On The Breadline: Meet the communities The Independent's cost of living campaign will help

The Independent and its sister title the Evening Standard have partnered with Comic Relief to launch On The Breadline, a Christmas campaign to support those most affected by the cost of living crisis.
With more than 14.5 million people living in poverty in the UK - including 4.3 million children - many households are making impossible choices like going without food or heating.
On The Breadline is appealing to corporations, charitable foundations, philanthropists, and readers to raise funds to give grants to charities and organisations helping the most disadvantaged people across the country.
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[@splinterbyrd]

I'm not belittling the depth of the crisis (I'm feeling the pinch meself) but surely families need to come together a bit more. This is wartime. If the scooter lady has an adult son and daughter they ought to take her to live with them. There's no freaking way I'd have let our mum struggle like this

[@golgotha3938]

She's 44 , I imagine her daughter and son are early to mid 20s since she has 7 would have had to start early. Probably still in education or living at home.

[@edselgreaves6503]

They should at the very least be living together so that not all 3 of them are wasting money on rent. Pool resources together. One pays rent, the other buys groceries, and the third person pays the electric bill. But nope, Twitter has trained the sheep to be ashamed of living with their parents with all that silly "Living in your mother's basement" nonsense.

[@kirstypoppy]

That's what the world is like now. Back in war time communicaties were strong. People saw one another. And now the community is so divided by social media, news coverage, pitting working people against benefit people. The bond isn't there.

[@a.me.8579]

Single mother of SEVEN!? WTAF

[@cheebacheeobusiness3893]

Sorry to break this up to you but more and more people don't have any relations to their relatives - many don't have even friends. Start browsing the KZbin by using keywords such as loneliness, Isolation etc. It is sad sad global truth.

[@felix_five]

2:40 this is very sad. Where are the deadbeat Dads? Why are they not helping the mothers of their children?

[@Sarah.smith22]

Because in this dam country its socially acceptable for men to make children and then walk out on them.. It boosts there egos .. Leaving the women to struggle with nothing while they go and make more to dump .. Low and behold there is no deterent from doing this because who is there to challenge them??

[@kimwarner1681]

Are they all from the same father? And yeah, where the heck did he go?? Rolling stone or what?

[@samuelt.kisaame7787]

It's amazing how politicians can destroy everyone's lives.

[@milee8184]

So true... that's what happened in Sri lanka

[@Jumper4ever93]

How does it feel blaming othrs for your choices?

[@heather333]

We need families to live in multi generational units so child and elder care are dealt with within the family unit. However, we demolished the large Victorian houses in favour of 1 bed units for people to become depressed and anxious in. 😟 Most of these poor people are single parents...where are the fathers? Impregnating other women I expect. Growing children don't need new clothes or shoes. Second hand is fine.

[@tanyahawkins5946]

We don’t live multigenerational but we do house share with my brother. Our rent, utilities and groceries are shared. This frees up income for both of us. If we didn’t share we would likely be struggling. Plus it’s lovely for our son to have his uncle around. We’ve lived like this for 5 years now and it suits all of us great. I agree too that second hand clothes for kids is great. They grow so quickly. There is no stigma attached to charity shops like there was when I was a kid. I think thrifting has been trendy for a while now.

[@billijomaynard8924]

Unfortunately not all families have that support, there are plenty of single mothers especially that do not have family to help them. Your idea is a valid one and I fully agree with your statement. I believe that the government needs to ensure that fathers are held accountable as well. It is not right that men in the UK can walk out on a life they are just as responsible in creating and not face any consequences for their part while all the stress and responsibility is placed on the woman's shoulders. Child support should be mandatory. DNA testing for paternity is widely available so there is no excuse for men not to help support their children.

[@dorothytinman]

If you only knew how expensive "second hand" has become. You may as well buy new because secondhand shops charge the same as or more than new.

[@jennim282]

Not up north they didn't. I live in a victoriana house.

[@Jumper4ever93]

@@billijomaynard8924 It's their choice to pay or not to pay.

[@marose9150]

Great initiative but I really wish that much energy was used to make the government understand that this is not acceptable that people have to live like that. We live it here on a daily basis too...

