[News] Food Poverty figures in Worthing

[BN41Albion]

As a nation kindness has been eroded by everything that makes up modern life

Apart from being one of the top nations in the world in terms of donating to charity and volunteering?

 

[sydney]

Nurses used to be trained in house (on low wages) but training was free. Now, even with a bursary, they owe £69K when they’ve qualified.

This is made up of 3 years tuition of approx £9250 yearly and maintenance loans.

I also visited a food banks 3 Times in my training and currently have bailiffs attend my address.

One day they attended, Im driving into work, working under the emergency standards

The bit in bold is a direct quote from a newly qualified nurse. The NHS is 40,000 nurses short because people can’t afford to be trained.

Nursing , although a vocation where once you are trained you will always find work , is one of the occupations most heavily hit by the over administration brought about by turning it( the health service) from a free service into a multi million dollar industry , private hospitals , private health funds , private surgeons and specialists........not sure about the UK but here each ward in a private hospital has 2 overall managers , 3 shift managers all of whom are supposed to muck in and help out , the fact is they don't meaning that most nurses now dread going to work as they will have anything from 12 to 15 patients per shift to look after , if you have three troublesome or acutely ill patients then your shift is going to be a nightmare , you are then expected to stay behind and make sure all your reports and paperwork are up to date , in your own time if need be .............many good people have been turned off nursing because of sheer workload and administrative bullshit from pen pushers who are there , primarily to cut costs and to make sure all paperwork is in order , i can only imagine it is worse in the public hospitals who seem to be permanently on code black which is one step down from critical.

The food poverty figures for our region are an outrage.

 

[sydney]

Do you seriously think that those who can't afford food are paying off tuition fees ?

Anyone who gets a mortgage "saddles themselves" with debt for many years.

so if you can't afford food , have a mortgage and tuition fees to pay off , exactly how ****ed are you...??

 

[beorhthelm]

A friend of mine , as a vulnerable adult, was receiving food parcels during lockdown. To my dismay they just put the tinned tuna, meatballs, chick peas and baked beans received into the cupboard and left them. Wouldn't cook or repeatedly would say "I can't cook" the pasta or rice, doesn't drink tea and had thousands of teabags received. The fresh carrots, onions, turnip (!), oranges and apples she'd received would often just rot or were thrown away. She did enjoy the crisps, biscuits and capacchino sachets though. The regular carer and friends including me would try when they could to cook meals with her/for her. After speaking to her (acknowledged alcoholic) neighbour, turns out she received the same.... and the same thing happened.. Offered her some of the stuff and she just laughed. Surely there must be a more efficient way to support people with food? For these two it was mostly an utter waste of money and resources. Probably a bit off topic but I did find it disturbing. You can dump "healthy" food on people but you can't ensure they eat it. Would have been better to give them vouchers for KFC and Burger King. Probably more realistic and cost effective would be to deliver two Charlie Bighams a day.

that is the most efficient way to support people with food. the people observed want meals cooked for them, which is inefficient. a generation or two ago people had no choice and would have sorted themselves out. now too many dont want to help themselves, which diverts assistance away from those that cant and need additional help.

 

[GingerBeerMan]

 

[Brovion]

Nurses used to be trained in house (on low wages) but training was free. Now, even with a bursary, they owe £69K when they’ve qualified.

This is made up of 3 years tuition of approx £9250 yearly and maintenance loans.

I also visited a food banks 3 Times in my training and currently have bailiffs attend my address.

One day they attended, Im driving into work, working under the emergency standards

The bit in bold is a direct quote from a newly qualified nurse. The NHS is 40,000 nurses short because people can’t afford to be trained.

This is O/T but I'm really not sure why nurses need degrees anyway. My wife trained as a nurse in the 1980s and nobody had degrees, a lot had just left school with 'O' levels. They try to say "Oh nursing is a lot more sophisticated now" but it really isn't, it's just the education industry wanting to sell more product. My wife said the only real difference between when she started and when she finished (she took early retirement a few years ago when the stress of working for the NHS in Brighton finally wore her down) was there was much more administration to do. And of course it's all computerised which it wasn't when she started - but you don't need a degree to use a computer.

