Tag Archives: food banks

Fṛm Đ Gardịn: Tables without food, bedrooms without beds. Grinding child poverty in Britain calls for anger – and a plan

Illustration: Bill Bragg/The Guardian — Iḷstreśn: Bil Brag/Ɖ Gardịn

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Teblz wɖt fūd, bedrūmz wɖt bedz. Grîndñ ćîldpovrti in Britn cōlz fr angr – n a plan

Transcription of a Guardian article of 8 February 2024

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Ɖr r ʈñz ministrz mst d bt olso ax́nz w cn tec t hlp felositiznz. Bʈ r nǎ isnśl

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Ʈrzde, 8 Febrri 2024

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Īvn f ɖ guvnmnt iśùd nyzpepr editrz wɖ D-noṭsz banñ eni public mnśn v ɖ wrd “povrti”, it cd hardli d mor t criet a wōl v sîḷns arnd Britn’z bigist sośl crîsis. Bî iliṃnetñ eni miṇstirịl admiśn v ǎr dīṗnñ povrti eṗdemic fṛm public discors, it hz left Britn wɖ a hidn imrjnsi huz fgotn n vôslis victimz r ɖ hundṛdz v ʈǎzndz v ćildṛn bhnd clozd dorz, in bedrūmz wɖt bedz, homz wɖt hītñ n cićnteblz wɖt fūd, n huz suḟrñ z wrsnñ bî ɖ de.

Sins ɖ ITV drama Mr Bêts vs ɖ Post Ofis, ppl acrs Britn hv bn ascñ ẃ it tc so loñ fr ɖ guvnmnt t xoṇret iṇsnt post-ofis oṗretrz hu fest sć apōlñ trītmnt. In yirz t cm, I b’liv, ppl wl b ascñ hǎ it wz ɖt guvnmnt wōct bî on ɖ uɖr sîd ẃn ʈǎzndz v ćildṛn wr suḟrñ abject depṛveśn, n feld t s’port ɖm in ɖer aurz v nīd.

Fr 2024 z olrdi śepñ p t b ɖ wrst yir in livñ meṃri fr faṃliz on ɖ lǒist incmz. Fr nirli 80 yirz, sins ɖ crieśn v ɖ welférstet, Britn hz bostd v a seftinet b’lo ẃć nwn śd fōl – a minimm ɖt at līst cuvrz ɖ vri besic nīdz v evriwn n privnts desttyśn. Bt wɖt evr anǎnsñ its dmîz or forṃli sǎndñ its deʈnel, ɖt welférstet hz bn sisṭmaticli średd n z nǎ so fl v houlz ɖt miłnz v faṃliz, olrdi fīlñ trapt n hvñ t baḷns ɖer faṃliz’ nīdz wɖ ɖer liṃtd bujits, hv nʈñ t cŭśn ɖm f ɖe sufr a hevi fōl. Ɖ rzult z, az dokmntd in a ny rport publiśt ɖs wīc bî ɖ Multibanc, ɖt fūdbancs n ćaṛtiz hv bcm ǎr cuntri’z last lîn v dfns agnst desttyśn – rɖr ɖn ɖ in’proprịtli nemd yṇvrsl credit.

Ɖ frst gepñ houl in ɖ welférstet z ɖ standd yṇvrsl-credit alawns, ẃć z at its lǒist evr levl az a pṛporśn v aṿrij rnñz. Bcz ɖ oṿol levl v beṇfits hz nt rizn in lîn wɖ rnñz or infleśn jrñ ɖ past deced, pemnts canot nǎ cuvr besic nīdz. Untl tū yirz ago, az mć az 73% v a sngl prsn’z yṇvrsl credit wz tecn p wɖ fūd n hītñ. Nǎ, acordñ t ɖ rīsnt Fînanśl-Fernis Trust rport, bî Doṇld Hirsch, ɖ cost v fūd n hītñ alon wd xid 100% v ɖer beṇfit, ɖus forsñ cleṃnts t cut bac īvn on ɖz isnślz.

Ɖ tipicl faṃli spend 20% v ɖer incm on fūd n fyl. Bt fr faṃliz wɖ ćildṛn on yṇvrsl credit, ɖ śer v beṇfits rqîrd jst fr fūd n eṇji hz rizn fṛm 46% t 63%, līvñ tù litl t aford besic nseṣtiz v lîf sć az cloɖñ, tôḷtriz, lōndri n isnśl gdz sć az bedñ.

Bt fr miłnz v ppl, ʈñz r īvn wrs bcz v a secnd ćenj: pyṇtiv bt arbitrri cuts cruwli d’rectd at ćildṛn ɖt hv rmuvd loñ-istabliśt faṃli s’port. Ɖ faṃli elimnt v ćîld taxcredit – £10.45 a wīc – z no longr peid t hyj numbrz v faṃliz jst bcz ɖer ćildṛn wr born aftr 6 Epril 2017. N ɖ tū-ćîld limit mīnz a ʈri-ćîld faṃli nǎ luzz īvn mor – £62 a wīc. Reẓluśn Fǎndeśn anaḷsis inḍcets ɖt bî 2028, 55% v faṃliz wɖ ʈri ćildṛn n 77% v for-ćîld faṃliz wl b ʈrust intu povrti.

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‘From food banks to pantries and baby banks, all sorts of initiatives have sprung up to bridge the poverty gap.’ Photograph: Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images — ‘Fṛm fūdbancs t pantriz n bebibancs, ol sorts v iniṣ́tivz hv spruñ p t brij ɖ povrtigap.’ Foṭgraf: Finbar Webstr/Geti Iṃjz

A ʈrd houl hz imrjd owñ t a set v rūlz liṃtñ ɖ scop v hlp. Az a rzult, mor ɖn a miłn ppl hu dpnd on beṇfits d nt rsiv ɖ bér minimm nesṣri t avôd abject povrti. Mor ɖn 300,000 tennts in sośl hǎzñ r hit bî ɖ “bedrūm tax”, ẃć agn cuts beṇfit arbtreṛli, best nt on yr nīd bt on hǎ mni rūmz y hv in yr hom.