[@mikeheap7978]

It's a great shame these families are struggling. I'm 55 and I remember when I was young we couldn't afford a meal every day, regular I was given jam on toast as a meal. Thank goodness for school meals and free milk in the morning. I recall the potatoe blight in the 70's, we never had potatoes for 12 months, we had cabbage in stead. I'm sorry but it's no great hardship for an adult to miss a meal, a good breakfast and your ok untill dinner time. I wonder how many of those mothers cook a real meal instead of pre-cooked ready meals. It's amazing how much you can save by cooking vegetables and having sausages, mince or liver with it. A cheap meal but filling, well balanced a nutricious, ban the microwave and introduce your kids to real food. This cost of living crisis should encourage us to be creative, not just sit there with our hand out begging, just like millions had to be when real poverty existed all the time.

[@JohnnyWitney]

Maybe the tax payers will catch a break now that the women with SEVEN children won't be able to have more children due to her supposed ailment. Why are fathers not responsible for their children in the UK ? but the expense is always passed on to the UK taxpayers.

[@ashleybosvik3031]

Many a day I ate fryed potatoes and onions growing up.

[@HBudianu]

@@bobjames6622 Carbs are cheap. Potatoes, chips, white bread, pasta, heavily processed pizzas and frozen ready meals. Healthy food is more expensive. It's as if fat is the new poor. Certainly a strange thing to see.

[@rosemariemichel7050]

It is really hard financially for people here in the USA also.

[@bessiejones5432]

I went and bought one soup bone and small red potato cost $1.30 for make food, I really can't eat process food too high sodium.

[@rosemariemichel7050]

@@bessiejones5432 It is like the Depression era times. My parents were born in 1929 and talked about hard times.

[@stevebren88]

Why can they never find someone who is "skipping meals" or having 1 meal a day who isnt morbidly obese?

[@davidwilliams573]

The UK let in to many migrants, this is the problem. Damage is done.

[@Sarah.smith22]

@D C What no argument??? Confrontation to intelligent for you lol

[@hostageg4417]

they lucky to be in the UK

[@Danielmountford_]

40 seconds in, i know one kid is a lot and i don't even have kids. To have seven is seriously irresponsible if you aren't super wealthy

[@Cijudgmentofman333]

Some people look like they could do with going on a diet and I saw no one that looked to be starving either.

[@kimwarner1681]

True but food for the poor is very carbohydrate filled, loaded with sodium & gmo that bloats you like crazy & makes you crave more crap food. They can’t afford healthy food and the healthy food they can afford, like sweet potatoes in place of white potatoes, they don’t know it’s a better carb & healthier for them & their kids. Idk about England but here, they sell them individually not by the bag so it probably wouldn’t be an option for them to buy.

[@markhedger6378]

All the free charity items are useful but the horrendous utility bills nothing touches them if your an ordinary working person.

[@oliviarobinson7402]

It take so much to live just a normal life , what does it take to live the fabulous life.

[@clairebeever3038]

Where are the dads they should be paying for there children not just the government

[@jossratcliffe8908]

Get money off all the kids dads . Rather than tax payer .

[@splinterbyrd]

It's _just_ possible Dad doesn't have any money either

[@Sarah.smith22]

And how do you expect them to do that??? There is no law to stop men dumping there children and going out to make more to dump..Society is a disgrace

[@jossratcliffe8908]

Just make the mother choose the kids that are carefully . And don’t be a spunk skip 😂

[@Sarah.smith22]

@@jossratcliffe8908 Well what a fine mentality you have ..

[@jossratcliffe8908]

@@Sarah.smith22 thank you

[@reeling-in]

And the ‘Independent’ put their hands in their pockets and gave them a few quid to help them out!? Or are they too independent to actually care!?

[@ep1929]

I know of two people who are living on minimal meals & watering down the milk.

[@steveparker8065]

If only native fruit and veg grew on their own and were planted around council estates...

[@paulaosborne9534]

I’m not trying to be rude but there’s a couple of them their who would be absolutely fine skipping a meal. And the diabetes lady who claims she cannot skip one, should cut her portions way down then.

[@tanyahawkins5946]

I agree. My brother is diabetic and he cut his meals down (eats 1 main meal and sometimes a small lunch) and they are sugar controlled. We live together so I do all the cooking (even making my own wholemeal bread using honey instead of sugar). Since being diagnosed a couple of years ago he has lost loads of weight and is much healthier.

[@kimwarner1681]

Carbs turn to sugar & the food she gets is probably the cheap, whatever they get from a food pantry or she buys herself. Most in her shoes have no idea about the garbage in cheaper foods.

