Poverty in Britain2 min read

It’s a bit odd isn’t it? There is poverty in Britain. Poverty in the nation that once ruled the waves. Poverty in the fifth richest country in the world. It’s an oxymoron.
According to 21st Century Challenges, poverty is, “people whose resources are so seriously below those commanded by the average individual or family that they are, in effect, excluded from ordinary living patterns, customs and activities.”
This definition applies to people who have jobs and work very hard. Crazy. I recently read about a couple with two children, who were both employed yet did not earn enough to make ends meet. Things became so bad that they were referred to the local foodbank by the council because, “they did not know where their next meal was coming from”. The couple reported feeling degraded and ashamed that they could not feed their children. Their story is certainly not unique.
Surely if people are working they should be able to sustain themselves. Isn’t this the principle reason why people work? There is certainly a problem here.
The cost of living is rising, yet wages are not rising at the same level. Yes, there are schemes in place such as the “national living wage”, the extension of free childcare to 30 hours and increases to the personal allowance, but people are still struggling to have their basic needs met. People who work should be able to sustain themselves and their families. It’s wrong.
What’s the solution here? Do people need to push themselves to get better jobs in order to live comfortably? Do people need more education on careers or money management? Do wages need to be higher? Are those struggling to eat lazy? Is poverty just the way of the world? What’s your view?
Leave your comments below and let’s debate this topic further.