Mnẃl, 80,000 faṃliz r nǎ biyñ hit bî ɖ beṇfitcap, ẃć sz yr beṇfits wl b cut no matr yr srcmstansz. N ɖ locl hǎzñ’lawns limit mīnz lo-incm faṃliz mst fînd muni fṛm ɖer fūd n hītñ bujits t pe rent, ẃć hits ɖ ʈrd v ćildṛn huz peṛnts on yṇvrsl credit nǎ liv in prîṿtli rentd acoṃdeśn. Yt ɖ Cnsrṿtivz r stl tōcñ abt frɖr rdysñ welfér t inebl taxcuts.

A fînl blo z ɖ stīp munʈli ddux́nz fṛm beṇfits, ẃć r nǎ so svir ɖt ɖe cn b az mć az 25% v wīcli incmz n in sm cesz 30%. Ɖz r so wîdspred ɖt abt haf v faṃliz wɖ ćildṛn r hit – n most v ɖz ddux́nz r fr ɖ rīpemnt v lounz ɖt hd t b tecn ǎt bcz v ɖ unjusṭfaybl fîv-wīc dle in sndñ ɖ frst yṇvrsl-credit pemnt.

Ol v ɖz probḷmz r cmpǎndd bî ʈri uɖr ćenjz. Imrjnsi guvnmnt cost-v-livñ hlp z runñ ǎt (ɖ last pemnts r dy t end ɖs munʈ). Ɖ cpaṣti v ćaṛtiz t step in z olso runñ lo az mni donrz, hu hv gvn a litl t ppl hu hv nʈñ, hv ɖmslvz nʈñ mor t gv. F faṃliz evr hd eni sevñz, ɖoz hv nǎ run drî, forsñ mor ɖn a miłn ppl intu ɖ handz v ilīgl munilendrz. Acordñ t ɖ Jozif Rǎntri Fǎndeśn, ẃć hz public s’port fr its pṛpozd “isnślzgaṛnti”, for miłn ppl, includñ wn miłn ćildṛn, r clos t desttyśn.

In an advanst icoṇmi, unḍstandñ ɖt ɖz priveśnz nīd fixñ śd’nt b a qsćn v îdioḷji, bt a qsćn v dīsnsi. Tū besic rec̣mndeśnz śd b at ɖ hart v ɖs yir’z bujit on 6 Marć. Frst, Jeṛmi Hunt śd anǎns an rjnt rūt-n-branć rvy v ɖ intîr yṇvrsl-credit sistm. N secnd, bcz v ɖ adiśnl damij dn bî ddux́nz, ɖ ćanslr mst śo hǎ h wl enśur ɖt at a minimm ɖ rets v beṇfit wl cuvr lîf’s besic costs, nt līst bî s’portñ ɖ rjnt cros-parti apil t xtnd ɖ lîf v ɖ hǎshold s’port fund (HSF), ẃć pṛvîdz imrjnsi hlp wɖ fūd, bedz, ccrz, wośñmśīnz n hītñbilz.

Ɖr r tū imośnz ɖt ɖ rîzñ levl v xtrim povrti sumn p. Ɖ frst z angr. Ǎr cuntri z intrenćñ iniqoḷtiz btwn rić n pur wɖ litl dbet. Ɖ secnd z cmpaśn. W mst d evriʈñ w cn t hlp ɖoz fōlñ ʈru ɖ net. Fṛm fūdbancs t pantriz n bebibancs, ol sorts v iniṣ́tivz hv spruñ p t brij ɖ povrtigap. Bt ol ɖoz hu līd ɖm nǒ ɖt mor cn n mst b dn. Mor ɖn £2bn wrʈ v xes products r esṭmetd t b dstroid or westd in ɖ YC evri yir, sm landfild. Ptñ ɖz unyzd rzorsz t ys wd nt jst b an anti-povrti iniṣ́tiv bt an anti-p’lūśn iniṣ́tiv tù.

A numbr v gret ćaṛtiz – ɖ Trusl Trust, ɖ Fīlix Project, In-Cnd D’rect n ɖ Multibanc – hv lōnćt an apil t bizṇsz t jôn a cọliśn v cmpaśn ɖt lincs ɖ cumṗniz ɖt hv gdz ppl nīd wɖ ɖ ćaṛtiz ɖt nǒ ɖ ppl hu nīd ɖm. Part v ǎr apil z adrest t ɖ guvnmnt t xmt ćaṛtiz n cumṗniz fṛm VAT ẃn gdz r dnetd fri v ćarj, n t pṛvîd ɖ £25m a yir ɖt Ferśer hz cōld fr, ẃć wd hlp t rīdirect srpḷs fūd t hungri faṃliz.

Bt ɖr z anɖr opśn ɖt z isnśl t brñ imīɉt rlif ɖs wintr. Fṛm ɖ s’xes in Scotḷnd n Gretr Manćestr v tū pîḷt multibancs – fūdbancs, cloɖzbancs, bedñbancs, tôḷtrizbancs, frṇśñzbancs n bebibancs rold intu wn – a YC-wîd netwrc v multibancs z nǎ biyñ crietd, tarġtñ ɖ aqziśn n ɖen distṛbyśn v 20m îtmz, fṛm sop, śampu, tôḷtrolz n napiz t bedñ n clīnñmtirịlz. Undr ɖs alayns v altruizm, fǎndeśnz r nǎ rezñ muni t pe fr gdz ɖt cumṗniz sel at no mor ɖn pṛdux́ncost, n smtmz mć les.

Ʈru iniṣ́tivz sć az ɖz w cn at līst sofn ɖ landñ fr ǎr felositiznz in despṛt nīd, bt it wl nīd a Cnsrṿtiv bujit ɖt śoz at līst a modicm v cmpaśn f w r t rper ɖz gepñ houlz.