[@dongmingzhu666]

I’m eating Aldi’s cheapest own brand bread, whereas food banks are giving out Warburtons and Kingsmill...

[@tarafall1]

The food banks give out what they are given by their donors

[@golgotha3938]

You should just stop eating bread complete it just fattens people up which leads to bigger appetite.

[@dongmingzhu666]

@@tarafall1 If donors donate champagne and caviar they will give out champagne and caviar?

[@tarafall1]

@@dongmingzhu666 yes, of course. Their donations come from their donors.

[@jasoncreighton5140]

@@dongmingzhu666 Yes they will, silly question

[@mariahsmom9457]

Some tips for moms are cloth diapers and breast feeding, they save thousands. Better for baby health too and can help a lot with bonding (this is scientifically supported). There's no drawback except not as easy and convenient, to be sure.

[@cloudedcolour5329]

CDing sounds great in theory but not all childcare facilities accept them and not all mothers can breastfeed or produce enough to pump while working .

[@kamicrum4408]

1nore in breastfeeding, the majority Can breastfeed, the more you nurse,the more milk mom makes! Rarely a mom myst take a medicine that will pass through her milk & harm baby.I am a retiered ka levhe keague leader.😊

[@originalunoriginal4055]

How do residents of council homes, in receipt of housing benefits that covers all their rent, go into rental arrears ? The government knows the rental cost of the flat and pays social housing tenants the full rent amount. So, why would they fall behind or come short in paying the bill, when every week/month tenants receive the money into their bank accounts??

[@gwynethkuhlman]

Universal credit housing benefits will only pay them the amount of the minimum average renting price in that specific area, not for their specific home. So if they happen to have been given a place that costs more than the min average then they’ll to pay out of pocket for the remainder of the rent. With utilities and energy prices also going up, they’ll have to use part of the rent towards that as universal credit is not keeping up with those costs.

[@cloudedcolour5329]

@D C actually council will evict, especially if they make no moves to try and pay their rent at all

[@cloudedcolour5329]

@D C not in Belfast where I am, you have 6 months to if you don't pay your rent which is issued into your acct unless you're on universal credit and able to qualify for the housing, which not everyone can, they will evict you, I got close this time last year falling 2 months behind and pulled myself out of it but it was NOT easy.

[@jiolion-zion9716]

Had to skip meals and then go to A&E so they could administer an emergency sandwich.

[@kimwarner1681]

What’s A&E?

[@cloudedcolour5329]

@@kimwarner1681 it would be the ER in the states

[@myrtleesther8855]

ALL POLITICIANS SHOULD SERVE 2 YEAR APPRENTICESHIPS LIVING ON MINIMUM WAGES AND RENTING ACCOMMODATION BEFORE THE CAN BE PUBLIC SERVANTS! THEY ARE TOTALLY OUT OF TOUCH!

[@ediddysmith2500]

Everyone needs to protest outside of the royal family ( wherever they live ) with their children, with bowls in their hands.

[@ambergonzales4485]

How do you make a donation if you live in the United States? There’s no links

[@ThehulkGreen]

REVOLT OR PERISH.

[@jellokween1680]

Yes sadly its the only way.

[@Kiwiwanderer]

I feel for all of them. But. 1. Unless you are independently wealthy or have a big career earning a lot of money - reduce or limit the number of children you have. 2. Cook from scratch 3. Do not by non essential items on credit - eg cara, furniture etc. pay cash Before you start hating on me. I was a high school drop out single parent - I worked 2 jobs to pay my mortgage - no dating, no drinking, no fun. I had one child only. 31years on. - I’m mortgage free and helped my daughter buy her place.

[@futnostalgia]

Enough money for tattoos, of course the free education was worth nothing, all their peers who live more successful lives MUST pay the price

[@loveconnection1118]

Of course... because none of them will ever have an accident or be disabled?

[@Horizon344]

4:26 Doesn't look as if she's been "skipping meals" to me

[@videostoviews2262]

Give up with those comments weirdo.

[@almari7412]

and you don't look like you have a high IQ

[@noorieiversen]

You don't loose weight after living like this for months. And when your diabetic, you have to keep a consistent sugar levels. Stop judging, this woman has kids to feed.

