£2.10 a day to spend on food
Reporter: Richard Hooton
Date published: 17 December 2013
OLDHAM MP Michael Meacher has accused the government of creating an “uncivilised society”, in which people spend as little as £2.10 a day on food under the weight of welfare changes.
The amount being spent on food has fallen in the last few months. The Oldham West and Royton MP said: “People cannot be expected to live on £2.10 a day on food I have asked questions of David Cameron and told him more than 750,000 people have had benefits sanctioned and this has left them to starve.
“I am without words, is there no end to this brutality? People will be ill or faint and then they will be in no fit state to work. What is all this for? It is gratuitous cruelty.”
The number of people having no money left each week once bills have been paid is 51 per cent — up from 39 per cent in July. Around 16 per cent more money is being spent on gas and electricity.
Mr Meacher is set to lead a Parliamentary debate when MPs return in January, about the rise of absolute poverty impacting from welfare changes.
Most Viewed News Stories
- 1‘New’ town hall due to open to public for first time after full cost of major refurb project...
- 2Part of iconic Chadderton mill complex to be transformed into warehouses
- 3Police issue appeal after woman dies after being found unconscious on road on Oldham/Tameside
- 4Former pub ‘left to rot’ for years is finally demolished
- 5‘Overpaid’ councillors speak out after payment error