The poor in the United Kingdom are wrestling with the same hardships they were facing 15 years ago. As per a new report by&nbsp;the Centre for Social Justice, an independent think-tank, there’s a “yawning gap between those who can get by and those stuck at the bottom”.

<h2>Divide despite wealth</h2>

In a 300-page report published on Sunday, the think tank showed evidence of a deep divide in Britain.&nbsp;

As per CNN, it shows that the nation's economic stagnation has made tackling poverty harder. Furthermore, the cost-of-living crisis has made hardships experienced by those least well-off harder.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/your-anxiety-is-lying-to-you-saying-no-to-plans-isnt-all-that-bad-finds-study-668806">Your anxiety is lying to you! Saying 'no' to plans isn't all that bad, finds study</a>

Sophia Worringer, Deputy Policy Director at the Centre for Social Justice, emphasised the stark contrast and said, "We have uncovered a nation of two halves."&nbsp;

"The general public for the most part can get by, and then there is this cohort of people whose lives are marked by family breakdown, physical and mental ill-health; who live in crime-ridden communities and experience multiple barriers to work."

<h2>Echoes of the Victorian Age</h2>

The think tank warns that the UK is "sliding back into the two nations of the Victorian era, marked by a widening gulf between mainstream society and a… poverty-stricken underclass."

Drawing parallels between the current situation and the Victorian Age, it says that the modern Britain is becoming similarly "entrenched" with extreme social inequality marked by poverty, family breakdown, joblessness, addiction, educational failure and more.&nbsp;

<h2>Stagnant wages, pandemic and more</h2>

"For too many, Britain is broken and the gap between the haves and have-nots is in danger of becoming a chasm," says the report's foreword, signed by Mervyn King, a former Bank of England governor, and others.

The report points out that average weekly wages in Britain have remained more or less the same since the 2008 financial crisis.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/epic-games-epic-win-jury-finds-google-guilty-of-monopolistic-practices-in-antitrust-trial-668853">Epic Games' 'epic' win: Jury finds Google guilty of monopolistic practices in antitrust trial</a>

Furthermore, the pandemic lockdowns worsened key drivers of poverty, and had a "catastrophic effect on the nation’s social fabric."

During lockdowns, domestic abuse helpline calls surged by 700 per cent, and mental health issues escalated, especially among young people.

"One in 5 young people were left facing mental health challenges after the pandemic."

It also found that severe school absence increased by 134 per cent, while welfare payments rose significantly to 1.2 million people availing it.&nbsp;

The report warns that if the current trend continues, by 2030, a quarter of children between the ages of five and 15 will suffer from a mental health disorder. 
&nbsp; 
Authors of the report, as per CNN, are working on "an ambitious suite of policy recommendations" which will be released next spring to help tackle "the root causes of poverty". Without a strategy to do so, "our future is looking very poor," warned Worringer.

(With inputs from agencies)

The poor in the United Kingdom are wrestling with the same hardships they were facing 15 years ago. As per a new report by the Centre for Social Justice, an independent think-tank, there’s a “yawning gap between those who can get by and those stuck at the bottom”.

The poor in the United Kingdom are wrestling with the same hardships they were facing 15 years ago. As per a new report by the Centre for Social Justice, an independent think-tank, there’s a “yawning gap between those who can get by and those stuck at the bottom”. Divide despite wealth In a 300-page report published on Sunday, the think tank showed evidence of a deep divide in Britain. As per CNN, it shows that the nation's economic stagnation has made tackling poverty harder. Furthermore, the cost-of-living crisis has made hardships experienced by those least well-off harder. Also read | Your anxiety is lying to you! Saying 'no' to plans isn't all that bad, finds study Sophia Worringer, Deputy Policy Director at the Centre for Social Justice, emphasised the stark contrast and said, "We have uncovered a nation of two halves." "The general public for the most part can get by, and then there is this cohort of people whose lives are marked by family breakdown, physical and mental ill-health; who live in crime-ridden communities and experience multiple barriers to work." Echoes of the Victorian Age The think tank warns that the UK is "sliding back into the two nations of the Victorian era, marked by a widening gulf between mainstream society and a… poverty-stricken underclass." Drawing parallels between the current situation and the Victorian Age, it says that the modern Britain is becoming similarly "entrenched" with extreme social inequality marked by poverty, family breakdown, joblessness, addiction, educational failure and more. Stagnant wages, pandemic and more "For too many, Britain is broken and the gap between the haves and have-nots is in danger of becoming a chasm," says the report's foreword, signed by Mervyn King, a former Bank of England governor, and others. The report points out that average weekly wages in Britain have remained more or less the same since the 2008 financial crisis. Also read | Epic Games' 'epic' win: Jury finds Google guilty of monopolistic practices in antitrust trial Furthermore, the pandemic lockdowns worsened key drivers of poverty, and had a "catastrophic effect on the nation’s social fabric." During lockdowns, domestic abuse helpline calls surged by 700 per cent, and mental health issues escalated, especially among young people. "One in 5 young people were left facing mental health challenges after the pandemic." It also found that severe school absence increased by 134 per cent, while welfare payments rose significantly to 1.2 million people availing it. The report warns that if the current trend continues, by 2030, a quarter of children between the ages of five and 15 will suffer from a mental health disorder. Authors of the report, as per CNN, are working on "an ambitious suite of policy recommendations" which will be released next spring to help tackle "the root causes of poverty". Without a strategy to do so, "our future is looking very poor," warned Worringer. (With inputs from agencies)

‘A nation of two halves’: UK’s persistent wealth inequality, poverty pushing it back into Victorian era

The onset of Covid pandemic not only robbed the livelihood for millions of people all over the world, but it has apparently also created new billionaires.

