Social Issues in the UK Health and Wealth Inequalities National Qualifications

Today we will… Identify the main consequences of poverty in the UK Understand the impact that poverty can have on people’s lives

Success Criteria I will be able to work as part of a group to develop my understanding of the consequences of poverty I will be able to identify some of the consequences of poverty I will be able to answer an exam question about the consequences of poverty

Consequences of Poverty Lesson Starter Find the odd one out below and explain why 1.Lone parents 2.Women 3.Bankers 4.Ethnic minorities

Consequences of Poverty? We have learned about the reasons why poverty exists and the groups most affected Today we will focus on the consequences of poverty

Think, pair, share Write the following question in your jotter: What are the consequences of poverty? Come up with 3 of your own answers, then talk to your partner and get another, then add more as we discuss as a class

Poor child in workless Household The child has few Expectations The child goes Through life with Low self-esteem The child fails at school. Poor discipline, poor Attendance, poor results Enters adult life with no Job or on a low pay Poverty cycle

Consequences of Poverty Consequences of poverty? Lack of essentials Ill health; physical and mental Inequality in education Social Exclusion Poor housing Addiction problems Homelessness

Jigsaw Task… You will complete a jigsaw reading to learn about the consequences of poverty Each group will be given one reason for poverty. Read and discuss, then note it in your jotter You will then move round to the next table

Lack of Essentials Living in poverty can make it difficult to afford basic necessities In Britain today, inflation is quite high (prices going up) but wages are staying the same It can be difficult for families to afford to buy decent food, transport, energy (gas and electricity), childcare etc. This in turn often leads to debt In addition, it may also lead to crime

Ill Health; Physical Physical - If a person or family is in poverty they cannot afford to have a balanced diet. They have to buy what they can afford. This is often food with high fat, sugar and salt levels. As a result of this they face health inequalities and suffer as a result of this poor diet. Many people in lower social classes do little or no exercise. This may be because they can’t afford memberships to gyms or clubs or perhaps because they have been doing manual labour all day and just want to put their feet up. As a result, again as with an unbalanced diet, a lack of exercise will lead to ill health. Poorer people also tend to live in poorer quality housing which can cause illness.

Ill Health; Mental Living in poverty can also affect a person’s mental health Cases of depression are much higher amongst lower social classes. Research suggests that 24% of the poorest section of the population is at risk of depression compared to 14% of those on average incomes Having a mental illness carries a social stigma and can affect a person’s ability to hold down a job Many poorer people with mental health problems are unemployed and this has a negative effect on an individual’s self esteem

Inequality in Education One way to escape the poverty cycle is to earn qualifications and get well paid work However, many young people in poorer areas leave school with little or no qualifications Exam results in schools in poorer parts of the UK are not as good as results in richer areas This means that living in a poorer area = less chance of good qualification = continuation of cycle of poverty

Social Exclusion This is linked to mental health and, as mentioned in lesson 2, is a major problem for poorer people in the UK In basic terms, when people are unemployed or poor, they can feel like they are not really a part of wider society They feel excluded from society in areas such as employment, housing, health care, education and training and social relationships

Poor Housing Often, people living in poverty cannot afford decent housing The average house price in Britain in 2013 was £162,000 This makes it extremely difficult for poorer people to buy properties Instead they rent properties in the poorest areas Poor housing conditions often lead to poor health

Addiction Problems People in poverty are more likely to develop an addiction to alcohol or drugs In 2013, it was estimated that 250 thousand people claiming benefits were problem drug users (heroine and cocaine) and 160,000 were dependent on alcohol Many see alcohol or drugs as an escape from their daily struggle, however it only makes the problems they face worse

Homelessness Many people living in poverty end up homeless This may be because of losing a job which leads to eviction from or repossession of homes There has been a 25% rise in homelessness in some parts of Britain since the recession

KU Question Explain, in detail, some of the consequences of poverty in the UK. 8 marks To answer this question: Pick 4 causes of poverty and explain and exemplify each one.

Homework Find statistics on the consequences of poverty and add to your notes

Success Criteria I will be able to work as part of a group to work out the meaning of the term ‘social exclusion’ I will be able to identify the groups in society that may be socially excluded I will be able to compare the differences between those who are excluded and those who are not