Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
Sep 17th 2013, 7:25 am
#796
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Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
I would just like to say the answer is still most definitely NO 
Sep 18th 2013, 12:29 am
#797
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Joined: May 2011
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Posts: 709
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
It's so annoying isn't it? Maybe they weren't meant for cars at all do you think? There is nothing worse than parking in a new build garage, and not being able to open the doors. They should advise people to have a convertible or cars that have an opening roof.
.
.
Sep 18th 2013, 12:48 am
#798
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Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
If you get a car with a heated windscreen it's not too bad. There's not usually much snow unless you're oop north.
Sep 18th 2013, 12:50 am
#799
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Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
Sep 18th 2013, 12:58 am
#800
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Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
. I like not having a garage because it limits the amount of stuff that can be accumulated.
Sep 18th 2013, 9:03 am
#801
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Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
Sep 19th 2013, 10:05 am
#802
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Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
For me, it's a Yes.
I've been on the front line of Social Work for a couple of years now and in the last 18 months there's been a noticeable increase in indices of socio-economic deprivation levels, in particular in my region the North West.
Latest census data from the Salford area in which I work show that while there's been a move away from the general poverty in some regards, a sizable chunk of society is at the level of three of indices of deprivation and a large amount of people have moved to level two and four also. What this tells us is that although some have been able to remove themselves from significant poverty classification one, a large amount of those who were previously identified as experiencing two or more levels of deprivation previously have either stayed in this clasification or moved to higher levels of need. Basically, the people who were in serious need of support are still there or become worse; therefore aspects of our society are now experiencing engrained poverty. The UK's rapidly becoming the land of have and have nots. The gap between the North and South is as big as ever. So while in the South East some folks are getting on well, you have to look at the national picture to get an idea of how the UK's getting on in regards to deprivation, it's not great in my view.
Also food banks usage has sky-rocketed of late. This is also a pretty clear sign that things are getting tight for people.
We're now getting the zero hour contracts, 'bedroom' tax, putting people claiming DLA through a test to put them into pain to prove they are disabled even if the disability is never going to improve (i.e MS), universal credit, privatisation of services and increased tax breaks for corporations. While some of these critiques do stem from my particular political viewpoint, that's all I can work with, and for me the direction the UK is heading in now is not a great one.
Given that our PM gave a speech in which he justified out standing in the world as being the producers of One Direction, I feel a bit pessimistic about the UK.
I've been on the front line of Social Work for a couple of years now and in the last 18 months there's been a noticeable increase in indices of socio-economic deprivation levels, in particular in my region the North West.
Latest census data from the Salford area in which I work show that while there's been a move away from the general poverty in some regards, a sizable chunk of society is at the level of three of indices of deprivation and a large amount of people have moved to level two and four also. What this tells us is that although some have been able to remove themselves from significant poverty classification one, a large amount of those who were previously identified as experiencing two or more levels of deprivation previously have either stayed in this clasification or moved to higher levels of need. Basically, the people who were in serious need of support are still there or become worse; therefore aspects of our society are now experiencing engrained poverty. The UK's rapidly becoming the land of have and have nots. The gap between the North and South is as big as ever. So while in the South East some folks are getting on well, you have to look at the national picture to get an idea of how the UK's getting on in regards to deprivation, it's not great in my view.
Also food banks usage has sky-rocketed of late. This is also a pretty clear sign that things are getting tight for people.
We're now getting the zero hour contracts, 'bedroom' tax, putting people claiming DLA through a test to put them into pain to prove they are disabled even if the disability is never going to improve (i.e MS), universal credit, privatisation of services and increased tax breaks for corporations. While some of these critiques do stem from my particular political viewpoint, that's all I can work with, and for me the direction the UK is heading in now is not a great one.
Given that our PM gave a speech in which he justified out standing in the world as being the producers of One Direction, I feel a bit pessimistic about the UK.
Sep 19th 2013, 10:51 am
#803
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 862
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
For me, it's a Yes.
I've been on the front line of Social Work for a couple of years now and in the last 18 months there's been a noticeable increase in indices of socio-economic deprivation levels, in particular in my region the North West.
