4.3m children living in poverty, up 100,000 on previous year, DWP figures show
The key to this headline is the last three words, “DWP figures show.” These are not statistics put together by woke, snowflake and politically correct organisations, such as food banks. Stats which tend to suggest that our short-tempered, short-trousered, snake oil selling prime minister Rishi Sunak’s government might just be lying when they tell us their plan is working. More than that, no one can see what the plan is.
The government also says this:
‘Overall, 12 million people were in absolute poverty at the height of the cost of living crisis – equivalent to 18% of the population, including 3.6 million children, levels of hardship last seen in 2011-12 after the financial crash.’
I’m not surprised. I see it at first hand. And I saw it again today as a slew of people who never once dreamed they would ever need to use a food bank came through our doors. But here they were and it was my job reassure people that they should not be ashamed and embarrassed to be with us because it wasn’t their fault.
When I talk to someone and go through a list of things we can give them, many people still think of others. When I offer them a product, they will say something like, “I’ve got a small amount of X. Give it to someone who needs it more.” And I think, and then feel like saying, “For today, you must think of yourself and your family. I appreciate the fact that even at your lowest point you are still thinking of others, who you think are worse off than you but really, they aren’t. Just for today, it’s about you because from where I am sitting, you are the person who needs our help.” I do say something vaguely like that, albeit with far fewer words because this is about the here and now.
The media has been reporting all week that inflation has fallen, but that’s not right. Inflation has eased but the correct way of phrasing it is that things are still going up but not by as much as they were going up. Food inflation is still at around 5% and if you are struggling on a minimal income, as millions are, you are still getting worse off.
I can’t go on repeating the same weary old line about listening to people whose ultimate nightmare, that of running out of money and food, is coming true for those who probably regard themselves as upper working class, if there’s such a thing, or even middle class. And that’s not surprising. Millions are one unexpected bill, one job loss, one cancer diagnosis away from having to visit a food bank. We are seeing it every single week and it is getting worse, much worse.
We will be open as usual next Thursday and another one of our outlets which is usually open on a Friday will be open on Good Friday because the volunteers want it to be. A superstitious religious festival will not put bread on the table and they will be there, as per usual.
The overall message is simple. Inflation is not falling: it’s easing. Prices are not falling: they are rising slightly less quickly. People are not getting better off: they are still becoming worse off. What a thing to shout from the roof tops. People are worse off than they were last month, but it could have been worse. Thanks for that, Rishi.
