Eliminating Poverty in Britain

Book Summary

 

The alleviation of poverty is no longer an option if British society is to thrive in the future and yet, eliminating privation is an issue which seems beyond the vision or abilities of many political leaders. This is partly due to the twin problems of time and taxes. Each government has a maximum term of five years and there is no guarantee of re-election, so any attempt to end deprivation has to be completed within that time frame. The British public has never voted for tax rises, so a programme to eliminate poverty would have to be conducted within the constraints of the current tax system. This is hardly political nirvana, but ending deprivation is now a social necessity. This is a book with innovative ideas and a realistic outlook.

 

The aim to end poverty requires three core concepts: a detailed plan for how a government could guide Britain through the process, a level of national focus similar to the pandemic or a war, and the reintroduction of compassion to our public discourse to counter the narrative of the “undeserving poor”.

 

This book draws on scientific analysis and the latest social research from around the world to detail how poverty affects the economy, the green agenda, communities, family relationships, and a person’s mental and physical health – down to their very DNA. It offers an alternative plan for ending poverty to Universal Basic Income and the current method of mitigating it. It combines the author’s lived experiences with interviews from those struggling in poverty and expert analysis from those who have to deal with its consequences.

 

The work considers the expected and unexpected consequences of success, both at home and around the world, and questions what Britons are missing out on while inequality remains. It also reflects on the processes which create and maintain poverty and draws upon novel approaches which are already changing policy makers’ views on sustainable economic growth.

 

This is a book packed with novel ideas and the latest research. It offers essential reading for anyone interested in the future of British society, including politicians, civil servants, students, social commentators, charity workers, analysts and journalists.

 

After Covid-19, Brexit, war, austerity and the global financial crash, the public wants a more positive and certain future. The question is: How do we create it?