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In Ñspel: The Observer view on why public sector workers deserve a fair pay deal and have no choice but to strike

Health workers take part in a march in central London to demand a pay rise. Photograph: Belinda Jlao/Sopa Images/Rex/Shutterstock — Hlʈwrcrz tec part in a marć in sntṛl Lundn t dmand a pêrîz. Foṭgraf: B’linda Jlao/Sopa Iṃjz/Rex/Śuṭstoc

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Ɖ Obzrvr vy on ẃ public-sectr wrcrz dzrv a fer pêdīl n hv no ćôs bt t strîc

(Transcription of an Observer editorial of 11 Dec. 2022)

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Ɖ guvnmnt hz feld t rêz riyl-trm wejz fr yirz n z nǎ rfyzñ t ngośiet

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Súnde 11 Dsmbr 2022

Wrcrz in ɖ YC r xpirịnsñ ɖ longist pêsqīz in mor ɖn 200 yirz. Ɖe r rnñ on aṿrij £900 les a yir in riyl trmz ɖn ɖe wr bfr ɖ 2008 fînanśl crîsis, n ɖ Reẓluśn Fǎndeśn hz fōrcast aṿrij wejz r nt set t rtrn t 2008 levlz untl 2027.

Bt public-sectr wrcrz hv sufrd ɖ wrst. TYC anaḷsis śoz ɖt nrsz, on aṿrij, r tde peid £5,000 a yir les in riyl trmz ɖn in 2010. Fr paṛmedics n midwîvz, ɖt figr z £6,000 a yir. P’līs ofisrz n priznsrvis ofisrz hv sìn ɖer riyl pe drop bî 13% n 10.4% rspctivli sins 2009. Ɖ pe v secnḍri-scūl stāf n prîṃri-scūl stāf hz fōḷn bî 9.7% n 11.8%. N az infleśn hz spîct n eṇjiprîsz hv spîṛld, it z public-sectr wrcrz hu r fesñ ɖ dīpist riyl-pe cuts, wɖ aṿrij nominl pe ofrz b’lo ɖ prîṿt sectr aṿrij. Ɖs z ɖ contxt in ẃć mni v ɖm – fṛm nrsz t tīćrz t Bordrfors gardz – wl b gwñ on strîc in ɖ cmñ wīcs. Mni v ɖz wrcrz r ppl hu cntinyd gwñ ǎt t wrc jrñ ɖ pandemic, ptñ ɖer hlʈ n ɖt v ɖer faṃliz at risc t mnten ɖ pṛviźn v isnśl srṿsz. Yt s’xesiv Cnsrṿtiv ćanslrz hv ifctivli aćivd cuts t public srṿsz ovr ɖ last deced bî forsñ public-sectr wrcrz t ber riyl-trm pêcuts. Ɖ NHS z biyñ cros-subṣdîzd bî docñ nrsz’ pe. Tīćrz r biyñ peid les t cīp spendñ on scūlz az lo az poṣbl.

Fr mni lowr-peid public-sectr wrcrz, ɖs z rīćñ a crunćpônt. Frst z ɖer prsnl fînansz: deta fṛm ɖ Trusl Trust śoz ɖt nrsz r amñ ɖoz biyñ forst t rlî on fūdbancs t fīd ɖer faṃliz. A qortr v NHS hospitltrusts se ɖe hv set p sć bancs t hlp ɖer stāf gt ʈru ɖ wintr.

Secnd r ɖ akt stāfśorṭjz biyñ xpirịnst in mni public-sectr pṛfeśnz. Wn in 10 hospitlposts z vecnt, ẃć daṃjz peśntsefti n qoḷti v srṿsz, n incrisz ɖ preśr on uɖr membrz v stāf. Tīćrvec̣nsiz r at ɖer hîist ret sins naśnl deta wz frst c’lectd in 2010. Ɖs z bʈ az a rzult v xpirịnst hlʈ n edyceśn stāf līvñ ɖer pṛfeśnz dy t brnǎt n lo pe, n iśuz wɖ rcrūtmnt az a rzult v lo startñsaḷriz. Az ɖ Insttyt fr Fiscl Studiz hz argyd, lo n fōlñ public-sectr pe reḷtiv t ɖ prîṿt sectr z a hyj rcrūtmnt-n-rtnśn ćalinj. It z mtirịli afctñ ɖ qoḷti v hospitlz n scūlz.

Ʈrd, in sm sectrz, sć az rel, sub-infleśn pêrîzz r olso biyñ md cndiśnl on “moḍnîześn”, ẃć yẓ́li implîz cmpulsri rdundnsiz in a wrld ẃr ɖr r hardli eni rzorsz fr ppl t drw on t rtren; ɖs ofn mīnz axptñ biyñ ǎt v wrc or in mć lowr-peid wrc fr ɖ loñ trm.

Ɖs z ẃ mni grūps v public-sectr wrcrz r baḷtñ fr n planñ strîc ax́n ɖt wl cost ɖm pe in ɖ śort trm. Ɖ pe ofrz on ɖ tebl repriznt frɖr riyl-pe cuts n r nt ssteṇbl. Ɖe wl “bec in” incrist hardśp amñ wrcrz lîc nrsz, tīćrz n paṛmedics, n frɖr dclînz in ɖ qoḷti v public srṿsz.

Ɖ guvnmnt hz rspondd bî argywñ ɖt mni v ɖ pêdīlz hv bn rec̣mndd bî indipndnt pe-rvy bodiz n ɖt it canot ɖrfr inṭfir wɖ ɖm. Ɖs z disinjenẏs: it z ɖ guvnmnt itslf ɖt sets ɖer rīmit, n ministrz hv dvrjd fṛm ɖer rec̣mndeśnz bfr. Riśi Sūnac n cabiṇtministrz r roñli clemñ it wd cost an xtra £1,000 p’ hǎshold t cīp public-sectr pe flat in riyl trmz, tecñ intu acǎnt infleśn v 11%.

