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Main Content: Poverty is closer than you think
Carers UK is backing a new campaign called 'Get Fair' which aims to highlight how many people in the UK such as disabled people and the elderly are living in poverty.
Get Fair is a national campaign calling for an end to poverty in the
UK.
The campaign calls for a decent, adequate income for all, which means being able to afford a bus fare, or clothes to wear to a job interview. It means being able to afford fresh fruit and vegetables for a healthy diet. It means not having to go into debt to pay for basics.
All the organisations and supporters of Get Fair want a just and fair
society, free from poverty in all its forms. The campaign wants to challenge poverty in the UK and
positively change public attitudes.
Recent research by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation found that "the public
are currently a long way from supporting an anti-UK poverty agenda. They are not
aware of the problem and do not believe that it is a legitimate
issue."
What is meant by 'poverty' in the UK?
Poverty is not having an adequate income and a decent affordable home. Over the past two decades Britain has become richer - but not any fairer. The UK is the fifth richest country on the planet yet the gap between rich and poor continues to grow.
30% of disabled adults live in poverty - double the rate for non-disabled adults
17% of older people in the UK live below the poverty line
30% of children in the UK live in poverty - half in working families
40% of part-time workers in the UK - mostly women - earn less than £6.50 an hour
Government statistics show that 12.8 million people in Britain today are living in poverty - that's 1 in 5 of us. Poverty is closer than you think.
Are carers living in poverty?
Evidence shows that caring, especially if you are caring 24/7, can have a devastating effect on your finances. Carers UK research shows that many carers and disabled people live
in poverty and face hard choices over fuel and food. Our survey of over 3,000 carers showed
- 72% are worse off since they started caring
- 54% gave up work to care
- 30% are cutting back on food or heating
- 10% cannot afford to pay their rent or mortgage
Our Real Change not Short Change campaign has been calling on the government to take action to address carer poverty and the wider issues aorund carer benefits.
That's also why Carers UK is supporting the Get Fair campaign.
- To find out more visit the Get Fair website : www.getfair.org.uk
- Read Carers UK's research report Real Change Not Short Change about how cairng affects your finances more...