What is poverty?

[Coldicote]

The news media often refers to poverty, especially child poverty, but never actually defines it. What do ABERs understand by poverty? With all the benefits people claim these days does child poverty really exist or is it due to parental failure? Is pouring more money into it the answer and, if so, how should it be spent? This question is not meant to be critical but is rather trying to put the whole thing into perspective.

[shanx]

load of bull , need to live in other countries and see what real poverty is all about , load of wingers here .

[Ice.Maiden]

People who rely solely on benefits have to watch what they spend, but it certainly doesn't reduce them to poverty, as such. Travel to Asia or Africa if you want to see the real thing - where people literally have no food or water, & try to get by on next to nothing. However, a few pounds over there could make life-changing differences, whereas over here, a slight rise in benefits is swallowed up by an increase in such things as water rates and fuel bills, so those deemed "poor" become poorer still. I think working people who earn less than �200 a week shouldn't have to pay any tax at all, and pensioners on basic money should be given free TV licences and maybe internet access. If people on low incomes were helped more in this way, and benefits to the needy increased to cover the rising cost of living, then it'd stop a lot of crime, a lot of stress - and make people feel happier. Those deemed capable of work, however, should be helped to find it, & the basic wage should be made attractive enough to encourage people to want to go.

[eyeshade]

You hit the word on the head there - "illigeal" I rest my case.

[Crackle]

Parents who would rather buy crack than baby food or nappies with their benefits.

[Coldicote]

Interesting that no-one has yet commented on child poverty in Britain. Mr Darling in his recent budget said in effect that the government will invest �765m next year and a further �950m the following year to take 250,000 more children out of poverty, In view of what ABERs say I'm wondering what is meant by poverty in Britain.

[Crackle]

Parents who would rather buy crack than baby food or nappies with their benefits.

[DONNAKEBABUK]

I was (and still am as it goes) a Lone Parent when I first had my little girl who is now 10.

I lived on Income Support with Child and Housing Benefit until she was 9 weeks old. Personally I found it okay (but I had bought absolutely everything from clothes, to toys, to films to nappies and all the toiletetries whilst I was pregnant)

When I found that things were getting a little tight around the edges because I wanted really nices things for Tilly (her nickname) then because I had a really nice friend who was a taxi driver, I was able to out and temp on a week to week basis and I found a childminder who was flexible and only charged me by the hour. My taxi driver friend was able to take me to and from the childminders, drop me off at work, pick my baby up on the way home and then we would go out for tea somewhere. (My taxi driver friend is Tillys Godfather now). Some may say I was lucky, I dont really beleive in luck, I beleive that life is what you make it. I was 600 miles away from my Mum and Dad (although not any more) and working has shown my little girl that you seriously only DO GET WHAT YOU WORK FOR.

KATIE. X