Poverty and Health
Throughout the assignment the author will focus on three aspects that can have a massive and detrimental impact on a person’s life. These aspects are: Unemployment, Child Poverty and Stress on an individual. Other effects of these aspects will be investigated throughout this case study such as addictions and malnutrition. I will research Dahlgren and Whiteheads social model to show the relationship between an individual, their surroundings and their health and wellbeing.
When the author first started research for this essay they researched statistics on absolute poverty in general. Absolute poverty is where people’s basic needs are not being met such as food, housing, and clothes. (Giddens, 2001)
Through research, the author was surprised to find that Child poverty is a major issue within the UK. “There are 3.6 million children living in poverty in the UK today. That’s 27 per cent of children, or more than one in four.” (cpag.org.uk, 2012) This influenced the author’s decision to focus on child poverty specifically as one of the main topics.
One would assume that these children must be living in homes affected by unemployment, however, in the majority of these cases, at least one family member is employed, although sadly “work does not provide a guaranteed route out of poverty in the UK. Almost two-thirds (62 per cent) of children growing up in poverty live in a household where at least one member works.”(cpag.org.uk, 2012) This raises this question; why are children living in poverty where one or more adult is working? What is their income being spent on, or is the price of living too high in the U.K for those on the minimum wage.
The current minimum wage in the UK is £6.31 per hour. (Gov.uk, 2013) So if someone worked a 40 hour week that would give them a gross pay of £252.40 before deductions. They would also be entitled to child benefit, tax credits and a heating and housing benefit. “You get Child Benefit for each child you're responsible for - there
When the author first started research for this essay they researched statistics on absolute poverty in general. Absolute poverty is where people’s basic needs are not being met such as food, housing, and clothes. (Giddens, 2001)
Through research, the author was surprised to find that Child poverty is a major issue within the UK. “There are 3.6 million children living in poverty in the UK today. That’s 27 per cent of children, or more than one in four.” (cpag.org.uk, 2012) This influenced the author’s decision to focus on child poverty specifically as one of the main topics.
One would assume that these children must be living in homes affected by unemployment, however, in the majority of these cases, at least one family member is employed, although sadly “work does not provide a guaranteed route out of poverty in the UK. Almost two-thirds (62 per cent) of children growing up in poverty live in a household where at least one member works.”(cpag.org.uk, 2012) This raises this question; why are children living in poverty where one or more adult is working? What is their income being spent on, or is the price of living too high in the U.K for those on the minimum wage.
The current minimum wage in the UK is £6.31 per hour. (Gov.uk, 2013) So if someone worked a 40 hour week that would give them a gross pay of £252.40 before deductions. They would also be entitled to child benefit, tax credits and a heating and housing benefit. “You get Child Benefit for each child you're responsible for - there