Poor parenting

POVERTY in the UK is defined as household income less than 60 per cent of the average, which is £27,300 — in other words, £16,380. But such ‘poverty’ is by no means hardship.

My annual income of £9,000 — the state pension plus pension credit — is far below this figure, yet I eat well, pay a mortgage and run a car.

True, I don’t smoke, have a fancy mobile phone or take exotic holidays abroad, but I pay my way when socialising.

My wardrobe might not be fashionable, but good-quality clothes last for years. They have to.

I’ve seen women leave food banks with a smartphone in one hand and car keys in the other.

Now we are told teachers clean the uniforms of children from poor households who have no way of washing their own clothes. This is not deprivation, but poor parenting and money management. No one these days need suffer real poverty.

Name and address supplied.