How comfortable

are you with

poverty in the UK?
 Poverty exists in the UK
The UK is a rich nation yet nearly one person in ve
doesnt have enough to live on.1 Many people cant afford
essential clothing or to heat their homes. Children go to
school hungry, or to bed without enough food.
3.8 million children in the UK are living in families
experiencing poverty.2
Its no coincidence that poor communities are in poorer
health and have a shorter life-expectancy.
Its not just outrageous. Its unnecessary. With enough
public pressure for change and enough political will
our politicians can put this right.
Poverty can happen to anyone
Just ask Margaret, from Thornaby, completely. You feel isolated and
Teesside (pictured left). Like so many vulnerable, she says.
women, her comfortable lifestyle Margaret has worked with poor
plunged into one of hardship after people in Romania; Now, Ive seen
her marriage ended. the same thing happening right here
While waiting for any money from in Thornaby... to me, as well as to
her divorce settlement to come many others. After four years of
through, she struggled to survive on ever-increasing debts, and nding
a very low income. She frequently it hard to meet my everyday
went without electricity and gas and needs, I know what its like to
faced the threat of losing her home be trapped in poverty.
Photo: Chris Worrall/Oxfam

1. Source: DWPs revised Household Income Survey 2005/6 (latest gures), based on 60% of median income
after housing costs where housing costs include rents, mortgage interest, buildings insurance and water
charges. This is a measure of relative poverty used by most researchers, the EU and the UK government
2. Source: End Child Poverty, www.endchildpoverty.org.uk
People dont choose to be poor
In the UK, people are trapped in poverty by low pay, caring
responsibilities, their gender, nationality, or because of
where they live.
Seventy per cent of children from the Bangladeshi
community in the UK grow up in poverty thats not a
choice.1 Nor do women working part-time choose to earn
nearly forty per cent less than men.2 Asylum-seekers do not
choose to be the poorest people in the UK.3
Oxfam is working to change attitudes in the UK.
Poverty isnt the fault of the individual. And, whatever
their background or circumstances, every individual has
a right to be treated with dignity and respect.

Home truths
Mrs Mushaka and her four children
came to the UK after they were
forced to ee from their homeland.
In the UK, harsh restrictions and
racist attitudes added to her familys
vulnerability. Asylum-seekers are not
allowed to work its the law. Her
family has to survive on very little,
and sometimes has been made to
feel uncomfortable and resented.
People dont always understand that
asylum is protection for civilians who
Mrs Mushaka is now an active
member of the Oxfam-funded
Asylum Positive Images Network.
It supports asylum-seekers and
refugees in Scotland to share their
experiences with their communities,
the media, and policy-makers.
Attitudes towards asylum are now
more positive in Scotland than they
are in many other parts of the UK.
Pictured right: two young
asylum-seekers use video to
Photo: Gareth Harper/media co-op

are eeing from persecution and explore their classmates

torture, she explains. views of them.

1. Poverty and Ethnicity in the UK, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2007

2. Gender Equality Index GB, Equal Opportunities Commission, 2007
3. poverty.org.uk, New Economics Foundation, supported by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation
 Positive paths
A few years ago, most residents of Gellideg, near Merthyr
Tydl, used to say that the best thing about their estate was
the road out. In an area with one of the highest rates of
unemployment and deprivation in the UK, people lacked
inspiration and hope for the future.
Things have started to change. Oxfam asked the residents to
identify their most pressing needs, and used their answers to
help the community apply for a 500,000 grant from the
European Union. With the money, the new community group
restored the community centre, opened a communal caf
and crche, and now provides job training and life-skills
workshops for young people (pictured left).
Gellideg is a success story thats inspiring anti-poverty
projects in other parts of the UK. It has inuenced the Welsh
Assemblys approach to tackling poverty and the European
Union cites it as a model for helping deprived communities to
develop their own solutions.

...and making in-roads

Throughout the UK, Oxfam is
developing projects that will help to
improve poor peoples lives for the
long-term. We show people how to
have the condence to speak out
and be part of decision-making
Photo: Karen Robinson/Oxfam
poverty in the UK, and challenge
intolerant attitudes. We work with
(and call for) the UKs policy-makers to
tackle the causes of poverty and
discrimination. And, above all else, we
advocate for an adequate and secure

in their neighbourhood. income for every individual, regardless

We raise public awareness of of gender, race or nationality.
The right way forward
Heard the one about the home-worker who gets paid
as little as 70p per hour?
We have. All too often.
Some people work from home. Most of them are women.
Often working from home is the only job they can do because
they have a disability or they care for relatives. These workers
assemble or pack goods that youll buy on the high street.
Yet they dont get the minimum wage. Its disgraceful.
Weve also heard about skilled migrant workers, who are
often promised the minimum wage only to nd that
unofcial deductions have been taken out of their
pay packet by those who hired them, forcing them
deeper into poverty.
Oxfam is calling for better rights for low-paid workers and
were making sure that workers know how to claim their rights
at work. Were also calling for reform of the benets system,
to meet our vision of everyone in the UK having enough to live
on whether they are in or out of work.
Knowing your rights
Migrant workers talked to Oxfam about My employer has not paid me
their experiences at a Rights Information all I am owed. And many of my
evening in Manchester (June 2007). friends have not been paid for weeks.
Its a very good idea to have these Oxfam believes that helping
Photo: Crispin Hughes/Oxfam

events, said Ondred Suha (pictured left) migrant workers to know their rights
and Josef (who asked for his name is the rst step making sure they
to be changed) explained the problem: are treated fairly.
 Whatever it takes
How comfortable are you with what weve shown you?
Weve only scratched the surface. But, we hope weve told
you enough to make you think differently about daily life
for many in the UK where one person in ve doesnt
have enough money to live on.
Oxfam exists to bring an end to poverty around the world.
In the UK, no one need live in poverty. Were a rich country.
Attitudes and laws can be changed.
Were doing whatever it takes to end poverty in the UK
and you can help us. Tell friends, family, work colleagues that
one person in ve lives in poverty and its time this
shocking statistic is changed. And whenever you hear
anyone stigmatise people who are on low incomes,
please put them right.
For more information, visit our website. There you can
download our myth-busting factsheet, view our video
produced by young asylum-seekers, and nd out what else
you can do to help Oxfam tackle poverty in the UK.
www.oxfam.org.uk/uk

Looking forward
Photo: Chris Worrall/Oxfam

Mo Hagan and her grandson JJ active member of the Thrive community

(pictured left), look from the bedroom group which works to tackle poverty and
window in Mos Teesside home. Mo is an social exclusion in the local area.
 Oxfam GB is a member of Oxfam International. Registered charity No. 202918. Inhouse Job No. 3435 Cover/back photo: Chris Worrall/Oxfam
Poverty is not having enough money to
see the week out and being
shunted aside by other people.
Robert (surname witheld), Care Worker, Glasgow

For more information about Oxfams work to overcome

poverty in the UK visit www.oxfam.org.uk/uk, or contact us:
Oxfam, Oxfam House, John Smith Drive, Oxford OX4 2JY
Tel: 0870 333 2700 or email: enquiries@oxfam.org.uk