New figures show 10,000 Basildon children live in poverty

1:20pm Thursday 21st March 2013 in News By Luke Lambert

Byron Taylor says the figures need to be addressed. Byron Taylor says the figures need to be addressed.

A WHOPPING 10,000 children across Basildon have been classed as living in poverty according to figures from the Children’s Society.

The figures reveal as many as 1,458 in Lee Chapel North, 1,200 in Vange and 1,135 in Pitsea North West are in poverty, which is worked out as households having a weekly income of less than £251 per week.

In contrast, Billericay East has just 196 children in poverty. Local Labour councillors fear more families will end up in poverty when benefit cuts come into affect in April.

Byron Taylor, deputy Labour leader and ward councillor for Vange, said: “Child poverty in Basildon is a scandal, and these benefit cuts are going to make it worse. A lot of people have lost their jobs whilst others are working part-time or in low paid employment. Cutting benefits will push many of these families into poverty. It is the children of Basildon that will pay the price of Tory failure.”

However, Basildon Council leader Tony Ball said the figures had to be put into context.

He said: “There is no surprise to hear that the areas that have the highest percentage are worst hit as they have the highest concentration of social housing. The amount is concerning but it is relative as it is not as though we are talking about poverty in similar terms to that in Africa and India.

“We have a very complicated welfare system but if you consider the economic climate, something had to be done in regard to benefit reform. I understand that these figures may get worse but the protocol is right that people need to stand on their own two feet.”

Comments (14)

1:32pm Thu 21 Mar 13

Audioman says...

No such thing as 'Poverty'
No such thing as 'Poverty' Audioman

1:42pm Thu 21 Mar 13

Bluebs says...

Well it's all to do with the definition applied to the word, in this case they have deemed it to mean "living in a household with a weekly income of less than £251 a week".
Previous definitions of poverty have been "people in the lower 10% income bracket", which means poverty would never bee eradiicated.
Well it's all to do with the definition applied to the word, in this case they have deemed it to mean "living in a household with a weekly income of less than £251 a week". Previous definitions of poverty have been "people in the lower 10% income bracket", which means poverty would never bee eradiicated. Bluebs

1:44pm Thu 21 Mar 13

The Stinker Returns says...

I think these days "poverty" is defined by how few of the latest gadgets, technology and designer clobber one has. People classified as in "poverty" in my area drive a better car than mine, smoke 40 fags a day and drink in the pub all afternoon.
I think these days "poverty" is defined by how few of the latest gadgets, technology and designer clobber one has. People classified as in "poverty" in my area drive a better car than mine, smoke 40 fags a day and drink in the pub all afternoon. The Stinker Returns

2:01pm Thu 21 Mar 13

black jack ketchum says...

I wonder how many of these kids living in so called poverty have the latest mobile phone & sky at home with parents who smoke/drink?
I wonder how many of these kids living in so called poverty have the latest mobile phone & sky at home with parents who smoke/drink? black jack ketchum

2:04pm Thu 21 Mar 13

Basildon_Boy says...

The Stinker Returns wrote:
I think these days "poverty" is defined by how few of the latest gadgets, technology and designer clobber one has. People classified as in "poverty" in my area drive a better car than mine, smoke 40 fags a day and drink in the pub all afternoon.
I agree. I think poverty means if your on benefits. And we all know the wonderful life you can live if you have a few kids while on benefits.
[quote][p][bold]The Stinker Returns[/bold] wrote: I think these days "poverty" is defined by how few of the latest gadgets, technology and designer clobber one has. People classified as in "poverty" in my area drive a better car than mine, smoke 40 fags a day and drink in the pub all afternoon.[/p][/quote]I agree. I think poverty means if your on benefits. And we all know the wonderful life you can live if you have a few kids while on benefits. Basildon_Boy

2:07pm Thu 21 Mar 13

Nebs says...

The Stinker Returns wrote:
I think these days "poverty" is defined by how few of the latest gadgets, technology and designer clobber one has. People classified as in "poverty" in my area drive a better car than mine, smoke 40 fags a day and drink in the pub all afternoon.
Thats why they are poor.
[quote][p][bold]The Stinker Returns[/bold] wrote: I think these days "poverty" is defined by how few of the latest gadgets, technology and designer clobber one has. People classified as in "poverty" in my area drive a better car than mine, smoke 40 fags a day and drink in the pub all afternoon.[/p][/quote]Thats why they are poor. Nebs

2:13pm Thu 21 Mar 13

GrumpyofLeigh says...

Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?
Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses? GrumpyofLeigh

4:14pm Thu 21 Mar 13

Howard Chase says...

They'll all be sat in front of huge flatscreen tvs
They'll all be sat in front of huge flatscreen tvs Howard Chase

7:12pm Thu 21 Mar 13

joe2345 says...