Rɖr ɖn mīt yńnz n strîc a dīl, ɖ guvnmnt z ʈreṭnñ t intṛdys frɖr lejsleśn t crb ɖ pǎr v public-sectr wrcrz t strîc. Ɖ 2016 Tredyńn Act hz olrdi intṛdyst strinjnt cndiśnz on strîcs ɖt irodd ɖ pǎr v wrcrz t gt a fer pêsetlmnt. Ny pṛpozlz includ lejsletñ fr minimm-srvis levlz in “criticl” sectrz, banñ strîcs bî difṛnt yńnz in ɖ sem wrcples wɖn a set pirịd, rqîrñ freś baḷts fr ć bǎt v strîc ax́n n rqîrñ sūṗmjoṛtiz v yńnmembrz t vot t s’port strîc ax́n.

Līgl advîs fṛm Mîcl Ford CC, fr ɖ TYC, sz mni v ɖz pṛpozlz wd pt ɖ YC at risc v brīćñ its obḷgeśnz undr inṭnaśnl lw. It z eniwe incnsiṿbl ɖt ny lejsḷtiv crbz cd b pást bî parḷmnt n impḷmntd in ɖ nxt fy wīcs īvn f ɖe dd nt pt ɖ guvnmnt at risc v sgnificnt līgl ćalinj.

Ɖ guvnmnt mst gt rnd ɖ tebl n ngośiet wɖ ɖ yńnz t avôd ɖ sgnificnt dsrupśn ɖt wl b cōzd bî strîcs in ɖ nxt fy wīcs. Lo-peid public-sectr wrcrz dzrv nt t b left mtirịli wrs of aftr a deced v riyl-trm pêcuts. Trayñ t śift ɖ blem t “yńnbosz” n fob of ɖ public wɖ veg proṃsz t clamp dǎn frɖr on ɖ pǎr v nrsz n tīćrz t strîc wl nt cut it ẃn votrz cn si wɖ ɖer ǒn îz ɖ impact pur stafñlevlz r hvñ in eriaz sć az hlʈ n edyceśn. It z ɖ guvnmnt, nt hard-prest wrcrz, hu wl b hld acǎntbl.

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Fṛm Đ Gardịn: Our country yearns for unity – but Truss’s government is mercilessly dividing it into rich and poor

Illustration: Sébastien Thibault/The Guardian — IỊstreśn: Sébastien Thibault/Đ Gardịn

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Ǎr cuntri yrnz fr yṇti – bt Trus’z guvnmnt z mrsilisli dvîdñ it intu rić n pur

(Transcription of an article published in the Guardian on 21 September 2022)

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Fr ɖ frst tîm sins ɖ welfér stet wz crietd, ɖ fūdbanc wl b ǎr seftinet n ćaṛti ǎr last lîn v dfns

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Gordn Brǎn, Wnzde 21 Sptmbr 2022

Hvñ bn promist an eṇjiprîs frīz, miłnz v hard-prest faṃliz wl b śoct n firfl ẃn, on 1 Octobr, ɖe r hit wɖ a 25% rîz in ɖer fylbilz.

Aftr a sumr v dwñ nʈñ, ɖ guvnmnt lct az f it hd dn a lot, bt it hz nt dn eniẃr nir inuf. In 10 dez’, ɖ cap on eṇjibilz wl rîz t an unpresdntd £2,500 a yir. Ɖs z an aṿrij incris v £10 a wīc, on top v Epril’z rîz v £14 a wīc. Fylcosts wl, acordñ t Joṇʈn Bradśw n Antońa Kñ at Yorc Yṇvrṣti, cnsym an unpresdntd 20% v ɖ incm v 4.1 miłn faṃliz in Octobr. Bî Me, ɖt figr cd rîz t 7.4 miłn. Fr 2.2 miłn faṃliz, eṇjibilz wl tec p an unpeybl 30% v ɖer incm, n ɖs cd rîz t 3.8 miłn faṃliz bî Me.

Nvr hz fylpoṿti hit so mni ppl so hard, n unls ny hlp z anǎnst fr lo-incm faṃliz on Frîde, Liz Trus’z £150bn eṇjipacij wl rmen so purli tarġtd ɖt it wl nt privnt 5 miłn ćildṛn fōlñ intu poṿti ɖs wintr, n an evr larjr pṛporśn v ǎr neśn fṛm trnñ p at wn v ɖ cuntri’z 3,000 fūdbancs.

Ẃn in Jūn, ɖ ɖen ćanslr, Riśi Sŭnac, wz wîdli aplōdd fr apirñ t solv ɖ hītñcosts crîsis, I rout ɖt it wd nt b inuf t privnt hardśp. Ɖen ɖ cap on aṿrij hītñbilz wz £1,971, hvñ rizn fṛm £1,200. Ɖ Sŭnac pacij gev hǎsholdz on yṇvrsl credit £24 xtra a wīc (£1,200 a yir, f y rsivd a caunsltax rībet). Stl, ɖt sem faṃli z olrdi £20 a wīc wrs of az a rzult v ɖ £1,000 a yir cut last Octobr, n £25 a wīc dǎn bcz beṇfits rouz bî onli 3.1% ẃn infleśn hit 10%. Ẃn ɖ hefti Octobr gas n ilectriṣti incris z add t ɖer bilz, ɖe r, acordñ t updetd figrz on rlịr calkleśnz bî Doṇld Hirsch at Lufḅra Yṇvrṣti, £28 a wīc, or £1,450 a yir, wrs of.

Faṃliz wɖ mor ɖn tū ćildṛn r īvn wrs of, az r dsebld ppl, dspt ɖ £150 ɖe r dy t rsiv fṛm ɖs wīc. Ɖs z bcz ɖ flat-ret pemnt v £13 a wīc (£650 a yir) t ɖoz on beṇfits tecs no acǎnt v faṃlisîz or speśl nīdz, n ofrz onli £2.60 a wīc p’ prsn ẃn spred acrs a cupl n ɖer ʈri ćildṛn, hardli inuf t cuvr ɖ xtra n rîzñ costs v fūd, fyl, travl, teḷcomz, cloɖñ, lōndri n tôḷtriz. Ɖt z ẃ Cir Starmr n Rećl Rīvz hv nt onli pṛpozd a prîscap at ɖ lowr levl v £1,971, bt rdyst prīpemntmītr ćarjz n a mor jenṛs worm-homz dscǎntscīm. Sadli, ɖ guvnmnt sīmz so intnt on śort-ćenjñ lo-incm faṃliz ɖt nt īvn a jenṛs Epril 2023 rîz in beṇfits wl undu ɖ damij nǎ biyñ dn.

