One in five children living in poverty (From This Is Lancashire)

What does Ms Edwards know about why children come to her club hungry?

Conversation on thje 519 bus on Tuesday, Two young mums grumbling about the cost of school uniforms and the fact they could not get grants. Then the conversation turned to the mums having tattoos done, I feel sure that tattoos do not come cheap,surely they need to get ther priorities right.. Money can be used wisely,there is no need for children to live in poverty these days. If you cannot afford to feed and clothe children then stop having them.

Cooperative5 and Underwater - two very brave people daring to fly in the face of political correctness.

Do the charities have ulterior motives?.

I am fed up of political correctness, why should I keep subsidising these people who are obviously just having children willy nilly,I stopped after having one child it was all iI could afford.

How can children go hungry - beans on toast is hardly expensive. parents who don't work are given enough ... Housing benefit, coucil tax benefit, benefit this and benefit that.
I work full time and after paying bills and childcare costs i'm more than likely to be left with less than these poverty stricken families!!!
Managing your money is easy just cut out the luxuries ie, cigarettes, alcohol other non essentials....

You breed 'em - you feed 'em. That simple!

What a load of rubbish, you get about £150 a week with one child plus all rent and council tax paid. You get free school meals and uniforms once they are at secondary school!! You probably get less when you work and you have paid all your bills out!! Still it is enough and your kids should never go hungry. Bet they still afford nights out and fags!! Should be reported if your not feeding your child!!

What does an 'affordable' hot meal cost at Bolton Lads and Girls Club? Surely it's not cheaper for youngsters to buy prepared food than for their parents/carers to buy basic ingredients and cook the food like the rest of us who are on a budget, want to share meals with our children and are concerned to make sure that they are eating healthy, nutritious meals. I have no doubt that there are poor children in Bolton and there are children who are going without hot meals. I'm sure many poor families have go without a lot of things and it is very tough for them, but there is no cheaper (and often more healthy than the alternative) way of eating than simple, home cooked food. I think the comments by Karen Edwards are confused. If children are buying food elsewhere that is not available at home it would seem that their biggest problem is that they are neglected.

Whenever I'm at the shop I see mums buying scratchcards etc.The way forward is to give 50% of welfare payments in food and clothes and gas/electric vouchers rather than cash.Possibly cut bus and train fares for the out of work to help look for jobs-It's ok saying buy a bike but bikes aren't cheap these days-and also maybe the government do special food deals with Asda Tesco etc to maybe offer subsidised food to those on low incomes.The government should go bacjk to weekly rather than fortnightly payments for the unemployed too as managing money is easier on a 7 day cycle for many than 14.I am unemployed by the way but recognise that the welfare system needs updating.

Unless the BEN can verify the study, then perhaps the headlien should state that a charity believes poverty exists, rather than BEN stating it does exist.

Usual partisan reporting by the BEN.

exiled says...Unless the BEN can verify the study, then perhaps the headlien should state that a charity believes poverty exists, rather than BEN stating it does exist.

I was going to go further and say that if the Bolton News wants to be taken seriously as a provincial nespaper it should now revisit this whole subject in the light of the comments above and come up with some FACTS!

Hey underwater - if the willy got nilly, there wouldn't be a child to feed in the first place.

Reality50 wrote:
Whenever I'm at the shop I see mums buying scratchcards etc.The way forward is to give 50% of welfare payments in food and clothes and gas/electric vouchers rather than cash.Possibly cut bus and train fares for the out of work to help look for jobs-It's ok saying buy a bike but bikes aren't cheap these days-and also maybe the government do special food deals with Asda Tesco etc to maybe offer subsidised food to those on low incomes.The government should go bacjk to weekly rather than fortnightly payments for the unemployed too as managing money is easier on a 7 day cycle for many than 14.I am unemployed by the way but recognise that the welfare system needs updating.

Some very good comments here, and this one by Reality50 has a good idea; if half the benefits claimed for rent, electricity, food etc. came in the form of vouchers, redeemable only for what they are intended and if such parents were also made to show receipts for food for the previous week before receiving their next installment of beer and fag money, then perhaps their children would get a share of the handout. Quite agree about buying food cheapy at a club; beans on toast or poached egg on toast cost almost nothing yet contain protien, starch, nutrients and taste good too. Maybe the parents don´t know how to cook yet, how many sixteen year olds do?

Maybe we should also treat pensioners in the way that you think we should treat these benefit recipients?

