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Crisis in Britain: the plight of people in England's poorest town

2022-12-04T08:20:52.555Z


Burnley is already one of the poorest cities in England, and in the economic crisis many residents now lack the bare essentials. Politics fails - a pastor helps.


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Two meals a day - that's all Ann and Keith Hartley can do right now.

The two pensioners live together on just around £1,000 a month in pension, around €1,200.

For some time now, they have had to save on lunch – food and energy have become too expensive.

Ann Hartley, Pensioner: "This meal is about £1.10 per person for two meals."

The couple lives in the northern English town of Burnley - one of the poorest areas in the country.

The rising prices for energy and food are hitting the people here hardest.

Worse still, the Hartleys have a broken heater.

They can't afford the repairs.

Keith Hartley, Retiree: 'The boiler blew up when we needed it.

That became a problem because we couldn't afford it."

Ann Hartley, Retiree: "It's terribly cold."

Your situation burdens the retired couple.

All their lives they belonged to the middle class.

Now, former secretary Ann Hartley fears, she and her husband are slipping into the underclass.

Ann Hartley, Retiree: 'I don't think we should have anything to worry about as we age, you know?

And it's just another thing to carry on your shoulders."

The burden of high prices weighs heavily on many in Burnley.

A camera team from the Reuters news agency visited the city.

Here in the north of England, far away from the metropolis of London, one feels left behind: Many houses are in need of renovation and poorly insulated;

public transport is ailing.

Rev. Alex Frost cares for the poorest in Burnley.

He is proud to support the people here.

But he also sees the decay of his city:

Alex Frost, Burnley vicar: 'This is the parish of St Matthews where I work and live.

I love this place, but it's not the prettiest on the eye, that's for sure.

Behind the doors of these houses hide people with very interesting – and also difficult – lives.

Many struggle with psychological problems – including addiction problems.

If their toaster dies or their kids' shoes are worn out, do these people have to make a decision: do I replace the shoes or do I buy food?”

In parts of Burnley, every second child lives in absolute poverty.

And the already scarce money of their families is worth less and less.

13 percent inflation – nowhere else in the country have prices risen more massively in a year.

The city of 95,000 is already one of the poorest in Great Britain.

The leader of Burnley City Council blames the government in London for the crisis.

The conservative party's austerity course is the reason that there is now a lack of social assistance and other funds:

Afrasiab Anwar, Chairman of Burnley City Council: 'Since 2013/14, Burnley and similar places have been deprived of nearly £5million in public funds.

This has a massive impact on what we as City Council can do to support our community.”

Britain's new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has only been in office for a little over a month - his predecessor Liz Truss failed because of her amateurish economic policies.

Sunak promises stability, wants to increase taxes and reduce government spending.

Nevertheless, pensions and social benefits are to be increased next spring in order to compensate for inflation.

Rishi Sunak, UK Prime Minister: “I recognize that mistakes have been made and part of my job as Prime Minister is to correct those mistakes.

And I'm confident that we can.

The Minister of Finance has already said it: Of course difficult decisions will have to be made.

We will do that together.«

But spring is still a long way off - and with the state doing nothing for now, Burnley has to help itself.

At St Matthew's the Apsotle Church, Rev. Alex Frost has organized a cooked breakfast for his congregation - typically British with sausages on bread.

In the past few months, more and more people have asked for help, says the pastor.

The sixth largest economy in the world lacks the basic things: warmth, food, energy.

Alex Frost, Burnley vicar: “It is a disgrace to our society that people are now turning to churches and charities to fill this gap.”

Pastor Alex Frost also takes care of those who have already fallen through all social networks.

One of them is Mark John Marsden.

Mark John Marsden, welfare recipient: 'I don't have any money to live on, I really don't have any money to live on.

It's gotten so bad.

I think I have a candy bar in my bedroom, that's all my food."

For years he lived here - in this caravan in Burnley: without electricity, water or toilet.

Nevertheless, he had to pay rent for it every month – which was deducted from his social security payments.

Alex Frost: "Did the police ever come by?"

«

Mark John Marsden: "No."

Alex Frost: "Social worker?"

Mark John Marsden: "Not really."

Alex Frost, Burnley vicar: 'This is modern Britain.

You heard him: nobody knew, nobody cared about him, nobody asked how he was doing.

He could have been dead in there.

It just leaves you speechless.«

Mark John Marsden, welfare recipient: 'I'm so tired I'm fed up.

Luckily I'm not brave enough to kill myself, but I think about it sometimes."

Alex Frost, Burnley vicar: 'If nobody intervenes, he will die.

And who cares?

I will care.

Will those who give him his beer and buy his stolen things in the store mind?

They won't give a fuck.

And he'll be just another number in the stats."

One who cares is James Anderson.

His company offers plumbing and plumbing work to people in need - for free or at very low prices.

Anderson experiences the poverty in Burnley every day.

James Anderson, plumber: »It's an eye opener when you see something like that.

Then you ask yourself: what's going on?

Why do these people fall through the social safety net?

The holes in that web are getting bigger and bigger and bigger.”

The plumber also exchanges Ann and Keith Hartley's broken water heater for nothing in return.

His work is financed by private donations.

Government agencies do not endorse Anderson.

Keith Hartley, Pensioner: 'It would have gotten extremely cold around Christmas without the boiler.

Now it looks like we'll be warm."

Ann Hartley, Retiree: »James is an angel.

An absolute angel.«

Big volunteering, small gestures and many helping hands are what bring hope to the people of Burnley.

It is the task of the British state to at least secure the basic needs of its citizens - but the government is failing.

And it is always the poorest who suffer most from the crises.

James Anderson, Plumber: 'The other day I went up to a woman and spoke to her.

I just sat there and hugged her, and the moment I hugged her, she cried, I cried, and we cried together.

And I thought: This could be my mother, my grandma, my aunt.

How would I feel if someone called me and said that my mother is in the hospital or that she tried to kill herself because she can't put food on the table or can't pay the electricity and the gas and the bills ?

How would I feel if that happened?

how would you feel

«

Source: spiegel

All news articles on 2022-12-04

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