N ẃt v ɖ lo-peid hu gt jst £550 in guvnmnt hlp, dspt fesñ ɖs yir’z £1,300 rîz in fylbilz n esc̣letñ fūd n uɖr prîsz? A wejrîz v 5% wl stl līv miłnz fesñ ɖer bigist cut in livñstanddz fr 50 yirz.

Fr ɖ frst tîm sins ɖ welfér stet wz crietd, it z ɖ fūdbanc, nt sośl s’kṛti, ɖt z nǎ ǎr seftinet, n ćaṛti, nt yṇvrsl credit, ɖt z ǎr last lîn v dfns. Yt, jst az nīd rîzz, ǎr cuntri’z voḷntri sectr fîndz itslf az b’līgrd az ɖ ppl it z hlpñ. Cmpaśn z nt runñ ǎt bt caś z. Donrz hu hv a litl n jenṛsli gv t ɖoz hu hv nʈñ wl sn b unebl t gv at ol. Gifts left on sūṗmarcițroliz r dclînñ. Mni ćaṛtiz, lîc a locl welfér fund I nǒ, r flat brouc. Īvn ćrćz, ẃć hv slflisli ofrd ɖer hītd hōlz t hlp eldrli ppl ste worm, fir ɖe wl nǎ strugl t pe ɖer ǒn fylbilz.

Ẃn ɖs ōtm’z flud v nīd trnz intu a wintr tsūnāmi v hardśp, w r lîcli t si ćaṛtiz hv t stop fīdñ ɖ hungri so ɖe cn hlp ɖ starvñ, cut bac on s’port t ɖ purli hǎzd so ɖe cn foc̣s on ɖ fast-rîzñ numbrz v homlis, n gv p on hlpñ ɖ dǎn-at-hìl bcz ɖer prîoṛti hz t b ɖ desttyt. Ɖ scel v ɖ crîsis z olrdi so svir ɖt wn ćaṛti, ɖ Hymn-Rlif Fǎndeśn, ẃć hz spent 30 yirz foc̣st intîrli on foṛn ed t ɖ wrld’z purist cuntriz, hz opnd its ǒn fūdbanc in Brmñm.

It z bcz ɖ ofiśl seftinet z so średd n ćaṛtiz r nǎ so strećt ɖt ćrćz n feʈgrūps, anti-poṿti campenrz n mẹrz n caunslrz r jônñ tgɖr t fors ɖ Trus guvnmnt t wec p t ɖ scel v ɖ poṿticrîsis ahd. Public opińn abt poṿti hz bn śiftñ.

An oṿẃlmñ mjoṛti v ɖ Britiś public – 73%, acordñ t Ipsos – cnsidrz poṿti n sośl iniqoḷti alñsd infleśn az ɖ top iśuz nǎ wuriyñ ɖm n cōzñ slīplis nîts. Wɖ, fr ɖ frst tîm in yirz, poṿti nt jst ingulfñ lo-incm faṃliz bt spredñ t midl-incm faṃliz tù, ɖr z a growñ sns ɖt poṿti z ol ɖ mor un’xptbl bcz it arîzz nt bcz w r a pur cuntri bt bcz w r a rić yt hîli unīql cuntri.

Wɖ Frîde’z anǎnsmnt t rvrs ɖ naśnl-inśuṛns rîz, ẃć gvz £1,800 t ɖ rićist n onli £7.66 a yir t ɖ pur, ɖ gap btwn ɖoz wɖ n ɖoz wɖt wl cntiny t wîdn, wɖ nn v ɖ “tricl dǎn” ifct fṛm rić t pur ɖt niolibṛl îdịlogz promis. N f ɖ guvnmnt’s fiscl stetmnt olso aboliśz ɖ bancrz’ boṇs tax, cuts corṗreśntaxz on sm v ɖ most profitbl cumṗniz, rjcts windfōl taxz on ɖ xes profits v ôlcumṗniz n laviśz biłnz on ɖ olrdi wlʈi at ɖ xpns v ɖ ny pur, it wl hv a ćilñ ifct – mrsilisli n unconśṇbli dvîdñ a cuntri ɖt ovr rīsnt dez hz śoun it yrnz fr yṇti.

Acordñ t rsrć bî Hirsch, bî 55% t 19%, ppl in Ñgḷnd ʈnc ɖ guvnmnt hz nt bn dwñ inuf t tacl poṿti – wɖ īvn mor seyñ so in Scotḷnd n Wêlz. Y canot rlî on a hartlis guvnmnt hvñ a ćenj v hart, bt cnsrtd ax́n bî ɖ public cn fors a ćenj v mînd – n a naśnl campen t ćenj poḷsi z ɖ onli ćôs. Wɖ a cold wintr fast aproćñ, ɖ tîm fr ax́n z nǎ. Ɖ cmñ wor mst b agnst poṿti, nt agnst ɖ pur.

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Gordn Brǎn wz YC prîm̦inistr fṛm 2007 t 2010

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Fṛm Đ Gardịn: Britain’s charities have done all they can to help desperate people. What will Truss do?

Illustration: Eva Bee — Iḷstreśn: Īva Bì

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Britn’z ćaṛtiz hv dn ol ɖe cn t hlp despṛt ppl. Ẃt wl Liz Trus d?

(Transcription into Ñspel of an article published in the Guardian on 7 September 2022)

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Ɖ ny PM mst riylîz ɖt onli ɖ guvnmnt hz ɖ rzorsz t end ɖ suḟrñ cōzd bî ɖ cost-v-livñ crîsis

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Gordn Brǎn, Wnzde 7 Sptmbr 2022

Nt onli r ɖ cuntri’z pur ppl nǎ strećt bynd ɖer limits, bt so tù r ɖ cuntri’z ćaṛtiz. Jst az mni bredwinrz r fîndñ it dificlt t pe fr bred, so ɖr r nǎ fūdbancs firfl v runñ ǎt v fūd.

