This is utterly shameful

Yes Jayt you are right.
I’m fed up of saying that people can succeed if they work hard enough. Children from disadvantaged backgrounds have a mountain to climb before they even draw level.
Anyone in doubt should read Michael Sandel’s books, the latest is The Tyranny of Merit. He is an American philosopher, but we are following hard in their footsteps.

It’s in Southwark for 2 weeks over the school holidays and amounts to £25,000.

Good post Jayt.

It was predicted months ago that many families will be forced to claim benefits and ask for help for the first time in their lives. I wonder whether it will be an eye opener for some about how difficult it is to claim anything and how little help is actually available. With a bit of luck, there might not be quite so many accusations of "benefit scrounging".

I really hope so, but already I hear people differentiating between those who have lost work because of Covid, and those who are out of work for other reasons. There was a massive difference between the £2600 a month maximum given to people on furlough in the first round and those relying on Universal Credit. It's as though those people on UC lost work carelessly, like losing their keys, whereas people affected by the pandemic are innocent victims. I've heard people say 'Oh, but I always worked until Covid', as though someone losing a job because a factory closed, or a company lost a contract hadn't worked until then, or was somehow to blame.

I hoped at the start that the sudden loss of work for those who had previously been sheltered from poverty might bring about a shift in attitude, and a call for an increase in benefit payments, particularly as politicians were forced to admit that they couldn't live on statutory sick pay or Universal Credit; but I'm losing hope that that will happen.

that should read 'the payments to those relying on Universal Credit'

I send money to unicef every month. I never imagined that part of it would be used for British children!

lemongrove

It’s not shocking at all.Read about it properly, not just comments by grans on here.
It’s a grant by UNICEF UK, because they say it’s the worse thing (Covid) to hit us since World War 2.Other European countries may follow with these donations from UNICEF, have to wait and see.The grants are small beer in themselves
But are being added to what other groups are doing.
There are many reasons that children don’t get enough to eat, and not all linked to poverty, as one in five who are already getting food help/ breakfast boxes are not eligible for free school meals.What UNICEF is doing ( giving a grant ) is very good as it wants to pitch in nationally with other charities.
Charity does begin at home, and they have realised this.

And this all makes it okay?!

This is horrible.

The overall situation is beyond shameful- The negligent handling of this pandemic by global government is a crime against humanity and no less-

Gratitude can no longer be a stand alone practice- Expressing what all people deserve must be attached to it- People of the world have lived in the timid humility of poverty for too long-

Congress is about to pass another package that will once again provide those that have "have" with more and those that "have not" with even less-

It's a disgusting act on their part and need to be called out for it-

That's really sad to read Doodledog. You would have thought it would have given some people a little insight to what it's like.

Whitewavemark2

Ask yourselves. Has UNICEF given to France, or Spain it Italy or Germany or even the USA where poverty is so dreadful.

Then ask yourself why. The only possible conclusion is the policies of the Tory party.

I'm not sure about some of the countries you mention but here in France charities are not so prevalent because the French expect their govt to deal with poverty and other problems at home.

They do have a "telethon" each year which is a fund raiser and at this time a year one weekend is given over to collecting food and other items for Resto au Coeur, which donates food to the homeless and poor. The number of charities is growing, a lot of them started by the English who do a lot of voluntary work here.

One holiday, several years ago, I was surprised to see a stall in Piacenza with information about and collecting for an animal charity.

No doubt I shall be shot down in flames but - I never give money to the British Legion because I think that our soldiers etc, should be provided for by the state, not have to rely upon the generosity of the people. The forces do the state's bidding and should be cared for by the state.

Rosecarmel my son lives in the US, in the Mid-West, and he says there’s been a massive upswing in people shoplifting foodstuffs, because they literally have no food in their homes and their children are going hungry.

It’s shocking that two of the wealthiest nations in the world are allowing charity and crime to be the only means by which some people can feed themselves.

There are so many problems with parties that promote folks taking care of each other opposed to the government doing so, the main one being that government has squeezed people dry leaving very little left to give if anything at all and still survive themselves, nevermind thrive-

Whitewavemark2

Ask yourselves. Has UNICEF given to France, or Spain it Italy or Germany or even the USA where poverty is so dreadful.