Now that would save us a fortune!

The Running Man says...Maybe we should also treat pensioners in the way that you think we should treat these benefit recipients? Now that would save us a fortune!

Where did that come from? Perhaps you could explain!

The people crying poverty should go to the 3rd world see what that word actually means. Sick of this countries hard done by people, when will they realise they have it EASY.

Can't feed my kids because the car insurance is due, or sky tv is X a month.

We had nowt as kids and I mean nowt, never went hungry.

Sad fact the type of person who would leave there kids hungry can never be educated to learn any better, alway on the lookout for themselves.

kezza34 wrote:
What a load of rubbish, you get about £150 a week with one child plus all rent and council tax paid. You get free school meals and uniforms once they are at secondary school!! You probably get less when you work and you have paid all your bills out!! Still it is enough and your kids should never go hungry. Bet they still afford nights out and fags!! Should be reported if your not feeding your child!!

since when do do you £150 pound with one child if your a single parent ,you get £128.28 a week if your under 25 and your over 25 its £143.03, you get a bit more if your a couple or have other benefits.first of all you don't get free uniforms as you like to put it and you only £30 for children in year seven and £25 for children in year nine in secondary school . before you start talking rubbish get your facts straight and look on the Internet all the information is there.
they should have enough money to feed kids.i have 4 kids and i can do a weeks shop in £70 and i plan meals.people need to manage their money better.

I think reality50 needs a reality **** in the face. Not everyone on benefits are dossers just because you see one clown buying scratch cards doesn't mean everyone on benefits does and regarding the foodstamps comments only shows how retarded you are. Why should the genuine people on benefits who do not abuse the system who are genuinely in need of benefits suffer because of the few who cheat and squander the system.

Maybe the government should give more muscle and more teeth to the people who investigate cheats on benefits one strike and your out attitude is what is needed for a cheat... I know ppl skanking the benefit system and the investing people do nothing NOTHING then i read idiotic comments about flipping food stamps don't make me laugh

why are you lot pointing the finger at those on benefits. there are those who work full time who can not aford to feed there kids. they earn min wage then pay there tax

buttmunch wrote:

kezza34 wrote:
What a load of rubbish, you get about £150 a week with one child plus all rent and council tax paid. You get free school meals and uniforms once they are at secondary school!! You probably get less when you work and you have paid all your bills out!! Still it is enough and your kids should never go hungry. Bet they still afford nights out and fags!! Should be reported if your not feeding your child!!

since when do do you £150 pound with one child if your a single parent ,you get £128.28 a week if your under 25 and your over 25 its £143.03, you get a bit more if your a couple or have other benefits.first of all you don't get free uniforms as you like to put it and you only £30 for children in year seven and £25 for children in year nine in secondary school . before you start talking rubbish get your facts straight and look on the Internet all the information is there.
they should have enough money to feed kids.i have 4 kids and i can do a weeks shop in £70 and i plan meals.people need to manage their money better.

I'm over 25 so I would get £143.03 and is that including child benefit if not add another £20 on top so that is £150 ish!! Tesco and Asda do cheap uniforms so £30 is not bad I don't think considering people are not working!! People should just look for bargains, and I agree with you people are not managing their money very well. Just goes to show you can feed a large family on £70 so why are children going without food??

If someone is working full time there is no reason why they should not be able to feed there children. A trip to Bolton Market and you can fill a few bags with fruit ,vegetables and fish for a few pounds that would feed a family for a week, need I go on ,the main problem is that these people only want convieniance foods from the supermarket so no preparation is needed.Basically Lazy.

kezza34 wrote:

buttmunch wrote:

kezza34 wrote:
What a load of rubbish, you get about £150 a week with one child plus all rent and council tax paid. You get free school meals and uniforms once they are at secondary school!! You probably get less when you work and you have paid all your bills out!! Still it is enough and your kids should never go hungry. Bet they still afford nights out and fags!! Should be reported if your not feeding your child!!

since when do do you £150 pound with one child if your a single parent ,you get £128.28 a week if your under 25 and your over 25 its £143.03, you get a bit more if your a couple or have other benefits.first of all you don't get free uniforms as you like to put it and you only £30 for children in year seven and £25 for children in year nine in secondary school . before you start talking rubbish get your facts straight and look on the Internet all the information is there.
they should have enough money to feed kids.i have 4 kids and i can do a weeks shop in £70 and i plan meals.people need to manage their money better.