Pripẹrñ fr a wintrwev v unpresdntd nīd, ǎr voḷntri sectr z hvñ t b iṇvtiv – n fast. Fest wɖ rîzñ depṛveśn in ɖ locl cḿṇti ẃr I wz bròt p, ɖ faṃli sntr I voḷntir at hz paynird ɖ banc v bancs: a fūdbanc, bedñbanc, cloɖzbanc, tôḷtrizbanc, homfrṇśñz banc, hîjīnbanc n bebibanc, ol rold intu wn. In jst et munʈs, it hz groun fṛm biyñ wn v ɖ cǎnti’z smōlist ćaṛtiz, wɖ a trnovr v £500,000 a yir n 30 stāf, t amñ ɖ larjist, wɖ a £5m trnovr in gdz. Beṇfitñ fṛm a ynīc agrīmnt t rsiv srpḷs îtmz dnetd bî ɖ locl Aṃzn wérhǎs n bact p bî ɖ Coop, Scotmid n 12 locl frmz, it z nǎ wrcñ wɖ 500 nirbî orğnîześnz – ćaṛtiz, fūdbancs, scūlz, hlʈ sntrz n sośl-wrc tīmz – ẃć hv bn ebl t pṛvîd 35,000 Fîf faṃliz wɖ 230,000 gdz, fṛm tind fūd, napiz, tôḷtrolz n ćildṛn’z cloɖz t dūvez, cetlz, mîcrowevz n bedz.

Nǎ stocs r biyñ bilt p t priper fr ɖ bigist dmandsrj v ol – fr blancits, slīpñbagz n hot-wōtr botlz az faṃliz gv p on hītñ ɖer homz n consntret on hītñ ɖmslvz. Bt ɖs sntṛl wérhǎs dz mor ɖn hand ǎt gdz. In adiśn t dliṿrñ pent, wōlpepr, carpits n homfrṇśñz t faṃliz hu cn no longr aford besic hǎshold menṭnns, a locl tīm v voḷntir pentrz, plúmrz n ilectriśnz z nǎ biyñ asmbld t hlp rīfrbiś n impruv homz. Planz r nǎ undr dscuśn fr a śop ɖt wl lend ilectricl n mcanicl tūlz fri v ćarj fr du-it-yrslf rperz, ẃl hlp z biyñ xtndd fṛm hǎs t gardnz n ɖ plantñ v alotmnts.

Wɖ its brecfstclubz, aftr-scūl clubz n muɖrz-n-todlrz grūps nǎ cómpḷmntd bî a payniyrñ dadz’ club, graniz’ club, n its ǒn tīm v mntl-hlʈ cǎnslrz, ɖ faṃlisntr z lîc so mni ćaṛtiz I nǒ – endlisli crietiv in hlpñ faṃliz t d mor wɖ les, n I am constntli imprest bî ɖ slflis s’port ofrd bî locl biznis, fṛm ɖ struğlñ wn-man ilectricl ǎtfit t ɖ bigist sūṗstor.

Yt ɖ cer gvrz n sośl wrcrz at ɖ faṃli sntr nǒ ɖt no matr hǎ invntiv n xtnsiv ɖz olrdi hrkliyn eḟts bcm, ɖe wl nt b inuf t privnt desttyśn ɖs wintr. At bst, ol ɖs ćaritbl asistns ɖt hz bn bròt tgɖr loc̣li cn brñ an adiśnl £10m t Fîf’s purist faṃliz ɖs yir. Bt ɖoz xtra miłnz canot compnset fr ɖ £76m ɖt ɖ vri sem faṃliz r śort v cmperd wɖ last yir.

Ɖs z bcz 35,000 Fîf faṃliz lost in xes v £30m aftr ɖ £20 a wīc cut in yṇvrsl credit last Octobr, n r anɖr £46m śort bcz beṇfits hv rizn onli 3% ẃl infleśn z pśñ p ɖer wīcli bilz bî mor ɖn 10%. N ɖs śortfōl fṛm wn yir t ɖ nxt z onli a frax́n v ɖ £200m ɖt Fîf caunsl estiṃts hz bn lost t 35,000 faṃliz ʈru beṇfitcuts sins 2010.

Fr 75 yirz, ɖ Britiś welférstet, in śarp contrast t ɖ YS, hz stept p n in ẃr n ẃn ɖ nīd z gretist. Bt nǎ, az a rzult v osteṛti īc̣nomics, it z nt ɖ sośl-s’kṛti sistm bt fūdbancs ɖt hv bcm ɖ lîflîn fr faṃliz in nīd. N it z no longr yṇvrsl credit bt ćaṛti ɖt z ɖer last rzort.

Ɖt z ẃ Cir Starmr hz dmandd an eṇjiprîs frīz n xtra discǎnts fr lo-incm faṃliz, includñ rdyst ćarjz on prīpemnt mītrz.

Ẃt w olrdi nǒ v ɖ multibiłn eṇjipacij fṛm ǎr ny prîm̦inistr, Liz Trus, sjsts it z unlîcli t d inuf t privnt dîr poṿti ɖs wintr unls ɖr z adiśnl pṛviźn fr lo-incm faṃliz. It wl nt undu ɖ fełr t upret yṇvrsl credit in lîn wɖ prîsz, nr adres ɖ liṃteśnz v Riśi Sŭnac’s sumr flat-ret pemnt v £650, ẃć wrct ǎt at onli £2.60 a wīc ć fr a cupl wɖ ʈri ćildṛn, līvñ litl aftr peyñ fylbilz fr fūd, mobîlz, TV lîsns, travl, ćildṛn’z cloɖz, tôḷtriz n clīnñmtirịlz. Indd, ǎr ʈredbér ofiśl seftinet hz bn so vayḷntli ript apart ovr ɖ past 12 yirz ɖt rsrć fṛm Lufḅra Yṇvrṣti śoz ɖt faṃlibeṇfits ɖs yir wl cuvr onli haf v isnśl livñcosts. Smōl wundr ɖt mî locl fūdbanc hz olrdi run p a deḟsit v £28,000 ɖs yir, az apilz fr hlp hv rizn 50%.

