Poverty - Conservative Impact

The widespread poverty created by the Tory government is either a blind and pointless ideology or even worse a purposeful choice of government. The evidence of the detructive nature of their policies has been placed before them many times. This decimation of society is either denied by the Tories or simply ignored. If it is accidental then it amounts to manslaughter. If it is intentional then it amounts to social murder. Whether they are blind or purposeful choices, they remain choices made by this government. Ignorance is not a defence in law.

This section covers the level of poverty created by this government (and by the Lib Dems) since 2010. It may be something of a cliche, but there is always enough money for war. There is always enough money for MPs, but we are told that there is not enough money to ensure our people have access to adequate services, food and housing. One of the things that defines this government as compared to previous post-war governments is the level of in-work poverty and the complete collapse of the safety net. Austerity is a political choice not a necessity.

Insecure Work


In Figure 1 it shows the growth in zero hours contracts where the individual has identified that they have no guaranteed hours. Since 2012 there has been a 358% rise in zero hour contracts.

Looking at the ONS business survey in Figure 2, the number of people on zero hours contracts doubles. This is where business reports on the number of people it employs with no guarantee of hours. The number peaked in 2015 at 2.1 million and fell off. 2017 saw the number begin to rise again upto 1.8 million.

In theory an individual on a zero hour contract has similar rights as an employee with guaranteed hours, but this much depends on how they are classified. There are two categories; "worker" and "employee". A worker while entitled to paid holiday leave and other rights typical of a employee, will not have the same rights over notice period and length of service. An individual employed on zero-hours as an "employee" has the full rights of a guaranteed hours employee in terms of employment rights, such as redundancy pay and a notice period. Of course if an employee is on a no guaranteed hours basis, the rights mean very little because the company can simply not provide the hours and avoid redundancy, hoilday pay etc. In effect zero-hours contracts cannot offer the employment rights guarantees by the nature of the agreement.

Universal Credit
Universal Credit (UC) was first introduced in October 2013. The Tory / LibDem coalition planned to introduce Universal Credit in a managed way, progressively rolling it out nationally. The transition from the current system of benefits and tax credits to Universal Credit was intended to be gradual and the rollout was expected to be completed by the end of 2017. It was presented as having the following advantages:

 

Encourage people on benefits to start paid work or increase their hours by making sure work pays It is a myth that as a whole people need encouraging into work when on benefits. Given the right conditions the majority of people want to work. UC acts in the opposite way to the intended outcome. It follows the logic of "treat them mean, keep them keen." The structure of UC means that if you work, then for every £1 you earn, 63% of that pound is taken off your UC payment. With busfares and other costs associated with work, this can leave the UC claimant worse off. Being worse off when you are already living on the breadline is not an option for many claimants and leaves people who wish to work in a situation where they cannot. Below is just one example of somebody working being penalised: It is worth noting that somebody in the above scenario would be loath to take more hours as this would increase their risk of being without any money. If they reach the wage level where they come off UC and at a later date need to re-apply, they would be subject to a minimum wait of 5 weeks before receiving any help. If we consider the level of welfare payments on UC and how this leaves the individual often in debt, even the slightest interuption in their earning pattern could lead to complete destitution.   Make it easier for people to manage the move into work UC makes it more difficult for people to move into work. The risk created for the recipient of UC of moving into work is amplified by the nature of the welfare provided. Once somebody is on UC by its very nature and how it is implemented they will be in debt. Often moving into work has upfront costs such as clothes, travel costs, child care etc. It does not help people into work to place their accomodation at risk by stopping housing payments for a minimum of 5 weeks.   Simplify the system, making it easier for people to understand, and easier and cheaper for the government to administer It is not necessary to simplify the system. In fact it is counterproductive to simplify some systems. UC replaces all these different welfare elements:


 * Child Tax Credit
 * Housing Benefit
 * Income Support
 * income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
 * income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
 * Working Tax Credit

The above could quite easily been streamlined into a single process, while not changing the terms of payment and certainly not introducing a delay between introduction and first payment. UC has been more expensive to administer, while leaving people poorer. The definition of a failed provision.   Reduce the number of people who are in work but still living in poverty UC has not reduced the number of people in work who are living in poverty. In-work poverty has increased and in particular in areas where UC has been introduced.   Reduce fraud and error Benefit fraud has increased since the introduction of UC according to the DWP. This is partially due to the method of recording benefit fraud where more errors are recorded as fraud. However overall fraud and error combined have increased. See the section Benefit fraud versus Tax fraud for a detailed breakdown. 

Child poverty
Poverty is measured in two ways:


 * Relative poverty
 * Absolute poverty

See the definition of poverty for more details on how poverty is defined and measured.

Relative poverty
In 2018 30% of children are living in relative poverty. This amounts to 4.1 million children or in a class size of 30 it is equivalant to 9 of those children living in poverty.