Bluebs wrote:
Well it's all to do with the definition applied to the word, in this case they have deemed it to mean "living in a household with a weekly income of less than £251 a week".
Previous definitions of poverty have been "people in the lower 10% income bracket", which means poverty would never bee eradiicated.
Exactly. If "poverty" is defined as a percentage like that, when households come out of poverty the average will go up, so the level will also go up, so it will be mathematically impossible to get all children out of "poverty"
[quote][p][bold]Bluebs[/bold] wrote: Well it's all to do with the definition applied to the word, in this case they have deemed it to mean "living in a household with a weekly income of less than £251 a week". Previous definitions of poverty have been "people in the lower 10% income bracket", which means poverty would never bee eradiicated.[/p][/quote]Exactly. If "poverty" is defined as a percentage like that, when households come out of poverty the average will go up, so the level will also go up, so it will be mathematically impossible to get all children out of "poverty" joe2345

10:20pm Thu 21 Mar 13

Devils Advocate says...

What wonderful people the Englishmen have evolved into. Kids in poverty? No such animal. All the poster's on here will tell you that everybody receiving living assistance has a 50" 3D flat screen, spend their whole life in pubs etc. etc.

Mein Kampf Ball says: "It's because they are in social housing."

I wonder what this right-wing lollop sees as "Social housing." Does he mean the thousands of Basildon Development Corporation houses or the hundreds of Billericay Urban District Council houses, all of which were built because there were very, very few manual workers that were ever paid enough to even dream about owning their own house. Yes, it was always the dream of the working people to receive a fair days pay for a fair days labour, but this went against the principles of the right-wing. They have lied and cheated via the press, and even the war against France was lied about.
The Labour Party was formed in 1900, and in about 1929 a fabricated letter published by the Daily Mail brought down the Labour Government! (the Daily Mail published the infamous Zinoviev letter, a forgery which alleged there were links between Russian communists and the British Labour Party.) With fervent anti-communism rife at the time, Labour lost 40 seats and the Tories were returned to power.) Yet today the Tories are as misleading as ever. Now it appears there are groups of Tory politicians posting the same kind of letters on forums such as this. Some are using 5 or 6 different names to increase their influence. Just look at the way Ball is conniving by using terms such as "Social Housing" and how the usual suspects leap in to denigrate anybody who is not part of the better off society.
In fact he would do well to point out what effect the moving abroad of most of Basildon worker's jobs has had in Basildon, coupled with the (Desired by the Tories) influx of foreign labour to compete for the few jobs that remain!
What wonderful people the Englishmen have evolved into. Kids in poverty? No such animal. All the poster's on here will tell you that everybody receiving living assistance has a 50" 3D flat screen, spend their whole life in pubs etc. etc. Mein Kampf Ball says: "It's because they are in social housing." I wonder what this right-wing lollop sees as "Social housing." Does he mean the thousands of Basildon Development Corporation houses or the hundreds of Billericay Urban District Council houses, all of which were built because there were very, very few manual workers that were ever paid enough to even dream about owning their own house. Yes, it was always the dream of the working people to receive a fair days pay for a fair days labour, but this went against the principles of the right-wing. They have lied and cheated via the press, and even the war against France was lied about. The Labour Party was formed in 1900, and in about 1929 a fabricated letter published by the Daily Mail brought down the Labour Government! (the Daily Mail published the infamous Zinoviev letter, a forgery which alleged there were links between Russian communists and the British Labour Party.) With fervent anti-communism rife at the time, Labour lost 40 seats and the Tories were returned to power.) Yet today the Tories are as misleading as ever. Now it appears there are groups of Tory politicians posting the same kind of letters on forums such as this. Some are using 5 or 6 different names to increase their influence. Just look at the way Ball is conniving by using terms such as "Social Housing" and how the usual suspects leap in to denigrate anybody who is not part of the better off society. In fact he would do well to point out what effect the moving abroad of most of Basildon worker's jobs has had in Basildon, coupled with the (Desired by the Tories) influx of foreign labour to compete for the few jobs that remain! Devils Advocate

10:13pm Fri 22 Mar 13

Soouthchurch59 says...

Devils Advocate wrote:
What wonderful people the Englishmen have evolved into. Kids in poverty? No such animal. All the poster's on here will tell you that everybody receiving living assistance has a 50" 3D flat screen, spend their whole life in pubs etc. etc.

Mein Kampf Ball says: "It's because they are in social housing."

