NLIC.org

Nathaniel Said:

When you hear somebody lives in poverty, is this what you picture?

We Answered:

I live in England. I am concidered by the state to be living in poverty. Compare to many in Britain I have very little. Yet I consider myself to be very lucky.

I am a single parent of one child and rent a 2 bed flat from the government. I do not have a car, we cycle. I do not smoke or drink. We only have meat once or twice a week and buy it in very small proportions. We do not have sky/cable/landline phone. I struggle to buy clothes for us, most of which is second hand. Our holidays are weekends camping at the local coastal towns.

I am so lucky though to feel safe were I live and I have everything I need even though it doesn't all match and is all worn. I have a nice job. I can get everywhere I need to without a car.


what I don't understand though is how many people have large families, don't work, yet they run a car, have foriegn holidays, have money spare for fags, beer and scratch cards. Spen time talking mindless rubbish on mobile phone tarrifs, have leather sofas and cale and get new tattoes and coured hair do's.

I don't want all those things, But i want to know HOW get the money for that stuff. If I had more money, I would take our bycycles for an MOT or buy a new cooker from the 2nd hand store or buy some curtain poles for my living room so everyone outside can't see me!!
some poeple have weird priorities. Something doesn't seem fair somehow!!