3.1 million of the children living in pverty have working parents, an increase of over 50% since 2010 when the figure stood at 2.1 million. Child poverty in some inner-city areas is as high as 50%.

When Labour came to power in 1997 child poverty stood at 27% and was rising. In the period from 1979 - 1997 child poverty rose from 13% to the 27% figure. For the period 1997-2010 under a Labour government poverty started a downward track, standing at 20% in 2010 and still falling. This amounted to 900,000 children taken out of poverty over that period.

Absolute poverty
When Labout took government in 1997 absolute poverty was at 26.1% and rising. By 2009/10 absolute poverty stood at 12.4% and was following a downward trend. This amounted to 1.8 million children lifted out of absolute poverty. The target set by Labour was to end child poverty by 2020. Unfortunately absolute poverty figures are no longer available as the Tories scrapped the measure along with the child poverty unit in 2016. However the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) estimates that relative child poverty will increase to 37% by 2022. The IFS identifies this as being a result “mainly to the effect of tax and benefit reforms introduced by the government.”

Pensioner poverty
Pensioner Poverty was slashed under Labour

Treat them mean
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/feb/12/man-wins-fit-for-work-appeal-seven-months-after-his-death?fbclid=IwAR06eIEtw4pcXf79GwnrkIZcCTSoACDxvbR3M0twRwpCKF2riH5vUUA7qMo

Tom Lane stuff to review / include


FOOD BANK USAGE – 1,370% INCREASE

The Trussell Trust is the largest food bank network in the UK. In 2009/10, it handed out around 41,000 food packs to approx 20,000 people. In 2017/18, it handed out over 1.3 million packs to an estimated 590,000 different people. 484,026 of these packs were to benefit children. Food Bank use has therefore increased by 1,370% since 2010.

The Trust accounts for approx two-thirds of UK food banks. Therefore, total UK Food Banks in 2017-18 gave out approx 2 million packs to 900,000 people. The number one reason given for people using food banks was not unemployment or benefit delays/sanctions (though these were common reasons), it was low wages – y’know, like nurses!

In areas where Universal Credit had been implemented for over a year, food bank usage had increased 52% in the 2017-18 year! In other areas, the increase was 13%. In other words, areas with an established system of Universal Credit had a 4 times higher increase in food bank use.

It is now estimated that 3.7 Million (1 in every 14) adults in the UK have had to use a food bank.

A report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation shows more than 1.5 million people were classed as ‘destitute’ in the UK in 2017 – more than the populations of Liverpool and Birmingham combined.

UK BILLIONAIRES – 174% INCREASE

2010 UK Billionaires - 53 2018 UK Billionaires - 145 (up 174%)

HOMELESS & SLEEPING ROUGH - 169% INCREASE

November 2018 Shelter Report – 320,000 recorded as homeless (1 in every 200 people).

The number of rough sleepers (including ex-Service personnel) has increased 169% since 2010! In other words, for every 1 person that was sleeping rough in 2010, there are now 2.69!

Labour halved the number of households (families) registered as homeless from over 100,000 in 1997 to 49,000 in 2010. This has since increased by 80% and is now over 79,880 (as of March 2018) and rising!

In 2018, there are more than 123,000 children living in temporary accommodation including bed and breakfast rooms and hostels. This is a 65% increase from 2010!

NHS WAITING LISTS – 71% INCREASE

Waiting lists fell to a low of 2.4 million in 2009/10 (at the end of the Labour government), but have climbed since and stood at 4.11 million as of June 2018. This is an overall increase of 71% since June 2010.

The number of patients dying while waiting for treatment has increased by well over 10,000 in five years - from 18,876 in 2012/13 to 29,553 in 2017/18. But this number will actually be higher (approx double), as only half (67 of 135) of the NHS Trusts responded to the Freedom of Information Act request!

Some specialist treatment has been the worst affected, with patients awaiting treatment for lung diseases – the UK’s third biggest killer – up by 128% since September 2011 to almost 100,000.

The Government continues to miss its own targets, including for ‘treating or assessing 95% of people within four hours at A&E’, ‘the 18 week maximum for non-urgent operations’ and ‘85% of people diagnosed with cancer should wait no more than 62 days before the start of treatment.’ These targets have not been met for several years!

In January 2018, in an unprecedented move, doctors and consultants from 68 A&E units in England and Wales wrote to Theresa May stating, amongst other things, that 120 patients a day were being managed in hospital corridors and that some were dying prematurely! An utter disgrace!

Two years ago, the Government removed the training bursary for nurses. Nursing applications have since dropped by a third - whilst there are 40,000 unfilled nursing vacancies.

NATIONAL DEBT – 64% INCREASE

Yes, you read it right!! Forget the Tories claims to be the party to trust with the economy and that they are reducing our national debt! Here are the facts.....

As of March 2010, UK Government debt was £1.07 Trillion (or 70.3% of GDP). As of March 2018, UK Government debt was £1.76 Trillion (or 85.8% of total GDP).

