanna8. This country is on its knees.

It has changed and this change has been deliberate, as it has in the US.

youtu.be/245U5fkSkKI

If anyone is interested, it is only 26 mins long, and cuts straight to the point about two or three people, and how it can be that suicide/death is a direct consequence of the benefits system.

Its telling that you have to confirm that you have read the warning before watching the video.

MaizieD

GrannyGravy13

How do you propose to redistribute the wealthy folks earned income?

Confiscate a percentage of their bank balance and hold a lottery for the poorest in society to see who gets a bit?

Perhaps instead of starting at the point where you're defending the right of the wealthy to hang onto every penny, you could look at how to improve the lot of the poorest in our very unequal society. By legislating for a living wage and decent welfare benefits, for a start. By regarding 'the poor' as human beings with the same basic needs as everyone else, not as parasites on 'the rich'.

Read my post of 10.25 this morning where I said that there is need for a conversation to be had regarding the minimum wage being elevated to a living wage.

What I do think is that the tax payer has been subsidising businesses for years by topping up the poor wages paid by so many with benefits.

There should be a sensible living wage, and it should be made mandatory.

Norah

Luckygirl3

I would prefer people to give generously to charity and roll up sleeves to help the poor, as part of peoples everyday life.

I can't believe I just read that.

The rich man in his castle, the poor man at his gate ........ what century are you living in?

Do you really want, for example, carers to be paid so poorly that they need to use food banks, and benefit from your generous donations?

Polish your halo all you want, but it is fundamentally wrong for people in the UK to be living in such poverty.

Now I know how the Tories get voted in if there are people around who think like this.

I worked with some of the most disadvantaged people in our society and they have to fight every inch of the way for the right to a decent life - I have proud to have been by their side helping them. That is my halo polishing moment.

I have no halo, just preferences.

"I worked with some of the most disadvantaged people in our society and they have to fight every inch of the way for the right to a decent life - I have proud to have been by their side helping them."

Indeed, we have as well. We've seen many helping along side us.

Do you not think it would be preferable for a government to pursue policies that mean that these people do not need charitable help in the first place? Or do you think it is fine for them to be kept in their place, and for those of us who are luckier to dole out help when we see fit?

Do you not think a living wage should be a right? People are just people - some get dealt a good hand, others do not. It is the government's job to make sure that those at the bottom of the heap are helped to live with dignity.

Yes.

Whitewavemark2

What I do think is that the tax payer has been subsidising businesses for years by topping up the poor wages paid by so many with benefits.

There should be a sensible living wage, and it should be made mandatory.

I agree with this too. I also think the cost of housing is causing all sorts of problems, whether that be it rented or mortgage owned and unfortunately I think this is only going to get worse.

Yes rent control should be looked at.

If a business owner is paying a poor wage, they are benefitting from the benefits system, as are gas and electric suppliers who fit pay as you go meters, then charge a higher rate, as are landlords, where the money is paid in both benefits and 'top up' from their tenants.

Yes

Whitewavemark2

Maudi

Some 37,000 asylum seekers and Afghan refugees are living in UK hotels at a cost of £4.7m per day, revised Home Office figures show.

A Home Office official said yesterday the total hotel bill was £1.2m a day but the department has since clarified the actual overall daily cost is £4.7m.

It it understood the £1.2m is to accommodate Afghan refugees and another £3.5m a day is spent on asylum seekers.

A spokesman said the use of hotels was unacceptable and a short-term solution.(copied from BBC website)

Perhaps if we weren't spending astronomical amounts on housing asylum /illegals in 4 star hotels, providing health care/dentists, food, pocket money the list goes on there would be more money available, oh no forgot some posters welcome the dinghy boats, perhaps you can't have it both ways, there is only a certain amount of money to go round, perhaps its time to get our priorities right and look after our own people first. Please no posts saying they are not illegal blah blah blah.

Perhaps if we set up an efficient system to deal with their applications and offered them work in those industries that are so short sta Fred if they were suitable we would find the accommodation bills being reduced to zero.

Incompetent and ideological bound government.

Thanks for posting Wwm2 It just shows how government propaganda is working. I was at an event last week where some asylum seekers were speaking. Some of them have been here for around 10 years. They want to work and to pay taxes, but they are not allowed to. They are kept hanging around with no idea when their case will be decided. It's an impractical and inhumane situation, but it feeds prejudice very well.

Germanshepherdsmum

But, MissA, this woman had a mother.

I agree, Norah. A lot of wealthy people do good with their money but don’t shout about it.

I'm sure you are aware it was a poor example GSM and that a poor example does not mean that people do not die from poverty in this country.

Norway’s richest have some of highest living standards of rich people in any country, while Norway’s poorest also fare better than poor people anywhere.

We have a government that has been of the same party (or so they tell us) for over 12 years and their achievement is far from this. Norway succeeds in your apparent need for the rich to get richer but takes the rest of the population with it. Why is it that our government is unable to do that? Could it be that, like some on this forum, they believe you should be able to take what you can from society and those that don't succeed should be left to the charities.

I am quite convinced this is the view of what should now be called, our ERG Government. It really does appear to be the view of some on here too.