 

[Gwylan]

This is O/T but I'm really not sure why nurses need degrees anyway. My wife trained as a nurse in the 1980s and nobody had degrees, a lot had just left school with 'O' levels.

My mum didn't even have O levels, she left school at 14. She trained as a nurse though, passed her exams and was a nurse for 30 years (and was asked to stay on after retirement).

If you go back about 50 or 60 years, there were plenty of opportunities available for people without qualifications but now you need GCSEs to flip burgers at Maccy D, that can't help people at the lower end of the job market.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

The diversion of wealth to the top 1% has been an ongoing trend forever, but seems to have accelerated over the last decade or so.

Everyone below the top 1% have been desperately trying to hold onto what they've got during the economic slowdown.
The vast majority of "austerity" policies have hit the bottom 25% hardest, pushing more and more people into poverty.
Whilst leading the country into greater levels of debt.

Covid has made the situation worse, with many of the chief beneficiaries, being companies/individuals who pay the lowest proportion of tax.
The system is rotten to the core, and always has been.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Apart from being one of the top nations in the world in terms of donating to charity and volunteering?

This is nothing to be proud of; Id rather a nation doesn’t need to rely on charity to look after its own.

 

[abc]

16,000 people in the Borough of Worthing below the food poverty threshold according to DWP figures, at a 5th of the 21 st century gone that’s nothing short of disgusting.

For all my usual detractors in the NSC knitting circle, this is not click bait, just someone approaching his 60s wondering where our generation went wrong?

Genuine question, what does that actually mean? How is this measured, what is it measures against etc? Sounds awful as you say but would like some context to not only understand the issue but in order to possibly form an opinion as to possible solutions.

Thanks

 

[Uh_huh_him]

This is nothing to be proud of; Id rather a nation doesn’t need to rely on charity to look after its own.

This!

 

[CheeseRolls]

When I bought my first flat in 1990 I wish the mortgage was 70% of my wages or £700, it wasn’t the interest rate was 11%. I was earning basic £800 and my mortgage was £840. I had to do all the overtime I could just to pay the bills.

The point I make is it was bloody hard back then for most.

I think you have highlighted something here, which also partly explains the current problem. Many of the people experiencing food poverty are employed, low wages are certainly a problem, but the biggest burden has been the large scale removal of overtime. It wasn't easy working 9-5 and then coming in on the weekend to do extra, but if you were on *1.5, *2 or even *3 your hourly rate it was definitely worth it. As a general rule now days the working week can be 24 by 7 you can be assigned shifts irregularly (makes it difficult to have a second job) and the extra hours are not always available.

When I first started work in the late 80's I was working for the Central Electricity Generating Board. They had an overtime scheme, which I wasn't entitled to join whereby staff got something like £50 call out, generous mileage to work and treble time for working on a Saturday. They were also on flexi time, which basically meant everyone worked Saturday mornings and took some time off in the week, unless they were away on holiday as it was essentially free money.

 

[BN41Albion]

This is nothing to be proud of; Id rather a nation doesn’t need to rely on charity to look after its own.

Of course its something to be proud of. A lot of people care about others, despite what the red tops and Mail etc will have you believe.
Do you not think food poverty exists in other wealthy western nations? Of course it does. Many to greater levels than here: Italy, Spain, the US for starters. France similar levels.

I agree though that it's a shame that such rich Western countries still have to rely on food banks to feed a percentage of their populations.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

As someone in his 30's I can say with absolute certainty that the struggles people my age and younger are experiencing is almost exclusively down to the cost of living in a home.

Cost of actually buying a property is insane and unreachable for many... so these many are stuck with renting which bizarrely is even worse, both in the long and short term.

If people are spending 70% of their wages on rent, or the fortunate few spend £40k of their life savings and then £700pm on a shitty studio flat at their late 20's... it's not surprising that so many find themselves below the food poverty threshold at some time.

Your generation went wrong by seeing property as an investment rather than a necessity... and voting in the politicians that not only allowed it to happen, but encouraged it.

