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BUSINESS Wednesday 31 OctOber 2018
A25

End of austerity? Britain's poor to see little improvement

By DANICA KIRKA The idea that austerity
LONDON (AP) — Much of might be ending makes the
Britain will continue to feel volunteers who run a small
the effects of eight years of food bank at the Bridge-
spending cuts, even after link Centre in the west Lon-
the government's Treasury don borough of Hounslow
chief heralded the end shake their heads in dis-
of austerity by splashing belief. They see first-hand
out billions of pounds for what it is like to be poor. The
health, transportation and food bank here is basically
small business in his latest a closet commandeered
budget. by Ivybridge Community
As the country prepares for Chaplain Fi Budden, who
a potential economic hit realized people would go
from leaving the European hungry for want of the bus
Union in March, the govern- fare to get to other nearby
ment is trying to shore up food banks. It helped 460
confidence by easing up people last year, up from
on the budget cutbacks it 275 in 2015.
has been pushing through "Food banks are really
since the financial crisis. busy, now, aren't they?"
Prime Minister Theresa May said Gemma Flower, a
this month declared the volunteer who noted that
end is nigh for austerity — changes to welfare ben-
a broad term for real cuts efits are making things Volunteers Elizabeth and David gather food items from a checklist to give to a family from a food-
to spending on public ser- worse. "If anything, it's got bank at the Ivybridge estate community centre in west London, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2018.
vices. Chancellor of the Ex- us busier and busier. We in- Associated Press
chequer Philip Hammond in vite Theresa May to come
Monday's budget presen- here and see how we live." distributed more than 1.3 know the numbers. But they door?
tation gave an additional The center is just one out- million emergency food know poverty and the fear Then there's the experience
$20.5 billion pounds a year post of those squeezed by parcels in the year through of living on the edge. of James Fox, who also
to the National Health Ser- the cuts. March, up 13 percent from Flower, 37, just about man- helps out at the center.
vice, but acknowledged Last month, thousands of the previous year, accord- ages to pay the rent and One sunny day last year,
there was little left for other school principals played ing to the Trussell Trust, expenses — even though Fox was zipping through
programs. truant and marched to which coordinates such she and her husband both Hounslow on his wheel-
That means spending on the prime minister's of- aid. The Resolution Foun- work. But with three teen- chair when a woman ap-
public services, from local fice to demand increased dation says benefit cuts agers and little to fall back proached him from behind
government to prisons, is funding; police are warn- introduced three years on, one unexpected ex- and demanded the small
likely to fall, according to ing that they don't have ago have already cost pense could mean finan- bag he carries in his lap.
analysis by the Resolution the resources to fight rising the poorest households in cial trouble. She volunteers Fox had just bought a train
Foundation, which cam- crime; councils nationwide Britain an average of 610 at the food bank because ticket to travel to his father's
paigns for improved living say basic services are be- pounds a year. they helped her out when funeral. If he lost the ticket,
standards. ing cut. In order to prevent further she had a rough patch last he would be unable to af-
"The chancellor has sig- Further complicating the cuts to departmental bud- year, and understands how ford another.
nificantly eased — but not picture, the government gets and end austerity, the scary it is. "I said, 'you're not having
ended — austerity for pub- is loath to increase taxes, government would have The public doesn't hear my bag,' " he recalled, his
lic services," said the foun- and it is pushing ahead to increase spending by about such people, the shoulders hunching for-
dation's director, Torsten with plans to roll out a new 23.6 billion pounds a year volunteers say, because ward as he showed how
Bell. "Tough times are far comprehensive welfare by 2022-23, in addition to they struggle anonymously, he protected his chest. The
from over." program that critics say will already promised fund- without the fanfare that at- woman slashed him three
The budget included some leave the most vulnerable ing for the National Health tracts television cameras. times with a knife, but he
income tax cuts and ben- worse off. Though Ham- Service, defense and for- They know people make held on.
efit giveaways, but they mond promised an extra eign aid, the Resolution choices: do we eat or buy "That's how desperate peo-
will favor the wealthy, the 1 billion pounds over five Foundation said in a report our child a birthday pres- ple would get," he said.
foundation says: the top years for the Universal Cred- published before Monday's ent? Can we make do us- "They'd stab a man in a
10 percent of households it benefit program, critics budget statement. ing an electric kettle and wheelchair."q
get 410 pounds a year from continue to press for the The volunteers at the not a stove? How can we
the budget. The poor, 30 program to be scrapped Bridgelink Centre don't appease the bailiffs at the
pounds. Parts of the gov- all together.
ernment face cuts averag- Nationwide, food banks
ing 3 percent annually for
the next four years.
Hammond told the BBC on
Tuesday that his budget set
out a better future for Brit-
ain.
"We've turned a very impor-
tant corner here in putting
the public finances right,
and that means better
news for the British people
going forward," he said.