Is This England? British Poverty In The '90s

The 1990s. My school years. My mum used to work all day at a school, then cook us tea and go off to work at sainsburys until 10pm. She and my dad gave us a great childhood and helped us go to uni. She was a bloody hero and gave up so much to give us a better life. Love her

My mom did a degree in the 1980s at the Uni of Birmingham, apparently back then there was evidence of New Town being the poorest area of Europe! Not much has changed around that area, I'm from north Birmingham so past it on the too town every time I'm there, New Town still has a horrible reputation ...

Imagine living in a world where the government stops you working and puts you into poverty in case you get ill

Poverty in the UK is nothing new. Universal Credit will save you from starving but will not permit you to live with dignity. Unfortunately, this will only get worse until enough people stand up and force the wheels of power to make it change. UK wealth inequality is a national disgrace. We must become a more equal and fair society.

What people are not talking about is the fact that the richer have been buying up property and then leasing it to the poorer and getting rich off the working classes backs. The buy to let scam is disgusting but not even discussed openly.

Only real difference is we have swapped Spice Girls for Spice Heads.

British television was better in the 90's.

My dad got out of England in 1987. He's been back a few times but he much prefers New Zealand. I didn't really understand why until now.

Isn't it about time we collectively vote something other than conservative/labour?

This is the Britain I grew up in. I never knew why my mother was upset that I was shaking in the morning, or why she was embarrassed at the condensation on the inside of the window. It was cold and we could not afford heating. It makes you harder

1993 i was woking in a factory on 3 shifts and i was getting £14:75 an hour. The wage was so good because it was a rothmans ciggarette factory. My town used to have 5 big factories in the 90s Rothmans, Black and decker, an electrolux cookers factory and a seprate electrolux refrigerator factory and thorn lighting factory but by 2002 they had all moved to eastern europe about the same time the eastern europeans came here for work. I ended up moving to amsterdam in 98 and i was a painter and decorator making good money.

I remember my parents having 5 jobs between them in the 90's! I even started working in 1988 age 11. I can still remember at 13/14 yrs working giving my mum some of my wages to help out.

1996 - things have got worse since then. In 1996 she could have gone to college or uni and improved her skills, got a job. today she couldn't. Taking away benefits, access to education, is designed to keep the rich rich, and the poor poor. As for cuts in benefits, in 1996 they had no idea how it would be today in 2017.

21st Century Britain:  Payday Loans, Food Banks, Buy to Let Landlords and Zero Hour Contracts.

Grew up in the US. Worked hard. Joined the US Army. Got out. Went to nursing school. I didn't grow up with everything I wanted but definitely all I needed. My mother was a single parent. I always felt like if I work hard, I'll be ok. I still feel this.

Two lessons I got from this: 1) Education is key and keeps you employable. 2) Give the rich the choice on wages they will be greedy and squeeze people dry.

It’s worst now, no employee rights for 2 years, zero hours contracts, fixed term contracts, over employing then getting rid of people they don’t need. it’s shit for employees who are not seen as humans but as targets, figures on an excel sheet. 🤣😂🤣 it’s a nasty system we are in

Thanks for posting this insightful doc and I must say the video quality is excellent especially for something from 1996. You must have access to the master.

When I see people like this it really hits home how fortunate I am to be in my position. I was very nearly in this situation. Left school with no qualifications, thought I knew it all and wasn’t bothered about a good job. Soon realised shit jobs are soul destroying and managed to find an apprenticeship in my late twenties. I’m not financially well off, but I can afford to live a good life.

Unbelievable this is the UK. Nowadays a job is not guaranteed even if you have a degree. Something is terribly wrong.🙏