I'm over 25 so I would get £143.03 and is that including child benefit if not add another £20 on top so that is £150 ish!! Tesco and Asda do cheap uniforms so £30 is not bad I don't think considering people are not working!! People should just look for bargains, and I agree with you people are not managing their money very well. Just goes to show you can feed a large family on £70 so why are children going without food??

yes it does include child benefit!!
www.direct.gov.uk/en
/Nl1/Newsroom/DG_200
634 benefit rates check it out . i have 3 kids in school uniform and tesco and asda uniform don't like them, don't last i prefer next and marks and Spencer's.when your in secondary school school uniform costs more than £30 that don't cover the blazer has too have school logo on more less everything. so £30 don't cover nothing my friend spend £250 on a new uniform on Turton .

Cooperative5 wrote:
The Running Man says...Maybe we should also treat pensioners in the way that you think we should treat these benefit recipients? Now that would save us a fortune!

Where did that come from? Perhaps you could explain!

I could but I won't because I'm busy rubbing my scratch cards and drinking cider.

Cheers!

Some really excellent points here, showing that most contributors are not taken in by the scrag end of benefit recipients who abuse the system and their children and then get their hands out for more either through crime or bleating.

The current system showers benefit recipients with cash for producing children. Check out the posh prams, fags, designer clothes and glum faces for evidence on where it actually goes. Handouts never solve real human issues.

Yes there are responsible and genuine benefits recipients and they are probably the majority and yes they are tarred with the bad brush of the scrag end.

Remember also that benefits have risen consistently in recent years whilst many workers have suffered pay cuts in one form or another. In other words, benefit recipients have actually become better off at the expense of those who pay those benefits. Next time you fill up, around 80p per litre goes to a profligate government that then wastes that cash on a good proportion of wasters and problem families.

buttmunch wrote:

kezza34 wrote:

buttmunch wrote:

kezza34 wrote:
What a load of rubbish, you get about £150 a week with one child plus all rent and council tax paid. You get free school meals and uniforms once they are at secondary school!! You probably get less when you work and you have paid all your bills out!! Still it is enough and your kids should never go hungry. Bet they still afford nights out and fags!! Should be reported if your not feeding your child!!

since when do do you £150 pound with one child if your a single parent ,you get £128.28 a week if your under 25 and your over 25 its £143.03, you get a bit more if your a couple or have other benefits.first of all you don't get free uniforms as you like to put it and you only £30 for children in year seven and £25 for children in year nine in secondary school . before you start talking rubbish get your facts straight and look on the Internet all the information is there.
they should have enough money to feed kids.i have 4 kids and i can do a weeks shop in £70 and i plan meals.people need to manage their money better.

I'm over 25 so I would get £143.03 and is that including child benefit if not add another £20 on top so that is £150 ish!! Tesco and Asda do cheap uniforms so £30 is not bad I don't think considering people are not working!! People should just look for bargains, and I agree with you people are not managing their money very well. Just goes to show you can feed a large family on £70 so why are children going without food??

yes it does include child benefit!!
www.direct.gov.uk/en

/Nl1/Newsroom/DG_200

634 benefit rates check it out . i have 3 kids in school uniform and tesco and asda uniform don't like them, don't last i prefer next and marks and Spencer's.when your in secondary school school uniform costs more than £30 that don't cover the blazer has too have school logo on more less everything. so £30 don't cover nothing my friend spend £250 on a new uniform on Turton .

I am a single parent and I work on minimum wage and I don't get a grant towards uniform or any help with school dinners etc.So I have to go to Asda!!! The uniforms last ok!! This is half the problem if you don't have the money you shouldn't be going shopping in Next you should be bargain hunting!! That's why your uniform is costing a fortune!! My lad has just started secondary school so I know the costs involved.

The poorest kids are easy to spot they're the ones in the designer track suits and latest trainers, phones and games.

The only people who are struggling are the ones who work full time who earn a low wage but too much to get family tax credits.

I work and earn less than £11,000 a year, yet my children are never hungry have decent clothes, and shoes and we have a holiday every year, my son is going skiing with school next year. If you spend all your money of alcohol (before you start yes I do have a beer), cigarettes and Tattoos, no, I have none, you can' t feed and clothe your children. When you have children they become your priority, your own needs and wants go right out the window in favour of theirs. So please don't tar all low income families with the same brush, some of us do prioritise our children.