1) What is poverty and how is it measured? Learning objective: What’s your target? (D) Define the key terms absolute/relative poverty, wealth and income (C) Explain different methods of measuring poverty (A*-B) Criticise different methods of measuring poverty Write you definitions of: Absolute poverty: Relative poverty: Poverty differs from time to time and society to society Using a relative approach means we will always find poverty in society Except in what type of society? Defining poverty is difficult but important How we define poverty affects how we measure it and how to tackle it e.g. how far the government are prepared to go to tackle it with policies etc

He defined people as belonging to a category: or below the poverty line (in poverty) above the poverty line (out of poverty) Rowntree was extremely influential in defining poverty He devised research at the beginning of the twentieth century to define whether people were in poverty or not. Seebohm Rowntree

He argued that people needed: Food Clothes Shelter These were the minimum for existence. The poverty line was drawn at the point where a minimum was needed to ‘maintain health’. Below this level = Absolute Poverty

Problems with using absolute poverty Even though you have the basics like food, water and shelter, you may be in poverty compared to those around you. This is relative poverty.

Townsend 1899, Poverty line and relative deprivation He worked out a family budget based on the cheapest food and clothes -> meet the basic requirements. Medical advice on nutritional requirements and the food that could provide these. Allowances for rent, fuel and a small amount of ‘sundries’ He worked out an allowance according to the size of the family which he called the poverty line. Households whose total income fell below this line were defined as being in poverty. He asked detailed questions on 60 indicators of deprivation. These included -Refrigerator -Lack of an annual holiday -Carpets -A joint for Sunday roast dinner. -Poverty is not just based on income -> exclusion from ordinary activities and customs

Criticisms Using a poverty line is too simple and is not accurate. People may be only 1p over the line and classed as not in poverty What some people view as essential others may see as luxuries. What is considered necessity changes over time (e.g. carpets)

How the UK government measure poverty UK Government measurement: Measure: Income after housing cost Low income = those below 60% of the income of the median income for the population 22% of UK population are below the poverty level Look at the chart p310 The National Poverty and Social Exclusion Survey measured:  Income levels  Lack of items seen as necessities by majority  Subjective measures – people considering themselves as living in poverty According to this 26% of the population live in poverty

Exam question practice 1)What is meant by absolute poverty? (4) 2)What is meant by relative poverty? (4) 3)Suggest one type of poverty and explain how it could be measured. (5) 4)Suggest one way of measuring poverty and explain one problem with it. (5) Vocabulary Poverty line Absolute poverty Relative poverty Necessities Basics Relative deprivation Average income

2) What are the causes and effects of poverty? Learning objective: What’s your target? (D)Identify different groups that may experience poverty (C) Explain why some groups in society are more likely to experience poverty than others (A*-B) Criticise the effectiveness of government attempts to tackle poverty Starter: Which areas of the UK do you predict will have the highest rates of poverty?

Link to exam: Describe one area that may be more likely to experience poverty and explain why this may be (5)

The ElderlyPeople with disabilities Children and povertyWomen and poverty Single parentsEthnicity and poverty

Living on state pension Limited means of income Health problems can cause expense Cost of private healthcare

More likely to experience discrimination and not get a higher paid job More likely to be in low skilled, low paid manual work – racism/ discrimination Culturally seen as socially unacceptable to claim benefits they may be entitled to Under achievement at school – less qualifications – lower paid work

Women Married women rely husbands Fewer women have occupational pensions Women live longer, their pension has to last longer. Women earn less than men on average. Women are more likely to be single mums.

Only one income More likely to be in part time, lower paid work to fit around child care Benefits not high enough to keep single parents out of poverty, but a soon as they earn more money they lose their benefits.

-Disabilities make it difficult to find work, may be restricted with choice of work/ face discrimination. -There are extra costs such as adapting the home which very expensive. -Changes by the conservative government means that benefits were lower for people with disabilities.

children -Rely on parents income, who may not have enough money to give them. (don’t work) -Children in single parent families are more likely to be in poverty -Arrival of new children, can push parents into poverty. -Young people may be put off going to Uni by the debt they will accumulate. (Graduates generally earn more than those without higher educational qualifications.)

