davieG Posted 27 May 2015 Posted 27 May 2015 People in Leicester are officially the poorest in the UK according to a report by the Office for National Statistics. The study looked at gross disposable household income (GDHI), which is the amount of money individuals have available for spending or saving once bills, rent, mortgages and other out-goings are paid. The ONS published its report today and found that the average GDHI for people in the city of Leicester was £11,739. Top of the list was Westminster. Residents of London's affluent city centre district had £43,577 to play with once their bills had been paid. But comparing Western Park to Westminster was a moot point, according to Deputy City Mayor Councillor Rory Palmer. He said: "Talking about disposable income on a national level is almost meaningless. "If you compare us to places like London it becomes radically distorted. "Our poverty issues have built up over generations, and it's something which we are determined to turn around. "When you look at average earnings, they are low - but they are just part of the problem the city faces in relation to poverty." Coun Palmer is responsible for setting up the Leicester Child Poverty Commission to help the city's 30,000 impoverished youngsters. However, in the four years the action group has been in operation, the figure has increased by 3,500. He said: "It's concerning and frustrating that Government cuts have had an impact on people's living standards, it's a sad fact that 30,000 children in Leicester are still living in poverty. "But we are by no means unique, if you look at cities like Derby and Nottingham they all have similar issues." City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby's recent mayoral election victory was accompanied by a manifesto which promised investment in bringing big businesses to the city, as well as more, better paid jobs. Software giant IBM and insurance company Hasting Direct have already confirmed they will be establishing offices in Leicester. Coun Palmer said the focus had to be on putting local people into those new positions. He said: "We are determined to get more highly paid jobs by attracting bigger employers to the city – like IBM. "And we have to make sure that the schools, colleges and universities are equipped to develop local people who will fill those jobs. "One thing we are not very good at in Leicester is retaining our top graduates. "If can create opportunities to encourage them to stay in the city then that can only be a good thing." Top 10 GDHI per head Westminster: £43,577 Kensington and Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulham: £42,116 Camden and City of London: £37,324 Wandsworth: £35,734 West Surrey: £24,706 East Surrey: £24,479 Buckinghamshire: £23,341 Bromley: £22,021 Barnet: £22,017 Hounslow and Richmond upon Thames: £21,953 Bottom 10 GDHI per head West and South of Northern Ireland: £13,357 Luton: £13,337 Wolverhampton: £13,257 Kingston upon Hull: £13,046 North of Northern Ireland: £12,910 Walsall: £12,613 Blackburn with Darwen: £12,276 Sandwell: £12,100 Nottingham: £11,757 Leicester: £11,739 Read more: http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/People-Leicester-poorest-country-national-report/story-26583767-detail/story.html#ixzz3bMpqyMDM Follow us: @Leicester_Merc on Twitter | leicestermercury on Facebook
lavrentis Posted 27 May 2015 Posted 27 May 2015 Surprised Hammersmith and Fulham is that high up to be honest. Probably Kensington and Chelsea pushing it up.
lavrentis Posted 27 May 2015 Posted 27 May 2015 I've heard some tales from people growing up in the Braunstone council estate
MPH Posted 27 May 2015 Posted 27 May 2015 yeah you cant compare the two... down in london you got some posh resturants that charge an arm and a leg for some nice chicken. Get yourself down Maryland . same food a little cheaper.
lavrentis Posted 27 May 2015 Posted 27 May 2015 How do you people LIVE?? We need to be the Midlands powerhouse **** the northern one
DennisNedry Posted 27 May 2015 Posted 27 May 2015 Surprised that the disposable income is that high to be honest, and can only see the average falling in the future as the rich baby boomers and their children start dying.
Guest MattP Posted 27 May 2015 Posted 27 May 2015 Not suprised really, we look like a poverty stricken City, I went for a job interview in the centre at 10 today and I walked past three groups of people all boozing at that time with cans just in the open, even one two on High Street. We really are turning into the toilet of the country, we'll be up there with Luton and Bradford soon.