Then ask yourself why. The only possible conclusion is the policies of the Tory party.

It’s UNICEF UK ( in other words the UK arm of the organisation) who are thus able to give this grant.
The charity which is set up in other European countries will be able to do the same if they want to , and it’s accepted.

Sue, I'm in the Mid-West as well- (C-O-L-D!)

Yes, shoplifting is increasing- People are stealing food and personal hygine products out of necessity- It's sad-

The last stimulus package provided a percentage of people with enough money for down payments on houses while others struggled to afford to get internet in order to teach their children at home-

The package widened the financial gaps and glaring governmental mismanagement-

It isn’t just the UK you know ( of course you know!) it’s France,Italy,Germany, Greece, Spain etc that all have poverty,
People on low wages, and children who go hungry for all kinds of reasons including poverty or neglect, parents with addictions, parents with mental health problems.
It shouldn’t happen in an ideal world, but it isn’t an ideal world, far from it, but nobody should run away with the idea
That only the UK, amongst countries in Europe has these problems.
We do seem very caring in the UK, and have a great deal of charities here.The government ( evil Tories!) have put vast amounts of cash into getting the public through the pandemic, and in my view, if UNICEF want to give a grant to food charities that’s great.

lemongrove

It isn’t just the UK you know ( of course you know!) it’s France,Italy,Germany, Greece, Spain etc that all have poverty,
People on low wages, and children who go hungry for all kinds of reasons including poverty or neglect, parents with addictions, parents with mental health problems.
It shouldn’t happen in an ideal world, but it isn’t an ideal world, far from it, but nobody should run away with the idea
That only the UK, amongst countries in Europe has these problems.
We do seem very caring in the UK, and have a great deal of charities here.The government ( evil Tories!) have put vast amounts of cash into getting the public through the pandemic, and in my view, if UNICEF want to give a grant to food charities that’s great.

They havent given enough if people are without food- And that's not a view, it's the truth-

rose your answer sounds like the truth yet is a view.
It wouldn’t matter how much more either a government or charities gave to some parents, addicts to drugs/ alcohol or with mental health problems or neglectful or chaotic ..... or generally hopeless at parenting.
I commend all charities /food banks / the church / salvation army etc because they are needed when benefits or very low wages are spent ( wisely or not.)That’s why charity is there, and I have always defended it on GN from those who say the State should do that job.The State does give monetary help but charity is a back up.

Rosecarmel my son sent me photos of his house in the snow today. It is indeed a bit cold! ?

For those who will time and time again blame Conservative governments for any and all disasters, I urge you to simply google hunger and child poverty in Germany ( or any other EU country) and it will be a shock to you.

You are right greeneyedgirl - we are a nation with huge amounts of inequality / the pandemic has highlighted those in all areas (eg kids in the poorest areas most impacted by educational disruption - so exams will most definitely not be the ‘fairest’ means of assessment).

We’re not the worst in Europe for inequality but we are worse than Germany ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/4187653/9834837/income+inequality

The chanvellor missed millions of people in his so called giveaways....there are millions of families who have had no income since March .Its the government's duty to provide for the people left in this position by no fault of their own...NOT just thier mates who they have handed BILLIONS of taxpayers cash to .
#Never trust a Tory .....

and in my view, if UNICEF want to give a grant to food charities that’s great.

And how sad is it that one of the richest nations in the world need that help.

That’s what you seem to be (choosing?) to miss in people upset.

The United Kingdom should not need this help from this charity.

Where there is widespread hunger, there are governments that have failed- There's corruption- There's misappropriation of funds- They go hand in hand- It occurs in countries where a very low percentage of GDP is spent on safety nets- It's a malignant, governmental habit that charities cannot fix- To expect them to would be akin to asking someone else to kick your drug addiction for you- Governments anticipate charitable contributions like addicts anticipate their next score-

Then there are very many failed governments Rose in the world including your own.
Summerlove Germany is the richest and yet there is a massive amount of poverty there.France also amongst EU countries.What are they all doing wrong?
Supposedly being in the EU has been wonderful.....or not.
Constantly berating the UK is shortsighted when food poverty in all European countries is on the rise.
There are many and varied reasons for it and from what I read very few countries are getting things right.
Covid is now a contributing factor.