Wɖ ɖz last lînz v dfns nǎ brīćt n ćaṛtiz abt t hit a brecñpônt, onli ɖ guvnmnt hz ɖ rzorsz t end ɖ unspīcbl suḟrñ cōzd bî unpeybl bilz n unmet nīdz. On Tyzde Trus travld ɖ leñʈ v ɖ cuntri t Balmoṛl n bac. Ɖr z dsper in ɖ cḿṇtiz ś flù ovr bt z unlîcli t evr vizit. Ɖr z fir in ɖ îz v ppl ś n hr ministrz wl nvr mīt. Fr acrs ǎr cuntri ɖr z suḟrñ ɖe d nt si, hardśp ɖe d nt hír n pen – n yt ɖe pas on bî.

Fṛm Covid t conflicts, w hv olwz rlaid on sm v ɖ lǒist-incm rnrz – cer gvrz, nrsz, ambyḷnswrcrz, ǎr armd srṿsz – t śo p in an imrjnsi. Nǎ it’s tîm fr ɖ guvnmnt t śo p fr ɖm. Onli ax́n t reẓrect ǎr naśnl miśn t end ćîld n pnśnr poṿti cn ri-ynît an evr mor dvîdd n dsperñ cuntri. Az z ofn ɖ ces, dwñ ɖ rît ʈñ z a matr v p’liticl wil, n nwn dǎts Trus’z dtrṃneśn. In ɖ wrst v tîmz, ś nǎ nīdz t dlivr fr ɖ bst n most rjnt v cōzz. N f, instd, ś z rzolvd t b ireẓlut in ɖ fît agnst mǎntñ poṿti, dīsnt ppl wl dvot ɖer eṇjiz t asmḅlñ an unpresdntd naśnl cọliśn v ćrćz n feʈgrūps, ćaṛtiz n anti-poṿti campenrz, locl caunslrz n mẹrz t ćenj hr mînd. Ćenj z cmñ. Ɖs z a momnt fr it t rples deẓleśn wɖ hop.

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Gordn Brǎn wz YC prîm̦inistr fṛm 2007 t 2010.

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Fṛm Đ Gardịn: First food banks, now bedding banks: in my time in politics, this is the worst poverty I’ve seen

02/03/2022ÑSPEL, FROM THE GUARDIANbedding banks, food banks, povertyFrank Johnson

Lisa Hamilton-North packing bedding at the Big Hoose project, Lochgelly, Fife. Photograph: GMP/The Big Hoose Project — Līsa Hamiltn-Norʈ pacñ bedñ at ɖ Big Hūs project, Loh Geli, Fîf. Foṭgraf: GMP/Ɖ Big Hūs Project

Frst fūdbancs, nǎ bedñbancs: in mî tîm in poḷtics, ɖs z ɖ wrst poṿti I’v sìn

(Transcription of an article published in the Guardian on 1 Marć 2022)

Ɖr r faṃliz hu cn onli trn on ɖer hītñ fr tū aurz a de n yz torćz at nît rɖr ɖn spendñ on ilectric lît

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Gordn Brǎn, Tyzde, 1 Marć 2022

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“Bedñbancs” r abt t tec ɖer ples alñsd fūdbancs, bebibancs n ćildṛn’z cloɖz bancs az ɖ ny fes v ćaṛti. Peṛnts unebl t aford ɖer hītñbilz r nǎ trnñ t blancits, śīts, duvecuvrz n slīpñbagz fr ɖer ćildṛn az ɖer ćīpist aveḷbl pṛtx́n agnst ɖ cold wintrnîts. Ol bcz, no matr hǎ prūdntli ɖe bujit, faṃliz d nt hv ɖ caś t fīd ɖer prīpemnt gas n ilectric mītrz – it z an 18^ʈ snć̣ri ansr dspt ɖr biyñ a 21^st snć̣ri s’lūśn.

In ol mî tîm in poḷtics I hv nvr witnist so mć poṿti n hardśp. In Circōldi n Cǎdnbīʈ, ɖ cnstitẏnsi I grù p in n reprizntd fr 32 yirz n ẃr I am petṛn v ɖ locl faṃli sntr, ɖr r mor ćildṛn ɖn evr gwñ t scūl il-clad n hungri; despṛt muɖrz fōlñ intu ɖ handz v lounśarcs; n mntl-hlʈ probḷmz esc̣letñ wɖ litl NHS pṛviźn t cǒp.

A fy wīcs ago hundṛdz v añśs muɖrz kd p ǎtsd ɖer locl Coops aftr ɖ faṃlisntr staf rezd fundz t ad a £50 credit t ɖer gas n ilectriṣti prīpemntcardz.

Ɖs z poṿti at its dminñ n dgredñ wrst. Īvn bfr ɖ Epril eṇjiprîs rîzz, I am hírñ storiz I ʈt I wd nvr hír in 2022: v ćildṛn obsesivli ćecñ ɖ ilectriṣtimītr ẃn ɖe wec p in ɖ bitr cold; v faṃliz hu cn onli trn on ɖer hītñ fr tū aurz a de n yz torćz at nît rɖr ɖn spendñ on ilectric lît; n v muɖrz unebl t hîd ɖer tirz ẃn ɖe canot pṛvîd ɖer ćildṛn wɖ îɖr wintrcloɖz n śuz or besic wormʈ.

Sadli ɖ welférstet seftinet hz bn torn apart. A fy wīcs ago a locl ćaṛti faund ʈri ćildṛn slīpñ on ɖ flor undr jst wn blancit. Fūdbancs r nǎ hlpñ a strīm v muɖrz unebl t aford ccrz t gv ɖer ćildṛn hot fūd īvn wns a wīc. Ɖe r amñ ɖ nirli 4 miłn faṃliz hu r olrdi bhnd wɖ ɖer bilz. Last wīc, bcz v hlp fṛm Aṃzn, ɖ Coop n Scotmid, ɖ Circōldi faṃli sntr wz ebl t aqîr hundṛdz v bedñ îtmz bt nǎ, az ɖe run ǎt agn ẃl ɖ nīd cntinyz t rîz, it hz snt ǎt d’rect apilz t istabliśt bedñ n bedñ-gdz cumṗniz fr eni srpḷs blancits n bedñ.

