Lesson Starter

What will I learn? To Define what is meant by the term ‘Poverty’. To Describe two different ways of measuring poverty: absolute poverty and relative poverty. To Explain that society’s understanding of ‘relative poverty’ has changed over time. To Describe some of the groups more vulnerable to poverty.

Success Criteria I can… Define what is meant by the term ‘Poverty’. Describe two different ways of measuring poverty: absolute poverty and relative poverty. Explain that society’s understanding of ‘relative poverty’ has changed over time. Describe some of the groups more vulnerable to poverty. List some of the main features of children in poverty by watching a series of video clips.

1.What is poverty? In your group, write a detailed definition of the word poverty

Poverty The state or condition of having little or no money, goods, or means of support – in other words…being poor OR A serious lack of the means for proper existence. Poorer people are dependent on the DWP benefits for all or a large part of their income.

Absolute and Relative Poverty It is difficult to get one single definition of poverty. Poverty in Britain is relative rather than absolute. Absolute Poverty – Absolute poverty is the type of poverty experienced in very poor, lesser developed countries. This could be when people are living on very little money, for example £1/2 per day. Relative Poverty - Relative poverty is defined in terms of the area in which a person lives. It applies to wealthy, developed countries such as the UK. A person is living in relative poverty if the household income is less than a certain amount of money. (60% or less than average income of country).

How is Poverty measured? Some groups are more affected than other groups by poverty. If you are on a low income in the UK you compare yourself with better off British people rather than those in absolute poverty in other parts of the world. The official measure of poverty used by the DWP class the poverty line at 60% of median household income – Households Below Average Income, HBAI.

How is Poverty measured? Data are often presented before and after housing costs have been accounted for; the government prefers before housing costs, because similar international data exists to allow comparison. Pressure groups like the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) prefer to use data after housing costs. They argue that this gives a better indication of households disposable income. Another measure is to say that anyone able to claim for means tested benefits such as Income Support is in poverty.

How is Poverty measured? People are considered as living in poverty if they live in households with less than 60% of median household income. This is the key measure used by UK and Scottish government, and by the EU. Using this measure, and after housing costs are taken into account, 2011/12 official data showed: A single person is in poverty if they are living on less than £128 per week A lone parent family with two children (aged 5 and 14) are living in poverty if they are living on less than £264 per week

How is Poverty measured? A couple with two children (again aged 5 and 14) are living in poverty if they are living on less than £357 a week (i.e. less than £13 each a day – not a lot to cover food, fuel bills, household goods and transport, never mind school trips, family visits and leisure activities) people in Scotland still live in poverty (17% of the population) children in Scotland still live in poverty (20% of all children). Poverty in Scotland, and across the UK, is significantly higher than in other European countries. · Poverty exists across Scotland. Nearly all local authorities in Scotland have council wards where over 20% of their children live in poverty.

Groups More Vulnerable To Poverty Women: lower average income (80% of males for FT employees; 50% PT), lower pensions; responsibility for caring of children / elderly so less likely to work. Unemployed and low-paid: lower incomes. Lone parents: 90%+ are females; cost of raising children; poorer employment prospects. NEET 16/17 year olds (Not in Education, Employment and Training): often ‘disappeared from system’. Disabled or those who care for disabled: fewer and poorer employment prospects.

Groups More Vulnerable To Poverty Ethnic Minorities: poorer employment prospects; disproportionately represented in poorer paid jobs. Pensioners: especially oldest pensioners dependent on State pension or modest occupational pensions.

Groups More Vulnerable To Poverty Children - There are 3.5 million children living in poverty in the UK today. That’s 27 per cent of children, or more than one in four. Work does not provide a guaranteed route out of poverty in the UK. Two-thirds (66 per cent) of children growing up in poverty live in a family where at least one member works. Child poverty blights childhoods. Growing up in poverty means being cold, going hungry, not being able to join in activities with friends. For example, 61 per cent of families in the bottom income quintile would like, but cannot afford, to take their children on holiday for one week a year.

Groups More Vulnerable To Poverty Child poverty has long-lasting effects. By 16, children receiving free school meals achieve 1.7 grades lower at GCSE than their wealthier peers. Leaving school with fewer qualifications translates into lower earnings over the course of a working life. Child poverty reduced dramatically between 1998/9-2011/12 when 1.1 million children were lifted out of poverty (BHC). This reduction is credited in large part to measures that increased the levels of lone parents working, as well as real and often significant increases in the level of benefits paid to families with children. Under current government policies, child poverty is projected to rise from 2012/13 with an expected 600,000 more children living in poverty by 2015/16. This upward trend is expected to continue with 4.7 million children projected to be living in poverty by 2020.

Watch and take notes You are going to watch a series of clips called ‘Poor Kids’. As you watch, take notes about the evidence of the poverty that these children live in. Pay particular attention to: Housing Money – benefit reliance etc. Family circumstances Health issues

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Analyse the effects of poverty on disadvantaged groups – 12 marks

Analysis Analysis is how the reader knows that you have understood the question. KU is facts Analysis is when you answer the question. You need to give an EVALUATIVE comment. What would you say about these points to show how poverty effects each of these groups. Women Children Unemployed

Take your KU point and add an analysis point for each. For example: Analyse Knowledge PointsAnalysis Children

I can… Define what is meant by the term ‘Poverty’. Describe two different ways of measuring poverty: absolute poverty and relative poverty. Explain that society’s understanding of ‘relative poverty’ has changed over time. Describe some of the groups more vulnerable to poverty. List some of the main features of children in poverty by watching a series of video clips.