No child poverty by 2020 At the Labour Party conference, Gordon Brown said child poverty "demeans Britain" and repeated his party's pledge to halve child poverty by 2010, and ultimately to end it. We have lifted 600,000 children out of poverty, we are introducing free nursery education for all two, three and four year olds and have seen an increase in educational outcomes at all ages. Local authorities and other service providers had to help it raise family incomes, encourage people to apply for tax credit and benefits and help parents work. Link to exam: Describe one way that the government has tried to reduce child poverty and explain how successful this policy has been (5)

Low income family describe how they struggle to afford to pay for food and bills tm There are currently 3,900,000 children in the UK that are classed as actually living in poverty, which impacts on every aspect of a child's life. "A child in poverty is 10 times more likely to die in infancy, and five times more likely to die in an accident. "Adults who lived in poverty as a child are 50 times more likely to develop a restrictive illness such diabetes or bronchitis." The campaign to end child poverty classes households as being in poverty if they are living on under £10 per person per day. Link to exam: Describe one group that are likely to be in poverty and explain how it could affect their life chances (5)

What causes proverty? Factor that explain increase: Increase in proportion of workless households -> Unemployment peaked at over 3 million in > dropped in 2014 to 2.33 million Increase in pay gap between low-skilled and high-waged workers Changes in taxation – reductions in the rate of income tax which benefits the better off Demographic changes – increase in groups with low income = pensioners and lone-parent families

Culture of poverty Poverty was seen as part of their culture and way of life The poorest section of society were socialized within subculture of poverty Socialisation = unable to break free from poverty This culture = set of values to cope with their position People can do little to change their situation so may as well accept it Live for the moment, don’t worry about tomorrow There is no point saving up of planning for the future Fatalistic Values Help them adapt to their situation but also stop them from escaping Are passed on through family = persists over generations = Cycle of deprivation

Cycle of deprivation Child is born into poverty Material and cultural deprivation Less likely to perform well in school = less qualifications Future opportunities are limited = likely to have unskilled, low paid jobs or be unemployed As adults they live in poverty Become parents of deprived children = cycle continues

Welfare Dependancy & the ‘underclass’ New Right approach: Emerged in 1980s-1990s A group = attitudes and values differ from mainstream society Long-term poverty – unable to gain a living Symptoms of the underclass: Crime Extramarital births Unemployment ‘The undeserving poor’ Welfare reform = dependence on the state – ‘from cradle to grave’ State is too generous = welfare dependancy Critics: Creates a label = ‘blame the victims’ Such stigma distances people further from society = less likely to change

Social Exclusion People are in poverty through no fault of their own. Cannot participate in: Consumption: purchasing goods and services Production: participating in social or economical activities Political engagement: decision making Social interaction: community, friends, family For example, cannot afford a television or to go out to the cinema with friends.

Marxism and poverty Social structure and poverty Poverty stems from class-based inequalities Poverty is a product of capitalism -> generates extreme wealth for bourgeoisie and poverty for proletariat Poverty is a social problem –> wealth is not Fear of poverty ensures people keep working in low-paid jobs Remove poverty The only way is a revolutionary change Replace capitalism with an economic system with communal ownership of the means of production However Poverty, inequality and differences in wealth still exists within communist countries

Unemployment The recession has caused people to lose their jobs through no fault of their own Benefits are too low to keep people out of poverty

To what extent would sociologists agree that if people are in poverty they only have themselves to blame (12) It is peoples own fault they are in poverty It’s not peoples own fault they are in poverty Culture of povertyWelfare dependencyCycle of deprivation Social exclusionMarxist viewsUnemployment

To what extent what sociologists agree that if people are in poverty they only have themselves to blame (12) It is peoples own fault they are in poverty It’s not peoples own fault they are in poverty Culture of poverty Welfare dependency Cycle of deprivation Marxist views Unemployment Social exclusion