I agree with your analysis but not your causation. Property prices are a function of global interest rates and the bubble in the UK is similar the world over. Very little to do with attitudes in my generation and not even a consequence of UK politicians doing much different than those elsewhere. There have been similar bubbles in many other assets as the cost of borrowing to hold has plummeted. The only answer for your generation is to stop feeding the frenzy. Covid has given many an opportunity to move to cheaper areas which is the reason for the housing demand across the country anywhere that is not the South East. The North West is currently leading the way.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

This is O/T but I'm really not sure why nurses need degrees anyway. My wife trained as a nurse in the 1980s and nobody had degrees, a lot had just left school with 'O' levels. They try to say "Oh nursing is a lot more sophisticated now" but it really isn't, it's just the education industry wanting to sell more product. My wife said the only real difference between when she started and when she finished (she took early retirement a few years ago when the stress of working for the NHS in Brighton finally wore her down) was there was much more administration to do. And of course it's all computerised which it wasn't when she started - but you don't need a degree to use a computer.

I agree. Five O level were considered to be an educational achievement. Those who had them could train as SRNs, and those who hadn’t could become SENs. The former was a three year course, with promotion to staff nurse, sister right up to matron, but the latter stayed as SEN. It was a respected vocation, and in demand everywhere.
Five O levels got you a job in a bank, the Civil Service, the Post Office etc.
Of course, the fly in the ointment was those who went to secondary moderns couldn’t take the exams, but apprenticeships were also valued leading to time served City & Guilds, like my half-brother, who’s worked as a tool maker all of his life.

Back on topic, greedy landlords, student housing, second homes for investment, have pushed rents up so high, with wages staying low, so people now need working tax credits just to live.

 

[Randy McNob]

it's the consequence of 40 years of Thatcherite policies, selling off social housing stock, not building enough new homes, selling off the country's assets and generally moving the country's social wealth to the private sector, all factors which have caused a housing shortage and cost of living crisis

Only way to solve it is siesmic political change and higher tax regime

 

[Live by the sea]

I’m surprised about these poverty figures in Worthing , I had the impression Worthing was a relatively prosperous town .

I guess most areas have pockets of poverty . Even before I left the States , many years ago , there were areas of NY where people were living below the poverty line . No so much in the area in Manhattan where I lived but certainly in areas like Harlem etc . Mind you, the folks back home have to pay for their medical care or it comes with their employment in most cases . If you are not working , the medical care ( insurance ) can be expensive especially if you are over 60.

Lots of food banks even in those days . A couple of suppliers pulled out of food bank sponsorship in the early 80’s because of the level of gun crime in some of these areas . Whilst it’s still a major problem , parts of Harlem have definitely improved due to gentrification.

Long may that continue .

Sorry back to Worthing ..

 

[cloud]

Getting on the housing ladder had always been difficult. The only way I was able to do it was working a 67 hour week with two jobs, every week for most of my 20s.

With hindsight it would have been much easier to buy jointly with a partner. But the catch 22 is that when you're young you probably don't have a lifetime partner yet.

Also as already mentioned, selling off council housing was a terrible move.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

it's the consequence of 40 years of Thatcherite policies, selling off social housing stock, not building enough new homes, selling off the country's assets and generally moving the country's social wealth to the private sector, all factors which have caused a housing shortage and cost of living crisis

Only way to solve it is siesmic political change and higher tax regime

All true but you missed out wealthy foreigners bidding up the top end of the market and this new pool of money filtering downwards to be used to bid up prices. None of these factors are as important as interest rates.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Back on topic, greedy landlords, student housing, second homes for investment, have pushed rents up so high, with wages staying low, so people now need working tax credits just to live.

This!

The idea that you could have a full time job and still qualify for benefits would have been considered ridiculous when I started working.
A minimum living wage should be the cornerstone of every one of the G8 countries.

What's the point of economic success if it doesn't improve the prosperity of the people?*


*Outdate socialist mumbo jumbo. Today's working classes seem to take pride in being ripped off by the overlords.. Strange times indeed.