austerity

Britain’s energy crisis ‘growing by the week,’ campaigners warn

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Image of cash and pre-payment meter key

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/britain-energy-crisis-growing-by-the-week-campaigners-warn

New research shows household debt has hit five-year high

BRITAIN’S energy crisis is “growing by the week,” campaigners warned today after research found that household debt has hit a five-year high of £216 as winter approaches.

The number of homes already owing money to their energy provider is up 11 per cent on last year, according to a survey by comparison website Uswitch.

Of those in arrears on their gas and electricity bills, 40 per cent say their debt is higher than last year and 28 per cent believe their position is about the same as 12 months ago.

Almost one in seven say they have gone from being in credit a year ago to owing money now.

More than half of households are worried about how they will pay their energy bills this winter and 49 per cent say they will wear extra layers of clothing at home so that they can manage with less heating.

And 25 per cent say they will not turning their heating at all, even when it is cold.

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/britain-energy-crisis-growing-by-the-week-campaigners-warn

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Britain on course for lowest benefits rates in history

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/britain-on-course-for-lowest-benefits-rates-in-history

Tory Chancellor Jeremy Hunt condemned after announcing harsher welfare sanctions in an ugly resurgence of its austerity-era ‘shirker’ rhetoric

Official portrait of Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP crop 3
UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt. (He always looked pinned to me. )

BRITAIN is on course for the lowest benefits rates since records began, a new report found as the Tories were yesterday condemned for announcing harsher welfare sanctions in an ugly resurgence of its austerity-era “shirker” rhetoric.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt told the Conservative conference the government is replacing the work capability assessment and examining the sanctions regime.

Save the Children UK branded his claims that 100,000 people are leaving the labour market every year for a life on benefits were based on a “complete fallacy.”

The charity’s head of child poverty Becca Lyon said: “In fact, the so-called ‘safety net’ of universal credit is so low that 90 per cent of low-income households are regularly going without essentials like regular meals, a hot shower, or heating.”

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/britain-on-course-for-lowest-benefits-rates-in-history

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These damning stats tell you everything you need to know about Tory Britain

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UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Grant Shapps.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Grant Shapps. Credit: Simon Dawson / 10 Downing Street, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

https://leftfootforward.org/2023/09/these-damning-stats-tell-you-everything-you-need-to-know-about-tory-britain/

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A new report from the National Federation for Education Research (NFER) has exposed the shocking scale of child poverty in England. The NFER surveyed senior leaders and teachers at state funded primary and secondary schools, and the results were staggering:

  • 90 per cent of all schools were found to be providing uniforms and clothing to pupils
  • 70 per cent of schools were found to be providing food through parcels, food banks, food vouchers or subsidised breakfasts.
  • 84 per cent of senior school leaders report that the cost of living crisis has increased the numbers of pupils requiring additional support and the level of need they have.
  • More than a quarter of pupils in mainstream school require additional support for mental health and wellbeing.
  • 80 per cent of school leaders agree that cost of living pressures have increased safeguarding concerns and/or incidents in their schools.
  • More than three fifths of mainstream school leaders report that 50 per cent or more of pupils receiving additional support are not eligible for pupil premium (a scheme that provides additional funding for disadvantaged pupils).

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https://leftfootforward.org/2023/09/these-damning-stats-tell-you-everything-you-need-to-know-about-tory-britain/

Continue ReadingThese damning stats tell you everything you need to know about Tory Britain

Damning report projects this is worst parliament on record for income growth

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Image of cash and pre-payment meter key

https://leftfootforward.org/2023/09/damning-report-concludes-this-is-worst-parliament-on-record-for-income-growth/

Average income for UK workers will be worse in 2024 than 2019, think tank predicts

This parliament is the worst on record for income growth, a think tank has concluded after research into UK living standards revealed the average income for a UK worker is projected to be 4% lower in 2024 than in 2019.

A report published today by Resolution Foundation laid out the likely backdrop of living standards for a 2024 election, and, unsurprisingly, it does not look good for the Tory Government.

Although Rishi Sunak may meet his target of halving inflation by the end of 2023, the report lays out little sign of relief from cost of living pressures into the future, predicting three-years of income stagnation for UK workers, into 2025-26.

With a looming general election, this does not bode well for the Tories, with no example of a government ever managing to retain power with such a weak median income growth since comparable records began in the 1960s.

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https://leftfootforward.org/2023/09/damning-report-concludes-this-is-worst-parliament-on-record-for-income-growth/

Continue ReadingDamning report projects this is worst parliament on record for income growth

How Tory government policy has led to more than 2 million Brits dying

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https://leftfootforward.org/2023/09/how-tory-government-policy-has-led-to-more-than-2-million-brits-dying/

Image of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak
Rish! Sunak

Austerity has been deadly

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It is commonly assumed that neoliberal governments subject to elections, parliamentary opposition, critical press scrutiny and countervailing institutions do not engage in democidal practices. Think again. Elected government do not normally turn tanks and warplanes against their population, but they intentionally or unintentionally kill thousands of their citizens by inflicting poverty, austerity, low wages and poor healthcare. Recent history of the UK provides some evidence.

Since 2010, austerity and real wage cuts have been the policy choice of the Conservative government. At the end of June 2023, workers’ share of gross domestic product, in the forms of wage and salaries, shrank to around 50%, compared to 65.1% in 1976. The real average wage today is about the same level as in 2005. The state pension is the main source of income for majority of retirees. At 28%-30% of average earnings, it is one of the lowest in OECD countries. Even after adding private pensions, retirees fare badly. In its drive against public spending, the government reduced social security benefits by freezing their value or by increasing them by a lower rate than inflation.

The never-ending austerity has condemned millions to poverty. Out of a population of 67.7 million, 14.4 million Brits, including 4.2 million children, 8.1 million working-age adults and 2.1 million pensioners live in poverty. Poverty reduces access to good food, housing and healthcare. It incubates disease, anxiety, insecurity, health problems, and premature death.

The UK government has failed to make the required investment in healthcare. At the end of June 2023, some 7.6 million people in England alone were waiting for hospital treatment, compared to 2.5 million in 2010. With only 2.3 hospital beds per 1,000 people, the UK is ranked 23rdout of 24 European countries. Due to lack of healthcare, around 2.5 million have become chronically ill and are highly vulnerable.

The human cost of government policies is devastating. A study reported that between 2012 and 2019, government imposed austerity caused 335,000 excess deaths in England and Scotland i.e. nearly 48,000 a year. Replication of the same pattern across 13 years of Conservative rule could have caused 624,000 excess deaths.

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https://leftfootforward.org/2023/09/how-tory-government-policy-has-led-to-more-than-2-million-brits-dying/

Continue ReadingHow Tory government policy has led to more than 2 million Brits dying