Giving to food banks

[mickey house]

Originally Posted by pompeyboy

I'm probably going to upset most of the people on this thread but why have food banks become the "norm"?

Go to the benefit help site, entitled to .co.uk enter 2 adults and 2 kids ages 12 and 10, no disabilities, click through the pages, rent at a modest £650 a month and Council tax of £1200 a year, both adults claiming income based JSA and it shows a Universal credit "income" of £1,752 a month, that's take home "pay".

I'm in a job, sole wage earner on around £30k, I take home around £2k a month so £250 more than the unemployed couple, take out my petrol costs and it seems I'm working for less than £1 an hour.

I guess I must be "lucky" but have managed to support a stay at home Mum, 3 kids, bought a house and had a holiday most years. So why is there a need for food banks with those sort of benefits available?

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I genuinely think you manage your money very well, because to take home £2k a month and support you, your wife, 3 kids, buy a home, run a car and have a holiday most years is very impressive (I am honestly not being fliipant or sarcastic).

[EssexSue]

Originally Posted by mickey house

I genuinely think you manage your money very well, because to take home £2k a month and support you, your wife, 3 kids, buy a home, run a car and have a holiday most years is very impressive (I am honestly not being fliipant or sarcastic).

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I agree but your rent is very cheap to be fair.

[Melanie R]

Originally Posted by EssexSue

I agree but your rent is very cheap to be fair.

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Depends on location - where I live that would be the going rate for a 3 bed property in a decent area.

[megaflyer]

Originally Posted by EssexSue

I agree but your rent is very cheap to be fair.

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Agreed

Where I live a one bed flat is well over £1,800 a month and with no social housing being built since the 1970’s there is the two extremes - very wealthy (not me) and those really struggling to get by - plus a few in the muddle, and hence why Steve Chalk with his Oasis centre really is doing a great job in helping out the latter group and where I donate my spare groceries stuff too when I can

Until more affordable rentable housing is build I can’t see it improving

[EssexSue]

Originally Posted by megaflyer

Agreed

Where I live a one bed flat is well over £1,800 a month and with no social housing being built since the 1970’s there is the two extremes - very wealthy (not me) and those really struggling to get by - plus a few in the muddle, and hence why Steve Chalk with his Oasis centre really is doing a great job in helping out the latter group and where I donate my spare groceries stuff too when I can

Until more affordable rentable housing is build I can’t see it improving

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I was shocked on that debate last night to hear someone refer to stamp duty on property as only on very expensive homes, ie above 300k. Surely politicians should have a better knowledge than this!
Obviously it's not as expensive as central London here and I'm a bit out of touch with rental prices but I know it will easily be in 4 figures.

[claireyfairy8]

Did anyone watch Rich Kids go skint last Thursday?
18 & 20 yr old couple with a baby living in 2 bed council flat in G Yarmouth.
Left with £37 a month for food after benefits.
She doesn't work. He delivers for deliveroo.

Yet she was spending £40 a month on her iphone and £75 a month on sky!
Over £150 on presents for the baby's 1st birthday. Really?

That's poor money management.

But there are so many people that really do need help and are trying their hardest. Supermarkets own brands are very cheap. It's so easy to pick up a few extra cans of something and it gives a family some dinner.

I give a lot to charity, I pay my taxes, but I do not like seeing people living on benefits that aren't trying very hard to get out of that situation.

[Firekat]

Can I just add to this with the idea of contacting your child's school and seeing if they would like old uniform and coats and shoes that are in good condition.
Kids grow so fast and it must be a struggle for many families to ensure they have these things and heartbreaking for teachers to see children shivering because the family can't afford an adequate coat.
I recently donated some old uniform and a coat that my daughter had grown out of to her primary school, she has just moved up to high school a lot was hardly used, the school was so grateful.

[pompeyboy]

Originally Posted by EssexSue

I agree but your rent is very cheap to be fair.

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That rent was made up, I tried to keep my fictitious benefit claim to "normal" levels, no 8 kid all disabled scenarios just a 2+2 living in modestly priced low CT band rented house.

I couldn't afford to rent my house on a £30k+ wage, as I said that's £2k a month in my pocket, rent here would be £1250/month, ct 150, petrol to work £150. No idea how those on nmw survive.

[Bestbubba]

Thank you for starting this thread. I admit to not doing enough. It's not that I don't care, but I forget and the food bank trolley at my tesco is as I walk out the door, by then it's too late unless I donate something out of my shopping, sometimes I've done that but it's not ideal . As suggested on here, I've looked up my local food bank. This took me to the Trussel Trust. I read lots of the info on there and its bought me to tears, as have some of what you on here have posted. I've made an on line donation, something I wouldn't have thought of if not for Mickeys thread and my new years resolution , that's going to start now, will be to take a trolley and a basket when I go to Tesco, the trolley for me, the basket for the food bank. I've nine grandkids, none of whom thank God want for anything, other children aren't so lucky, so from now on when I shop, I'm going to think of those children as well as my own. Thank you again and Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Seasons Greetings ,whatever you're celebrating, to you all.

[mickey house]

Originally Posted by Bestbubba

Thank you for starting this thread. I admit to not doing enough. It's not that I don't care, but I forget and the food bank trolley at my tesco is as I walk out the door, by then it's too late unless I donate something out of my shopping, sometimes I've done that but it's not ideal . As suggested on here, I've looked up my local food bank. This took me to the Trussel Trust. I read lots of the info on there and its bought me to tears, as have some of what you on here have posted. I've made an on line donation, something I wouldn't have thought of if not for Mickeys thread and my new years resolution , that's going to start now, will be to take a trolley and a basket when I go to Tesco, the trolley for me, the basket for the food bank. I've nine grandkids, none of whom thank God want for anything, other children aren't so lucky, so from now on when I shop, I'm going to think of those children as well as my own. Thank you again and Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Seasons Greetings ,whatever you're celebrating, to you all.

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Thank you and all the other kind dibbers who have donated, and to those that even volunteer to help people not so fortunate as many of us.

I didn't expect my thread to remind so many people to donate. In fact it has even pushed me to donate more, and today I put more things in the food bank trolley in Asda. I didn't even realise that the tins of fray bentos were so cheap at £1 each, but I feel bad admitting that if my wife gave me a fray bentos pie for dinner I would be moaning its not up to my usual standard. I guess we often forget how fussy we can afford to be.