Poverty in the UK

By Randhir Seewoodharry Buguth

This title might shock many readers as the UK is the 6th largest national economy in the world by GDP. It relies mainly on tourism, manufacturing, and financial services. Behind this London glittering facade, there are a lot of hidden hardships despite the pound sterling being one of the strongest currencies in the world.

The UK, which used to be a pioneer in science, technology, art and education, is seriously lagging behind.

UNICEF (United Nations for children fund) placed UK 37 out of 39 in an overall league table which combined both their most recent income poverty rate (up to 2021) and their success in reducing child poverty. It was ahead of only Turkey and Columbia.

4.2 million Children do not have basic needs and 1.3 million of them are found in London. They lack a proper warm home, nutritious food, and go to school without breakfast or clean clothes.

In 2017, the introduction of the 2 children benefit cap was introduced and parents could not claim tax credit or universal credit for more than 2 children. Removing this cap would lift 250,000 children out of poverty. The actual labour government is resisting calls to lift up the cap.

 Households are considered to be in poverty if their income is below 60% of the median income which is 37,430 pounds sterling per year or 728 pounds weekly for a couple.

DWP (Department of work and pension) finds that 1 in 6 people live in relative poverty and increase to 1 in 5 (14.4 million people) after housing costs are accounted for. In that category of relative poverty, 37% belong to the working age citizens but are not working and 10% have at least one family member working.

The highest group belongs to the householders of Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin and the lowest is the white ethnic group.

Britain is witnessing the worst squeeze in incomes in a generation as struggling households are hit by soaring housing and energy costs along with rocketing inflation.

2.1 million UK pensioners live in poverty with 1 meal a day and having to choose between food or heating in winter.

There are 300,000 UK citizens who are homeless and sleep rough outside in tents, sleeping bags, parks, bus stops, side roads and corner buildings. They come from different backgrounds: intermediate or no jobs, health issues, broken families, gamblers and drug addicts. There are obviously more men than women for security reasons. There are organisations which supply clean, sterile needles for the drug users with less risk of infection or deaths which in turn would be a burden to the overwhelmed NHS hospitals. Methadone is available as well as a rehabilitation programme.

We can understand the frustration and anger of UK citizens when foreign legal and illegal migrants are homed in hotels with 3 meals a day. They feel let down by the system and this has caused acts of violence in certain areas where migrants were involved in criminal acts towards British people.

Long term sickness benefits have surged for citizens less than 35 years old with mental health issues.

3.12 million people used food banks in 2024 to have a free parcel of food to eat compared to 26,000 in 2008/2009.

Sadly nurses, shop assistants and youth workers were among those who needed these charity food parcels.

Many people eat according to the price of the commodities rather than for The Joseph Rowntree foundation is a philanthropic organisation pursuing charitable causes like many other organisations to help needy people. Heriot- Watt University found that in 2024, 3.8 million people face destitution in the UK, with an average of 40 pounds sterling a week to live on.

This is a big contrast compared to the 227,000 millionaires who live in London showing great inequality in our society. Apparently 6,000 of them are leaving the UK for another country in the EU to avoid the labour government tax grab.

In 2006 I decided to migrate to the UK. Late Margaret Thatcher’s words still ring in my ears ‘We need migrants, but we need the brightest and the best’. This was a challenge for me but in 2025, I have witnessed how uncontrolled low skills, legal and illegal migrants have caused a lot of harm to the British society.

The gates were widely opened for economic migrants, and this has put unbearable pressure on the housing, education and health sectors along with the social services overwhelmed with benefits applications.

Politicians are supposed to lead a country with a plan to improve the wellbeing of its citizens and not to experiment with different models to reshape society without risk assessments. One clear example is the disastrous situation of NHS dentistry which was working fine until 2006. It is a shame for the whole world where people are trying to remove their own teeth with a pair of pliers. The British Dental association told the government in 2006 that this new contract is not fit for purpose. Who Cares?

Shocking!

Mauritius Times ePaper Friday 31 January 2025