Latest census data from the Salford area in which I work show that while there's been a move away from the general poverty in some regards, a sizable chunk of society is at the level of three of indices of deprivation and a large amount of people have moved to level two and four also. What this tells us is that although some have been able to remove themselves from significant poverty classification one, a large amount of those who were previously identified as experiencing two or more levels of deprivation previously have either stayed in this clasification or moved to higher levels of need. Basically, the people who were in serious need of support are still there or become worse; therefore aspects of our society are now experiencing engrained poverty. The UK's rapidly becoming the land of have and have nots. The gap between the North and South is as big as ever. So while in the South East some folks are getting on well, you have to look at the national picture to get an idea of how the UK's getting on in regards to deprivation, it's not great in my view.
Also food banks usage has sky-rocketed of late. This is also a pretty clear sign that things are getting tight for people.
We're now getting the zero hour contracts, 'bedroom' tax, putting people claiming DLA through a test to put them into pain to prove they are disabled even if the disability is never going to improve (i.e MS), universal credit, privatisation of services and increased tax breaks for corporations. While some of these critiques do stem from my particular political viewpoint, that's all I can work with, and for me the direction the UK is heading in now is not a great one.
Given that our PM gave a speech in which he justified out standing in the world as being the producers of One Direction, I feel a bit pessimistic about the UK.
I've been on the front line of Social Work for a couple of years now and in the last 18 months there's been a noticeable increase in indices of socio-economic deprivation levels, in particular in my region the North West.
Latest census data from the Salford area in which I work show that while there's been a move away from the general poverty in some regards, a sizable chunk of society is at the level of three of indices of deprivation and a large amount of people have moved to level two and four also. What this tells us is that although some have been able to remove themselves from significant poverty classification one, a large amount of those who were previously identified as experiencing two or more levels of deprivation previously have either stayed in this clasification or moved to higher levels of need. Basically, the people who were in serious need of support are still there or become worse; therefore aspects of our society are now experiencing engrained poverty. The UK's rapidly becoming the land of have and have nots. The gap between the North and South is as big as ever. So while in the South East some folks are getting on well, you have to look at the national picture to get an idea of how the UK's getting on in regards to deprivation, it's not great in my view.
Also food banks usage has sky-rocketed of late. This is also a pretty clear sign that things are getting tight for people.
We're now getting the zero hour contracts, 'bedroom' tax, putting people claiming DLA through a test to put them into pain to prove they are disabled even if the disability is never going to improve (i.e MS), universal credit, privatisation of services and increased tax breaks for corporations. While some of these critiques do stem from my particular political viewpoint, that's all I can work with, and for me the direction the UK is heading in now is not a great one.
Given that our PM gave a speech in which he justified out standing in the world as being the producers of One Direction, I feel a bit pessimistic about the UK.
The thread title is 'Is the situation in the UK really that bad?' It was a simple enough question, but it invites a generalized view. That question encompasses the whole of the UK. For so many in so many areas-the answer is no.
I only wish that 'compared to' had been added. What you describe (yup! here's the comparison)- is going on in Australia (and I can only speak about Australia).
The richest woman on the planet is Australian-this odious creature was wealthy enough to put a Prime Ministerial speech to camera using her own crew-suggesting that Australian workers should be happy working for $2 per hour 'like they do in South Africa'.
It wasn't just the stunning apathy here that there was little reaction to this that shook me-it's that she was confident she was right. Filthy disgustingly rich--not hard to see why. My point is-that that rich/poor gap is prevalent here-and I know it is the same in the US.
A sign of an increasingly struggling society is when private no credit check companies show up on TV offering to 'help',-when charities publicize that they cannot meet demand etc.
Queensland has now introduced a bedroom tax I believe.
Do we now say: well poverty in Australia is not the same poverty as in the UK, it is SSS poverty (sun/surf/sand), so it's a better class of poverty?
Do you realise that people can no longer throw another prawn on the barbie? They have to share the one prawn between the entire family...
(Just my pathetic attempt at levity).
Look,-I accept the question is about the UK. My point is that the question is always about the UK.
It is that what is happening in the UK is happening everywhere. Very few if any countries have full employment and prosperity.
It even sounds unthinkable to say 'Is the situation in Australia/Spain/Italy......Greece../ et al, really that bad?'
As for Macaroon and No Direction-he's a polishitun, we shouldn't mock the afflicted.
Sep 19th 2013, 11:56 am
#804
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Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
Yep, spot on. The situation for some in the UK is bad as it is for some in Australia, America, Spain or wherever else. Judging by what I see day to day the situation for the majority most definitely is not bad and in reality that is probably the best any country can wish for. The thing I struggle with is the belief that someone will find a better quality of life in another country when they would actually get that better life 100 miles down the road.