BlueSi13 Posted 27 May 2015 Posted 27 May 2015 A lot of people I know who have visited the city have just referred to it as something along the lines of 'one big council estate with a nice shopping centre'. Sad, but not surprising really. A lot more needs to be done to encourage big businesses and wealth creators to move their operations closer to the city to encourage well-paid job growth and to help stop chronic brain-drain. A lot easier said than done mind.
westernpark Posted 27 May 2015 Posted 27 May 2015 Western Park is just fine. But those results don't surprise me. We are surrounded by dumps like New Parks and Braunstone and you only have to take a look at their resident's to know money is not growing on their tree's. But,there isn't always a positive correlation between money and happiness.
davieG Posted 28 May 2015 Author Posted 28 May 2015 Not all of Western Park area , this is the former open air school Grade 2 listed building at the entrance to Western Park, so much for the Council looking after Leicester's heritage.
westernpark Posted 28 May 2015 Posted 28 May 2015 Sadly the park attracts people from certain other areas, who don't respect parts of it. And those beautiful buildings are like sitting ducks for them to damage.I'm in there everyday with my dog, and as soon as it gets hot , crime goes up. I know the council have had lots of suitable enquiries, but they seem to be waiting for the million dollar idea.
davieG Posted 28 May 2015 Author Posted 28 May 2015 Sadly the park attracts people from certain other areas, who don't respect parts of it. And those beautiful buildings are like sitting ducks for them to damage.I'm in there everyday with my dog, and as soon as it gets hot , crime goes up. I know the council have had lots of suitable enquiries, but they seem to be waiting for the million dollar idea. hic is surprising considering the number of properties they've let go for a pound.
Vicki Vixen Posted 28 May 2015 Posted 28 May 2015 Surprised that the disposable income is that high to be honest, and can only see the average falling in the future as the rich baby boomers and their children start dying. What do you have in mind? Force them to watch Coventry?
westernpark Posted 28 May 2015 Posted 28 May 2015 It seems like they're only paying attention to the city centre.
Stevosevic Posted 28 May 2015 Posted 28 May 2015 Not surprised really, only need to take a look around the city center and see the types of people about and what's on offer.
leicsmac Posted 28 May 2015 Posted 28 May 2015 Not suprised really, we look like a poverty stricken City, I went for a job interview in the centre at 10 today and I walked past three groups of people all boozing at that time with cans just in the open, even one two on High Street. We really are turning into the toilet of the country, we'll be up there with Luton and Bradford soon. Interesting that you use those two cities and those two cities alone as examples. Why is that exactly? Actually, don't answer - the question is rhetorical, we both know why. But honestly...do you think that is the real issue here? On the topic itself, there does seem to be a poverty issue and it seems to not have been dealt with as well as many other comparable cities have done. There seems to have been steps taken to encourage big businesses to set up shop here, but it's probably going to be a while before we see much effect on that score. I wouldn't mind looking up the unemployment figures for this area by comparison too - is this an unemployment problem, an individual underemployment one, or a bit of both?
davieG Posted 28 May 2015 Author Posted 28 May 2015 According to this East Midlands are par for the course http://www.cityam.com/1410951149/how-high-is-unemployment-in-your-area Edit clicking on the map it's 13.4%
leicsmac Posted 28 May 2015 Posted 28 May 2015 According to this East Midlands are par for the course http://www.cityam.com/1410951149/how-high-is-unemployment-in-your-area Edit clicking on the map it's 13.4% Thanks for that. Looks like it is certainly part of the problem then, with Leicester having the third highest city unemployment rate. Also, that map does a lot to show just how stark the north-south divide is in terms of opportunities.
MooseBreath Posted 28 May 2015 Posted 28 May 2015 Poor effort from the city to be below some of the hovels in the UK, but I'm sure the picture gets better as you travel outwards from the city in any direction. Surprised the poor areas don't directly correlate with the areas of highest unemployment, but I guess I shouldn't be. Maybe when benefits are cut to a more sensible level we'll finally see people who don't work less well off than those who do.
Guest MattP Posted 28 May 2015 Posted 28 May 2015 Interesting that you use those two cities and those two cities alone as examples. Why is that exactly? Actually, don't answer - the question is rhetorical, we both know why. On the topic itself, there does seem to be a poverty issue and it seems to not have been dealt with as well as many other comparable cities have done. There seems to have been steps taken to encourage big businesses to set up shop here, but it's probably going to be a while before we see much effect on that score. Because they are the biggest two shitholes I have been too, don't give me the attitude of 'the question is rhetorical' when it clearly isn't or tell me you know exactly why I said those two cities, many factors contribute to it, at least have the balls to accuse me of being racist instead of just insinuating it if you want to go down that road, I don't have to pretend anything anymore after the election results last month. You still do. As for your last line, you can have as much big business investing as you want but if people don't want to work things won't get better, but you hate the protestent work ethic so I don't ever expect you to understand that.
Wymsey Posted 28 May 2015 Posted 28 May 2015 Think London Road needs revamping, going towards the city centre.
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