Food banks - what is the real story

[trashbat]

NicD said:

'NHS PA Hannah Chadwick, 31, and her engineer husband Dean, 27, ran out of money to feed themselves and their 16-month-old son Hunter after their car needed £700 of repairs
So two people in work just a bit short one week

What alternate reality do you live in where a £700 bill can be shrugged off in a week?

[Gecko1978]

trashbat said:

NicD said:

'NHS PA Hannah Chadwick, 31, and her engineer husband Dean, 27, ran out of money to feed themselves and their 16-month-old son Hunter after their car needed £700 of repairs
So two people in work just a bit short one week

What alternate reality do you live in where a £700 bill can be shrugged off in a week?

It might be the fact they are both working or the fact that they run a car and then can't afford food. I know a £700 repair bill would upset me for sure (though we have enough in the freezer to get buy for a week or two).

I suspect the rise in food bank use is more linked to a rise in awareness of them, I can't recall the last person I heard of in the UK who starved to death and I suspect if food banks dissappeared there would not be a huge rise either however I think we should help thoes in need and thus food banks have there place. But its not benefit cuts that have caused it alone.

[grumbledoak]

Anyone who has not worked this out should pop into the building society, withdraw their life savings, and try giving away £5 notes on the street corner. They can play a little "get a clue vs. run out of money" game.

Meanwhile, this is a news "story" bigged up for political purposes.

[Truckosaurus]

They collect for the local foodbank in our office and send out a newsletter every now and again.

They claim most of the recipients around here are people caught in the timeframe between losing their jobs and benefit payments starting or have got a new job and waiting for their first paycheque to arrive.

I suspect also that a lot of the most needy in society don't claim everything they are entitled to, either through pride or ignorance, whereas the professional scroungers claim every penny going.

It would probably be for the Greater Good if a quantity of a lot of people's benefits were paid out in Food Tokens so could only be spent on decent food rather than cigs, booze, Sky tv. But that is considered demeaning by the same people bemoaning the existence of Food Banks.

[rohrl]

In this thread - a bunch of blokes who don't know about and have never been to a food bank make simplistic assumptions about them and the people who use them.

[grumbledoak]

rohrl said:

a bunch of blokes who don't know about and have never been to a food bank make simplistic assumptions about them and the people who use them.

Islington based Guardian readers, mostly.

[greygoose]

rohrl said:

In this thread - a bunch of blokes who don't know about and have never been to a food bank make simplistic assumptions about them and the people who use them.

To be fair this is the Internet we make simplistic assumptions about lots of topics we know little about.

[rohrl]

grumbledoak said:

rohrl said:

a bunch of blokes who don't know about and have never been to a food bank make simplistic assumptions about them and the people who use them.

Islington based Guardian readers, mostly.

That's the sort of thing I meant. Thanks for helping.

[Oakey]

trashbat said:

NicD said:

'NHS PA Hannah Chadwick, 31, and her engineer husband Dean, 27, ran out of money to feed themselves and their 16-month-old son Hunter after their car needed £700 of repairs
So two people in work just a bit short one week

What alternate reality do you live in where a £700 bill can be shrugged off in a week?

Maybe it's more the fact they had £700 to spend repairing their car? To some people, if their car needed £700 of repairs it'd be "well that's just going to have to wait".

[rover 623gsi]

I'm sure there are some people that take the piss, but I also think most people using foodbankds are doing so for perfectly valid (and usually sad) reasons

http://blogs.channel4.com/paul-mason-blog/gas-cook...

[rover 623gsi]

Oakey said:

Maybe it's more the fact they had £700 to spend repairing their car? To some people, if their car needed £700 of repairs it'd be "well that's just going to have to wait".

but if they can't get their car repaired and therefore can't get to work and therefore can't earn money...

[BrabusMog]

greygoose said:

rohrl said:

In this thread - a bunch of blokes who don't know about and have never been to a food bank make simplistic assumptions about them and the people who use them.