Since 2010, our Government (national) debt has risen by £690 Billion or 64%. As a percentage of GDP, our national debt has risen by 15.5%.

This is all whilst inflicting horrific austerity measures on the population and massively cutting OUR public services!

Incidentally, for the first 10 years of the Labour Government, the national debt went from 43.8% of GDP in 1996-7 to 33.8% (in 2003-4) to 40.9% in 2018. It stayed below the previous debt level for over 10 years! Then the global banking collapse happened in 2008 and the global recession. Our national debt increased (as it did with countries across the world), in large part due to the enormous cost of bailing out the banks.

In case you missed it, the national debt has INCREASED by 64% under the Tories!

CHILD POVERTY – 50% INCREASE

2018 - 4.1 million children are now in ‘relative poverty.’ That’s 30% of Children! OUR children! That’s an increase of 50% since 2010! That’s 9 children in every class of 30!

This includes 3.1 million children of working parents (this has almost doubled from 2.1 million in 2010). Child poverty is now over 50% in some inner-city areas.

Under Labour (1997-2010)

In 1997/8 - Relative Poverty = 27% and rising (shockingly, this had more than doubled from 13% under the previous Tory government of Thatcher/Major). In 2009/10 - Relative Poverty = 20% (and falling) From 1997-2010 under Labour, some 900,000 children were lifted out of relative poverty (before housing costs are included. After housing costs are included it was 800,000).

In 1997/8 – Absolute Poverty = 26.1% (and rising) In 2009/10 – Absolute Poverty = 12.4% (and going down) From 1997-2010 under Labour, some 1.8 Million children were lifted from absolute poverty.

Under Conservatives (2010-2018)

In 2018 – Relative Poverty = 30% (4.1 million children, a 50% increase) and rising. In 2018 – Absolute Poverty = Take a guess on the real figure! The UK as a whole has been left without an official measure of poverty since the Conservative government’s scrapping of Labour’s child poverty targets!

The Institute for Fiscal Studies estimates that relative child poverty will increase further to 37% by 2022 and puts this increase down “mainly to the effect of tax and benefit reforms introduced by the government.”

RECORDED CRIME - 30% INCREASE

(These figures are for England & Wales): 2009/10 Police Recorded Crime - 4.3 million 2017/18 Police Recorded Crime - 5.6 million (up 30%)

In 8 years: From June 2010 to March 2018, homicides are up 14%, Sexual Offences are up 80% and Knife Crime is up 20%.

Recent Crime Statistics In one year from April 2017 to March 2018, there was a: 12% increase in hom icides 0.8% increase in sexual offences 16% increase in offences involving knives 30% increase in robberies 8% increase in thefts 36% increase in public order offences POLICE OFFICERS – 23,000 LESS OFFICERS or 16% DECREASE

The number of police officers in England and Wales has fallen by 23,000 between March 2010 and March 2018. This is a reduction of 16%.

From 1997 to 2010, Labour increased Police Officers from 125,000 to 144,000 (as of March 2010).

Since 2010, the Conservatives have reduced the number to 122,000 (as of March 2018).

TEACHERS’ PAY – 16% REAL TERMS PAY CUT

Teachers had a real terms pay cut of 16% from 2010 to 2017. Teachers’ pay increased by approx 5-6% from 2010 to 2017 while the Retail Price Index increased 21.9%.

Analysis of Government figures in September 2017 found that teachers were an average of more than £5,000 a year worse off in real terms than in 2010.

ADULT/ELDERLY DAY CENTRES – 428 CENTRES CLOSED (41% CUT)

Between 2010 and 2018, 428 Day Centres have closed – a 41% cut.

CHILDREN’S CENTRES (for Under-5’s) – 1,034 CENTRES CLOSED (50% CUT IN FUNDING)

Between 2010 and 2018, 508 Children’s Centres have officially closed (according to government figures) and Children’s Centre funding has been slashed by 50%.

However, a report by the Sutton Trust showed that the real number of Children’s Centres closed between 2009 and 2017 was 1,034 (double the official government number!)

YOUTH CLUBS - 1,000 CLUBS CLOSED (52% CUT IN FUNDING)

Between 2012 and 2018, 760 youth centres have closed and 4,500 youth work jobs were cut. Since 2010, it is estimated that over 1,000 youth centres have closed.

Youth Service funding has been slashed by 52% (from 2010 to 2018).

https://welfareweekly.com/amber-rudd-finally-admits-link-between-universal-credit-and-rising-foodbank-use/?fbclid=IwAR0CsorzR8uKyR5_i0KcbpdPCELG2xvOHt8BckUiZ2mhSahiLJEGNeIhLTk

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/jan/07/need-to-sign-on-youll-have-to-walk-24-miles-to-jobcentre?fbclid=IwAR1ZCzoYNiQ0rF2Pv-RHqfHbqoD4FPyUmhz1ai8X2Bqx38-kgQ7ZTnP3k04