In 1993, jrñ a prīvịs ic̣nomic crîsis, ɖ ɖen guvnmnt rezd VAT n naśnl inśuṛns dspt ol proṃsz nt t d so n miłnz v ppl peid ɖ prîs az faṃlipoṿti śot p. In ɖ osteṛtiyirz, beṇfits wr cut – frst aftr 2010 n ɖen mor saṿjli aftr 2015. Bt nʈñ in rīsnt yirz cmperz t ẃt’s ahd az simlteńsli fūdcosts rîz 5%, n gas n ilectriṣti prîsz incris az mć az 50%, wɖ beṇfits subjict t onli a 3.1% rîz īvn az infleśn hedz t 7% n ɖ naśnl inśuṛns hîc costs ɖ tipicl faṃli abt £20 a munʈ.

So wɖ onli fîv wīcs t g bfr ɖ bigist hit t livñ standdz fr decedz, it’s tîm t cōl a hōlt t ɖ ic̣nomic madnis v alawñ, at wn n ɖ sem tîm, tax rîzz, fūdprîs hîcs, esc̣letñ hītñbilz n riyl-trmz beṇfit cuts – ɖ qodṛpl ẃami ɖt wl tip olrdi hard-prest faṃliz ovr ɖ éj. It’s tîm fr ministrz t wec p t ɖ pen olrdi biyñ flt in plesz ɖe r unlîcli t evr vizit, n t ɖ suḟrñ v ppl ɖe me nvr si; fr no guvnmnt cn jusṭfî ɖ frɖr depṛveśn biyñ impozd on miłnz v its sitiznz.

Lufbra Yṇvrṣti’z minimm-incm-standd project, léd bî Doṇld Hirsch, hz wrct ǎt ẃt faṃliz nīd az a beslîn incm, drw̃ on rsrć intu ẃt ɖ jenṛl public cnsidrz “isnśl” xpndćrz. Last yir a cupl wɖ tū ćildṛn, ejd ʈri n sevn, nīdd £482 a wīc aftr peyñ rent, caunsltax n ćîldcer. Infleśn, Hirsch tlz m, hz olrdi pśt ɖs p bî 6% t £511. Yt cm Epril, beṇfits fr a faṃli lîc ɖs wl rîz bî onli £8 a wīc – mīnñ ɖe wd hv onli £274 a wīc in aveḷbl incm wns ɖ contṛbyśn t caunsltax z peid. Ɖe hv olrdi lost ɖ £20 uplift in yṇvrsl credit ɖt wz cruwli rmuvd last Octobr n, wɖ ɖer incm nǎ bérli cuṿrñ haf (54%) ẃt ɖe nīd, ɖe r mć wrs of ɖn last yir.

Ɖs z ẃ, t enśur ɖer ćildṛn hv fūd n uɖr isnślz, peṛnts ofn g wɖt nseṣtiz ɖmslvz. Acordñ t ɖ minimm-incm standd, ɖ fl cost v fūd, gas, ilectriṣti, wōtr n hom inśuṛns fr ǎr faṃli v for z £153 a wīc, līvñ onli £4.30 a de p’ prsn t cuvr evriʈñ els – fṛm cloɖz, mobîlz n lōndri t bedñ, tôḷtrolz n uɖr sanitri gdz.

Ẃn asct, Boris Jonsn rfyzd t ansr f h cd liv on yṇvrsl credit. N no wundr: ɖ wīcli prsnl alawns fr cuplz ovr 18 wd totl £121 fṛm Epril, onli a £3.60 rîz; n ɖ sngl prsn’z ret fr ɖoz ovr 25 wl b £77 – jst a £2.30 rîz ɖt wl nvr cuvr ɖ rîzñ fūdprîsz n record hītñbilz, īvn aftr ɖ £200 loun hǎsholdz wl hv t pe bac ovr ɖ nxt fîv yirz. Hǎ cn a sngl wmn, lcñ fr wrc, mc endz mīt ẃn ɖ mobîl fon, brōdband n busférz ɖt ś nīdz fr jobhuntñ cd ć cost abt £10 a wīc n ẃn, lîc ʈǎzndz, ś hz t cntribyt twdz hr caunsltax n rent n rpe a loun? Eni ʈt v cloɖz or īvn lōndri or tôḷtriz z ǎt, n ɖ onli we £77 cn cuvr hr bilz z bî cutñ bac on mīlz n wormʈ. Ɖs z ẃ, īvn bfr its ic̣nomic stetmnt on 23 Marć, ministrz mst – az ɖ Ćîldpoṿti-Ax́n Grūp n uɖrz hv cnsistntli dmandd – rvrs ɖ £1,000 a yir cut in yṇvrsl credit n d mor t hlp wɖ hītñ n beṇfits az wel az psponñ ɖ naśnl-inśuṛns rîz.

It z ofn sd ɖt tru līdrśp z līdñ bî xampl. Ol v s wl fōl śort, n Partiget z an ispeṣ́li śemfl n penfl episod ɖt hz dstrest miłnz hu md ɖ sacṛfîsz ɖt ɖer līdrz wr nt priperd t mc ɖmslvz. Poṿtiget, ɖo, plúmz ny depʈs: līdrz r nwñli impozñ hardśp ɖe wl nt xpirịns ɖmslvz on ɖoz olrdi tù pur t pṛtct ɖer faṃliz. N unlîc Partiget, poṿti dz nt end, bt gz on de aftr de, hartbrecñ n cruwl īvn bynd osteṛti. No guvnmnt śd b alaud t gt awe wɖ it.

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• Gordn Brǎn z ɖ Wrld Hlʈ Orġnîześn ambasdr fr globl hlʈ fînansñ, n wz YC prîm̦inistr fṛm 2007 t 2010

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