Poverty in times of COVID and why this needs to be tackled

First of all, the reason that poverty needs to be tackled is that it is wrong for a G7 nation to have so much poverty, this being an issue before COVID.

Despite much government hype, people are suffering despite having universal credit over this time.

The system is designed to encourage people to find jobs, but we are living in times when there are less jobs to find.

One of the factors linked to not adhering to the need for testing and isolation is financial hardship.

If we are to tackle this, we need to ensure that those in most need are offered help when it comes to isolating so that they do not suffer.  The government have the harsh view that giving money to people who are hard up will make them less likely to work, but this does not apply when it comes to tax for the wealthy.    

The idea of keeping the current system that is failing so many is wrong.  In a time when there are jobs, it could be argued that more money going into it would help people.  I would say that in a time when there are less jobs available, that it is time to consider a basic income.  Also called a citizens income, it has been tried in the past abroad before COVID, and can be argued, that Trump used it in the form of stimulus checks during COVID.  

Basically, the options are to do nothing, or to do something when it comes to poverty in the UK. As someone who knows what a childhood on benefits was when I was growing up, I am of the view that we should do something to help those in most need.