Food Bank latest

[ADELE]

So shock horror the Chief Constable, I thought he had gone, has in his report said some police were using the food bank.    I have seen OAPs with very little putting items in the boxes at collection points for the food bank are the police really paid such a pittance they are using them?    I thought the food bank was for people who were really desperate and had nothing and I am sure I am not alone in this I don’t think remarks like this are really going to encourage people to contribute food when people like the police who have a steady job with a pension are using it.

[Roger Mexico]

Gary Roberts retired on 31 March and because Chief Constable's Annual Reports cover the financial year (April to March), the one that has just been issued will have covered the period of his responsibility.  He himself notes that he should have retired in December and it would have been produced by his successor, but perhaps it's fairer that he could report on his own period in position.  It's worth looking at what he actually said in that introduction:

If tackling the threats posed by organised criminal groups was the external priority, then internally the most important matter – by a considerable distance – was the impact of high levels of inflation on police officers. The sudden growth in inflation adversely affected many people in the community, but police officers were particularly badly hit. In overall real terms police pay has fallen by almost 20% in the last decade and the effects of this were felt at individual and organisational levels. Put simply, some police officers struggled to live: some used foodbanks, some could not afford presents at Christmas for their children and others had to sell their homes. A survey of its members by the Isle of Man Police Federation received a very high level of response and, effectively, it determined that police officers love their work, but increasingly cannot afford to live properly. The loss of several midservice officers at the end of the calendar year showed that, without remedial action, a police pay problem could easily become a police retention crisis. At the time of writing a working party on police pay is making decent progress

(My bold).  I think a lot of people don't really understand how foodbanks are actually used.  They're not there to provide constant support for the very poorest (they don't have the resources) but to support those living "close to the edge" in terms of having no spare money each week and no savings, who then have a financial or personal crisis.  Foodbanks then help these people out with food support for a short period - the biggest UK network the Trussell Trust gives 3 days worth - but people don't normally use them regularly, maybe only once or twice a year or even ever.  It's about helping people over a rough patch.  And people are usually referred for support by some sort of professional: health workers, social workers, teachers and so on.

If police pay has declined substantially in real terms, then more in the police are going to be closer the edge, especially with housing costs going up and food inflation at about twice the rate of other things.  If most of your salary is already allocated to fixed costs, food has to come out of whatever is left and that may be not much and declining.  So you can see how some in the police might find themselves in need of support when an unexpected extra expense or loss of income arises.  It's clearly not happening often, but once it would never have happened at all.

[thommo2010]

You do realise the police pension isn't free? Officers contribute just short of 15% of their salary.

If the story was about nurses or firefighters struggling to cope there would be sympathy but as its the police people are very cold towards them. 

[Andy Onchan]

Isn't there a charitable police benevolent fund?

[WTF]

16 minutes ago, Andy Onchan said:

Isn't there a charitable police benevolent fund?

the copper running that moved to jurby .

[2112]

1 hour ago, WTF said:

the copper running that moved to jurby .

Bought a house?

[WTF]

9 minutes ago, 2112 said:

Bought a house?

got caught, liked watches too.

Edited July 5, 2023 by WTF

[Roger Mexico]

23 minutes ago, 2112 said:

Bought a house?

No, just bought it.

[ADELE]

If policemen have to resort to using food banks ,even occasionally , how are pensioners who are on a basic pension supposed to survive ?    The reason I mentioned police is because Gary Roberts bought it up in  his report if they are having a tough time then nurses and fireman must be in the same position.      If they are on a minimum wage that is not great they will find it very difficult to attract and retain the right sort of person for a challenging job.  I think nowadays everyone pays into their own pension pot even the MHKs.   

[Asthehills]

15 minutes ago, ADELE said:

If policemen have to resort to using food banks ,even occasionally , how are pensioners who are on a basic pension supposed to survive ?    The reason I mentioned police is because Gary Roberts bought it up in  his report if they are having a tough time then nurses and fireman must be in the same position.      If they are on a minimum wage that is not great they will find it very difficult to attract and retain the right sort of person for a challenging job.  I think nowadays everyone pays into their own pension pot even the MHKs.   

Wouldn’t a typical pensioner have much lower living costs than a person in their 20’s to 50’s?

It’s a genuine question, not a dig at pensioners.

[2112]

20 minutes ago, ADELE said:

If policemen have to resort to using food banks ,even occasionally , how are pensioners who are on a basic pension supposed to survive ?    The reason I mentioned police is because Gary Roberts bought it up in  his report if they are having a tough time then nurses and fireman must be in the same position.      If they are on a minimum wage that is not great they will find it very difficult to attract and retain the right sort of person for a challenging job.  I think nowadays everyone pays into their own pension pot even the MHKs.   

Perhaps it’s new police officers newly resident to the island, who are provided initially with housing for a fixed period of time. They then have to try and find affordable accommodation, which may be no mean feat. I can imagine police officers who own their homes, maybe struggling with utilities, energy and rising mortgage costs. 

[jackwhite]

Food banks are for use by whoever needs them.

I wouldn't say police salaries are great, particularly at the lower level. With the cost of living here I would say it's highly likely that people living alone, on anything below 30K or so, could quite feasibly struggle to put food on the table. 

You mention pensioners, but most of them don't have the biggest expense of all, property price. Whether that be rent or the mortgage, a lot of them have it paid off at that stage or are in retirement homes, which their pension is covering. 

It's not just the unemployed and the likes who need to use the food bank and I'm glad it's there for them. 

If anything knowing this would encourage me to give more, not less like you suggest it may with others.

[WTF]

47 minutes ago, Asthehills said:

Wouldn’t a typical pensioner have much lower living costs than a person in their 20’s to 50’s?

It’s a genuine question, not a dig at pensioners.

assuming they own their own house then no mortgage and no rent would be a yes, but if they are in social housing then the rent still needs paying ,  in theory they won't be raising kids either  but the bank of mum and dad for their kids and grandkids is at an all time high on lending ( giving ) , they still need to eat ( less as you get older ) but they need extra warmth ( more energy )   it isn't as black and white 

[offshoremanxman]

3 hours ago, WTF said:

the copper running that moved to jurby .

Yes constable nicked Rolex. 

[Asthehills]

18 minutes ago, WTF said:

assuming they own their own house then no mortgage and no rent would be a yes, but if they are in social housing then the rent still needs paying ,  in theory they won't be raising kids either  but the bank of mum and dad for their kids and grandkids is at an all time high on lending ( giving ) , they still need to eat ( less as you get older ) but they need extra warmth ( more energy )   it isn't as black and white 

It’s not black and white, but the vast majority of pensioners are going to have more disposable income than a single or coupe with the same income at an earlier part in their lives.  Not by a little bit either, by a mile.