What is Poverty?
Poverty is the state of having a small quality of material possessions or little income, the causes and effects can be social, economic, and political. Poverty has an impact on thousands of people across the UK. It means not having the funds to pay your rent, heat your home, or buy yourself the essentials you need. It means waking up every day with a huge amount of financial pressure and uncertainty. In most cases, poverty can lead to discrimination due to financial problems. This is unrelenting stress and worry which can lead to multiple mental health conditions.
What Causes Poverty In The UK?
The factors of poverty are things that minimise your resources or rise your essentials and the expenditure of meeting them. A life event or a moment of transition, such as getting sick, losing a family member, losing a job or a relationship breaking up, can cause poverty.
Some examples of poverty in the UK today are:
- Unemployment or low-paid jobs- Many jobs do not provide an appropriate paycheck.
- The minimum level of education/skills- Many adults and young people do not have the qualifications or experience which can make finding a job very difficult.
- Ineffectual benefit system- Some people are unable to work due to health or care relations. The income is usually not enough to avoid poverty. The benefits system is difficult to engage with which can cause delays and errors.
- Increase in expenditure- The high cost of essential goods such as gas, electricity, credit, water, council tax, broadband/telephone, also creates poverty. Some people’s costs may be higher due to where they live.
- Discrimination- Discrimination against people because of their sexuality, age, disability, ethnicity, religion, or gender. Even poverty itself can make it difficult for a person to move away from poverty.
- Limited relationships- A child who has not had much support from parents is more likely to grow up in poverty. Family relationships breaking down can have to affect a child’s development, social skills, and education increasing poverty.
- Abuse, trauma, or change in lifestyle- People who intake drugs or alcohol usually fall into poverty. Neglect or abuse in a child along with trauma in adults can cause poverty. Low earnings or unemployment can lead to homelessness. Being in prison can also depend on poverty.
How Does Poverty Effect Mental Health?
Moreover, there are a number of physiological illnesses that are associated with poverty. The categories of mental health that are affected the most are alcohol misuse, drug abuse, schizophrenia mood, and anxiety disorders. Schizophrenia is also more common among individuals with low socio-economic backgrounds. There is also evidence that anxiety and depression are related to the drift effect.
Social support for people in poverty is a common remedy for mood and anxiety disorders. In contrast, maintaining social networks may not be beneficial if members of the networks are also experiencing poverty. This could possibly lead to stress cognition. Alcohol and substance abuse also differs significantly based on how long a person has lived in poverty. According to one study, alcohol consumption decreased following short-term unemployment but increases with long-term employment. The findings of this study are consistent with other psychological explanations of poverty-related behaviours.
The Different Types Of Poverty
Absolute poverty- This is known as extreme poverty. It includes the shortage of clean water, food, shelter, health, and education. Those who live in absolute poverty usually face difficulties with living and experience a lot of child deaths from diseases like water contamination, cholera, and malaria. Absolute poverty is often uncommon in developed countries.
Relative Poverty- This is defined as an individual living normally compared to the economic standards of the population living in surroundings. For example, a family can be thought-out to be poor if they are unable to afford things like vacations, presents for Christmas and birthdays, or not having enough funds to send their child to university.
Situational Poverty- This is a temporary type of poverty established on the occurrence of an event like job loss, health problems, and environmental disasters.
Generational Poverty- Generational Poverty is usually passed on to families from one generation to another. The cycle can be difficult to get out of due to not having the ability to access financial support from family to help break the pattern.
Rural Poverty- This occurs in areas with a population below 50,000. These areas often have fewer job and education opportunities, less support for those with a disability, and less access to services. People live mostly on things like farming and other types of work available to their surroundings.
What Effects Does Poverty Have on Society?
The cycle of poverty means lifelong barriers and troubles such as unemployment and low income. Children often work so they are able to provide for their families which means children are unable to be present at school. Many are unable to see how hard work can encourage growth to a better quality of life. Substantially, poverty is a significant incentive for social tensions and threatens to separate a nation because of income imbalance. Wealthy developed countries have stability because of the attendance of the middle class. As an outcome, crime rates and riots have exceedingly increased. This can make poverty very dangerous for society.
Child Poverty
Children have very little choice and ability to change their situation. The potential effects of poverty affect the lives of children. Domestic violence, unemployment, malnutrition, diseases, and child labor can all have such an impact. A child growing up in poverty can cause multiple mental health issues, education and employment difficulties, and discrimination worsening one’s psychological well-being.
Ways To Reduce Poverty
Educate children- This is one of the effective results of poverty, even providing the most basic education like reading and writing can have a positive effect.
Providing clean water- Making sure that people have access to clean water is one of the top solutions to poverty. Water that is safe and close to home can protect people from diseases.
Health care- Providing affordable health care can be very effective.
Empower females- This builds equality and sustains development economic growth. Empowered women make great role models for girls in their communities and can push for education.
Improve nutrition for children– This is the most cost-effecting result of poverty. Nourishing young people and babies are one of the most effective ways to tackle poverty.
Support environmental programs- Climate change impacts poverty massively.
Reach young people who are in conflict- Forced deportation can worsen poverty. More than 8.2million people are displaced. This is the result of the conflict.
Prevent child marriage- This is a violation of a girl’s rights. Leaving school early and becoming pregnant means that girls can not take full advantage of their education. This also impacts employment leading to low income, Their own daughters may also not be able to attend school.
Economically focused reform can be more effective if you understand the psychological effects associated with poverty, but it is not the solution to fixing poverty. The idea here would supplement a targeted economic strategy aiming to reduce poverty.