As Emporer says Australia has the same issues, everywhere has the same issues to one degree or another.
As Emporer says Australia has the same issues, everywhere has the same issues to one degree or another.
Sep 19th 2013, 12:12 pm
#806
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,396
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
Look,-I accept the question is about the UK. My point is that the question is always about the UK.
It is that what is happening in the UK is happening everywhere. Very few if any countries have full employment and prosperity.
It even sounds unthinkable to say 'Is the situation in Australia/Spain/Italy......Greece../ et al, really that bad?'
It is that what is happening in the UK is happening everywhere. Very few if any countries have full employment and prosperity.
It even sounds unthinkable to say 'Is the situation in Australia/Spain/Italy......Greece../ et al, really that bad?'
Sep 19th 2013, 1:35 pm
#807
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Joined: Oct 2010
Location: The sunshine state
Posts: 1,358
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
For me, it's a Yes.
I've been on the front line of Social Work for a couple of years now and in the last 18 months there's been a noticeable increase in indices of socio-economic deprivation levels, in particular in my region the North West.
Latest census data from the Salford area in which I work show that while there's been a move away from the general poverty in some regards, a sizable chunk of society is at the level of three of indices of deprivation and a large amount of people have moved to level two and four also. What this tells us is that although some have been able to remove themselves from significant poverty classification one, a large amount of those who were previously identified as experiencing two or more levels of deprivation previously have either stayed in this clasification or moved to higher levels of need. Basically, the people who were in serious need of support are still there or become worse; therefore aspects of our society are now experiencing engrained poverty. The UK's rapidly becoming the land of have and have nots. The gap between the North and South is as big as ever. So while in the South East some folks are getting on well, you have to look at the national picture to get an idea of how the UK's getting on in regards to deprivation, it's not great in my view.
Also food banks usage has sky-rocketed of late. This is also a pretty clear sign that things are getting tight for people.
We're now getting the zero hour contracts, 'bedroom' tax, putting people claiming DLA through a test to put them into pain to prove they are disabled even if the disability is never going to improve (i.e MS), universal credit, privatisation of services and increased tax breaks for corporations. While some of these critiques do stem from my particular political viewpoint, that's all I can work with, and for me the direction the UK is heading in now is not a great one.
Given that our PM gave a speech in which he justified out standing in the world as being the producers of One Direction, I feel a bit pessimistic about the UK.
I've been on the front line of Social Work for a couple of years now and in the last 18 months there's been a noticeable increase in indices of socio-economic deprivation levels, in particular in my region the North West.
Latest census data from the Salford area in which I work show that while there's been a move away from the general poverty in some regards, a sizable chunk of society is at the level of three of indices of deprivation and a large amount of people have moved to level two and four also. What this tells us is that although some have been able to remove themselves from significant poverty classification one, a large amount of those who were previously identified as experiencing two or more levels of deprivation previously have either stayed in this clasification or moved to higher levels of need. Basically, the people who were in serious need of support are still there or become worse; therefore aspects of our society are now experiencing engrained poverty. The UK's rapidly becoming the land of have and have nots. The gap between the North and South is as big as ever. So while in the South East some folks are getting on well, you have to look at the national picture to get an idea of how the UK's getting on in regards to deprivation, it's not great in my view.
Also food banks usage has sky-rocketed of late. This is also a pretty clear sign that things are getting tight for people.
We're now getting the zero hour contracts, 'bedroom' tax, putting people claiming DLA through a test to put them into pain to prove they are disabled even if the disability is never going to improve (i.e MS), universal credit, privatisation of services and increased tax breaks for corporations. While some of these critiques do stem from my particular political viewpoint, that's all I can work with, and for me the direction the UK is heading in now is not a great one.
Given that our PM gave a speech in which he justified out standing in the world as being the producers of One Direction, I feel a bit pessimistic about the UK.
.......... but don't confuse the poverty of want with the poverty of need.I would add to growth of food banks, the growth of pay day loan shops, bookmakers and charity shops as indicators to show that all is not well for a large section of the population.
Sep 19th 2013, 1:49 pm
#808
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Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
Indeed, and the growth of these can also be seen in areas of the country that are considered more affluent such as the southeast.
Sep 19th 2013, 1:55 pm
#809
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Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
All those things have grown rapidly even in countries that apparently avoided recession, just seems to be a sign of the times.