To be fair this is the Internet we make simplistic assumptions about lots of topics we know little about.

And could it not be simplistic to assert that other contributors to this thread are making their own simplistic instructions

I've not been to one, nor do I know anyone that uses one, but I did watch that good bit of poverty porn Benefits Street. They all dove straight in for crisps and unhealthy junk, not fruit'n'veg.

[Oakey]

rover 623gsi said:

but if they can't get their car repaired and therefore can't get to work and therefore can't earn money...

Sorry, I forgot, only people with cars work! There are absolutely no other alternatives available.

[trashbat]

Oakey said:

trashbat said:

NicD said:

'NHS PA Hannah Chadwick, 31, and her engineer husband Dean, 27, ran out of money to feed themselves and their 16-month-old son Hunter after their car needed £700 of repairs
So two people in work just a bit short one week

What alternate reality do you live in where a £700 bill can be shrugged off in a week?

Maybe it's more the fact they had £700 to spend repairing their car? To some people, if their car needed £700 of repairs it'd be "well that's just going to have to wait".

And if you need the car to get to work, because you don't earn enough to live anywhere near where the jobs are?

I don't know anything about this case. For all I know they mismanage their finances and have their priorities upside down. However some of you seem to have very little idea about living unavoidably close to your means.

FWIW I live quite comfortably and hopefully won't need a food bank any time soon, but a surprise £700 bill would still take a couple of months to recover from. "Short for a week" is a joke anywhere but here.

[rover 623gsi]

I can't get to my office without a car

[Mr Will]

Truckosaurus said:

They claim most of the recipients around here are people caught in the timeframe between losing their jobs and benefit payments starting or have got a new job and waiting for their first paycheque to arrive.

I didn't have to resort to a foodbank but came close once in precisely this situation. Mine was the only income in the household and rent and bills soon eat through the emergency fund. I know we are all powerfully built company directors on here but ask yourself honestly; how long could you last on zero income before things started becoming uncomfortably tight?

[Jonathan27]

I give food to our local food bank. I do so knowing that there are probably people claiming the food, who could have bought their own but chose not to. However there are two simple things that sway me;
- If some work shy parents decide to blow their benefit payments on TVs and IPhones I have no desire to help them, however if this results in their kids going hungry, then I can’t stand by and ignore it. Kids don’t pick their parents, so shouldn’t suffer for their stupidity.
- Back in the 80s when my hard working mum (single mother) hit genuine hard times, we were fed by a food bank. That food was given by someone kind enough to donate. Today I live a very comfortable life, with what most would consider a high income. So it’s now my turn to return the favour.

[NPI]

Oakey said:

rover 623gsi said:

but if they can't get their car repaired and therefore can't get to work and therefore can't earn money...

Sorry, I forgot, only people with cars work! There are absolutely no other alternatives available.

They live in Wrexham. If they both worked within the town then they'd be able to walk / cycle / use public transport. If either / both their jobs are outside of the town then they're stuffed.

[Rovinghawk]

10 Pence Short said:

. It is also a matter of fact that you can't judge someone's cash flow now by their possessions.

If they're going hungry then I wouldn't see a problem with them having to trade their iPhone & 42" TV for cheaper versions. Once those items are gone I'd see more reason for subsidising them.

[Oakey]

trashbat said:

nd if you need the car to get to work, because you don't earn enough to live anywhere near where the jobs are?

I don't know anything about this case. For all I know they mismanage their finances and have their priorities upside down. However some of you seem to have very little idea about living unavoidably close to your means.

FWIW I live quite comfortably and hopefully won't need a food bank any time soon, but a surprise £700 bill would still take a couple of months to recover from. "Short for a week" is a joke anywhere but here.

I think we have different ideas of what 'living close to your means' is.

To most people hard up, a £700 repair bill for their car would mean it goes on the drive / sits outside the house until such time they've managed to save £700 to get it fixed. It isn't "well we'll spend £700 to repair it but go without food this week". You know, because most people don't have £700 to begin with.