I wonder what this right-wing lollop sees as "Social housing." Does he mean the thousands of Basildon Development Corporation houses or the hundreds of Billericay Urban District Council houses, all of which were built because there were very, very few manual workers that were ever paid enough to even dream about owning their own house. Yes, it was always the dream of the working people to receive a fair days pay for a fair days labour, but this went against the principles of the right-wing. They have lied and cheated via the press, and even the war against France was lied about.
The Labour Party was formed in 1900, and in about 1929 a fabricated letter published by the Daily Mail brought down the Labour Government! (the Daily Mail published the infamous Zinoviev letter, a forgery which alleged there were links between Russian communists and the British Labour Party.) With fervent anti-communism rife at the time, Labour lost 40 seats and the Tories were returned to power.) Yet today the Tories are as misleading as ever. Now it appears there are groups of Tory politicians posting the same kind of letters on forums such as this. Some are using 5 or 6 different names to increase their influence. Just look at the way Ball is conniving by using terms such as "Social Housing" and how the usual suspects leap in to denigrate anybody who is not part of the better off society.
In fact he would do well to point out what effect the moving abroad of most of Basildon worker's jobs has had in Basildon, coupled with the (Desired by the Tories) influx of foreign labour to compete for the few jobs that remain!
The absence of rebuttal re your post speaks volumes!
[quote][p][bold]Devils Advocate[/bold] wrote: What wonderful people the Englishmen have evolved into. Kids in poverty? No such animal. All the poster's on here will tell you that everybody receiving living assistance has a 50" 3D flat screen, spend their whole life in pubs etc. etc. Mein Kampf Ball says: "It's because they are in social housing." I wonder what this right-wing lollop sees as "Social housing." Does he mean the thousands of Basildon Development Corporation houses or the hundreds of Billericay Urban District Council houses, all of which were built because there were very, very few manual workers that were ever paid enough to even dream about owning their own house. Yes, it was always the dream of the working people to receive a fair days pay for a fair days labour, but this went against the principles of the right-wing. They have lied and cheated via the press, and even the war against France was lied about. The Labour Party was formed in 1900, and in about 1929 a fabricated letter published by the Daily Mail brought down the Labour Government! (the Daily Mail published the infamous Zinoviev letter, a forgery which alleged there were links between Russian communists and the British Labour Party.) With fervent anti-communism rife at the time, Labour lost 40 seats and the Tories were returned to power.) Yet today the Tories are as misleading as ever. Now it appears there are groups of Tory politicians posting the same kind of letters on forums such as this. Some are using 5 or 6 different names to increase their influence. Just look at the way Ball is conniving by using terms such as "Social Housing" and how the usual suspects leap in to denigrate anybody who is not part of the better off society. In fact he would do well to point out what effect the moving abroad of most of Basildon worker's jobs has had in Basildon, coupled with the (Desired by the Tories) influx of foreign labour to compete for the few jobs that remain![/p][/quote]The absence of rebuttal re your post speaks volumes! Soouthchurch59

3:45pm Sat 23 Mar 13

rayleigh1 says...

look around the area , all the young single parents pushing buggies smoking, wearing expensive trainers, babies in "labelled clothing" poverty I don't think so! or perhaps they get their priorities wrong
look around the area , all the young single parents pushing buggies smoking, wearing expensive trainers, babies in "labelled clothing" poverty I don't think so! or perhaps they get their priorities wrong rayleigh1

5:24pm Sat 23 Mar 13

Mikkel1 says...

WHERE do these people get their ideas from, for crying out loud???

My wife and I have to Exist on One Hundred and Sixty Pounds a week, because according to DWP, the Government say it IS THE LAW, yet I CAN'T get proof from our MP. In fact, she REFUSES to answer me on this.
WHERE do these people get their ideas from, for crying out loud??? My wife and I have to Exist on One Hundred and Sixty Pounds a week, because according to DWP, the Government say it IS THE LAW, yet I CAN'T get proof from our MP. In fact, she REFUSES to answer me on this. Mikkel1

5:44pm Sat 23 Mar 13

Devils Advocate says...

rayleigh1 wrote:
look around the area , all the young single parents pushing buggies smoking, wearing expensive trainers, babies in "labelled clothing" poverty I don't think so! or perhaps they get their priorities wrong
I smell predjudice.
I would firstly ask how you know "All the young single parents" are in fact single, why their buggies are smoking and what makes you think either their trainers or the babies "labelled clothing" are the real thing.
Furthermore, how do you even know the clothing isn't from a Billericay of Rayleigh Charity shop?Lastly do you know they receive subsistence? Perhaps you know more than you are telling as to how these girls became "Single parents?"
[quote][p][bold]rayleigh1[/bold] wrote: look around the area , all the young single parents pushing buggies smoking, wearing expensive trainers, babies in "labelled clothing" poverty I don't think so! or perhaps they get their priorities wrong[/p][/quote]I smell predjudice. I would firstly ask how you know "All the young single parents" are in fact single, why their buggies are smoking and what makes you think either their trainers or the babies "labelled clothing" are the real thing. Furthermore, how do you even know the clothing isn't from a Billericay of Rayleigh Charity shop?Lastly do you know they receive subsistence? Perhaps you know more than you are telling as to how these girls became "Single parents?" Devils Advocate

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