[@mikeheap7978]

@@noorieiversen I agree with a lot of your points, I suffer with diabetees and it diificult to eat healthy. I have to ask what's she feeding her kids, junk microwave food in all probability. These people can't just sit there with there hands out all their lives, I grew up in poverty in the 70's where we would regular run out of bread, have to go to bed hungry with stomach pains. It's not a new thing, millions in the 70's and 80's went without and made do. Thank goodness for school dinners with kind dinner ladies who'd dish out extra if you asked, free school milk.

[@magisvita2937]

@@Craig121000 if you are underpaid, soft, and have a weak mind. My son has never stopped me from doing anything he's pushed me to be great.

[@tedoneilclark4710]

❤️🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@cheebacheeobusiness3893]

People just need to be less selfish and stop breeding. Living is for most of people hell - why put someone through this struggle voluntarily!?

[@dualprocessed6713]

Most of the poor voted for this, this is their version of brexit they dreamed of and hey presto! they now can enjoy it.

[@kamicrum4408]

Grow yoyr own, its easy!

[@praguhbis]

The lady in the pink coat is so glamorous. Lovely face,

[@raymondchassell4204]

She looks on the large size so she's eating well enough

[@lonelylovely1176]

Not cost of living in fact cost of choosing a bad government

[@TheSuperPsychoKiller]

Cost of being a single parent by choice

[@debbieframpton3857]

The lady with the 7-year-old and 6-month-old I'm not sure why she had that second child when she was already struggling it doesn't appear to be any fathers around

[@debbieframpton3857]

@D C , Yes it's her right to have more children but why would you have more when you know you cannot afford the one you have in the end it is the children that suffer

[@kimwarner1681]

Maybe it’s like here where the more kids they have the more money they get In benefits or whatever, courtesy of us?

[@kimwarner1681]

@D C there’s a big difference between bringing a life into the world and hitting a drive thru

[@kimwarner1681]

@D C they sure do. See above comment.

[@frankdevine7199]

HI, ALL ( SORRY OR GOVERNMENT CARE'S, ) ???

[@salampakistan3691]

Feminism and liberalism have destroyed the family unit. Before people would turn to family or extended family for help rather then banks or loans but since wive do not want to live with husbands family, they are apart, left to fend for themselves. Before brothers shared a home, all put money in the pot, divided and shared the money, rich together or poor together, but you surivived. Family helped watch the kids and keep the home clean and shared the chores.

[@sabhic53636]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@pungolay6586]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@vicmarc4984]

Hungry people tend to go crazy and revolt, the upper classes are going to have to buy these people food!

[@mdcclxxvl5790]

Brits you can move to the United States and become citizens there's a lot of states that are cheap to live in 🇬🇧🇺🇸

[@gwynethkuhlman]

The USA has just as bad of a poverty and housing situation….

[@kimwarner1681]

It is very expensive to move and get settled in somewhere , moving across the country cost us around 10k , I can’t imagine moving internationally. If renting, which I think is what the people in this story would be doing, you better have a great credit score & income 3x the price of your rent. We are fortunate my husband makes a good living & we were able to do this but I know of many here that were not able to get in anywhere decent & they work full time. Key word is decent = safe. Unless they want to live where Dominos doesn’t deliver after dark, good credit & high income, at least 2k and higher for a 2 bedroom in the state we live in . Eggs , regular non organic eggs here? 5 bucks a dozen. Bread around 4 a loaf, milk is around 3 a half gallon for the store brand & gas was over 5 per gallon now going down to around 3.58 , fluctuating every day. I really don’t think they would be better off here . But then again, I don’t ( and wouldn’t) have seven kids so not sure how that works. We moved from the mid west, went to live by family when covid hit in 2020, moved back here when things settled down. Midwest is cheaper but so is the pay. The winters are brutal, weather sucks, you would think it wouldn’t matter but it does, it can wear on you, people are very different. If you weren’t born & raised there, you’re treated like an outsider. We did meet some very nice people but we don’t drink so they found that odd, I guess. Nothing to do in the winter there so everyone hibernates. Eats, drinks & card games. I was going out of my mind. It was a beautiful area but again, if you don’t have the money, a lot of poorly kept places, no infrastructure & taxed into oblivion. We couldn’t wait to move back to the desert. And yes, we do pay it forward but we can’t help everyone. I also realized, with some, you could give them a million bucks & they’ll be broke by next weekend. 😢

[@carollane8694]

The great cull continues

[@sonyasmith1991]

I agree. Unfortunately, many have no idea what's happening.