Dubbed as “pandemic billionaires”, a recent Oxfam report has claimed that 20 people in Asia, mostly associated with the field of pharmaceuticals, saw their wealth zoom during the pandemic period.

According to the report, by March 2021, profits from the pharmaceuticals, medical equipment and services needed for the Covid response made 20 people rich even as lockdowns and economic stagnation destroyed the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of others.

These people mainly belonged from India, China, Hong Kong, and Japan.

Among the new billionaires include Li Jianquan, whose firm, Winner Medical, makes personal protective equipment (PPE) for health workers, and Dai Lizhong, whose company, Sansure Biotech, makes COVID-19 tests and diagnostic kits, the report said.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/wealth-inequality-in-india-a-maid-would-need-to-work-for-22277-years-to-earn-as-much-as-a-top-ceo-275407">&nbsp;Wealth inequality in India: A maid would need to work for 22,277 years to earn as much as a top CEO</a>

The Asia-Pacific region saw the total number of billionaires growing by almost a third from 803 in March 2020 to 1,087 by November last year.

According to the report, their collective wealth increased by three-quarters (74 per cent).

The richest 1 per cent owned more wealth than the poorest 90 per cent in the region, the report said.

The report continues to mention that the wealth gap is set to grow.

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According to Credit Suisse, by 2025, there will be 42,000 more people worth more than $50m in Asia-Pacific&nbsp;and 99,000 billionaires.

The number of millionaires by 2025 is projected to be 15.3 million, a 58 per cent increase on 2020. Both the World Bank and IMF have said that coronavirus will cause a significant increase in global economic inequality.

Earlier, the World Bank had predicted that global extreme poverty is expected to rise on the back of pandemic-related disruptions.

According to its estimate, the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to push an additional 88 million to 115 million people into extreme poverty this year, with the total rising to as many as 150 million by 2021.

“The pandemic and global recession may cause over 1.4 per cent of the world’s population to fall into extreme poverty,” World Bank group president David Malpass said.

(With inputs from agencies)

The onset of Covid pandemic not only robbed the livelihood for millions of people all over the world, but it has apparently also created new billionaires. Dubbed as “pandemic billionaires”, a recent Oxfam report has claimed that 20 people in Asia, mostly associated with the field of pharmaceuticals, saw their wealth zoom during the pandemic period.

The onset of Covid pandemic not only robbed the livelihood for millions of people all over the world, but it has apparently also created new billionaires. Dubbed as “pandemic billionaires”, a recent Oxfam report has claimed that 20 people in Asia, mostly associated with the field of pharmaceuticals, saw their wealth zoom during the pandemic period. According to the report, by March 2021, profits from the pharmaceuticals, medical equipment and services needed for the Covid response made 20 people rich even as lockdowns and economic stagnation destroyed the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of others. These people mainly belonged from India, China, Hong Kong, and Japan. Among the new billionaires include Li Jianquan, whose firm, Winner Medical, makes personal protective equipment (PPE) for health workers, and Dai Lizhong, whose company, Sansure Biotech, makes COVID-19 tests and diagnostic kits, the report said. Also read | Wealth inequality in India: A maid would need to work for 22,277 years to earn as much as a top CEO The Asia-Pacific region saw the total number of billionaires growing by almost a third from 803 in March 2020 to 1,087 by November last year. According to the report, their collective wealth increased by three-quarters (74 per cent). The richest 1 per cent owned more wealth than the poorest 90 per cent in the region, the report said. The report continues to mention that the wealth gap is set to grow. Also read | Richest 1 per cent of Americans now own more wealth than the entire middle class According to Credit Suisse, by 2025, there will be 42,000 more people worth more than $50m in Asia-Pacific and 99,000 billionaires. The number of millionaires by 2025 is projected to be 15.3 million, a 58 per cent increase on 2020. Both the World Bank and IMF have said that coronavirus will cause a significant increase in global economic inequality. Earlier, the World Bank had predicted that global extreme poverty is expected to rise on the back of pandemic-related disruptions. According to its estimate, the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to push an additional 88 million to 115 million people into extreme poverty this year, with the total rising to as many as 150 million by 2021. “The pandemic and global recession may cause over 1.4 per cent of the world’s population to fall into extreme poverty,” World Bank group president David Malpass said. (With inputs from agencies)

Covid spawned 20 new ‘pandemic billionaires’ in Asia, says Oxfam report

Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s address at the World Economic Forum (WEF) at Davos, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday asked him to inform the global forum that why one per cent of India`s population gets 73 per cent of its wealth.

Rahul took to his Twitter handle to attack the prime minister.&nbsp;

&quot;Dear PM, welcome to Switzerland! Please tell DAVOS why 1% of India`s population gets 73% of its wealth? I`m attaching a report for your ready reference,&quot; Rahul tweeted.&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Dear PM, 
Welcome to Switzerland! Please tell DAVOS why 1% of India&rsquo;s population gets 73% of its wealth? I&rsquo;m attaching a report for your ready reference. <a href="https://t.co/lLSNOig5pE">https://t.co/lLSNOig5pE</a>
&mdash; Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficeOfRG/status/955764855289536512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
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With his tweet, Rahul also attached a new survey by international rights group Oxfam, which mentioned that India&#39;s richest one per cent garnered as much as 73 per cent of the total wealth generated in the country in 2017.&nbsp;

The report&#39;s findings are in line with those of similar studies including the one published by renowned economists Lucas Chancel and Thomas Piketty last July.&nbsp;

Both the reports finding said the rich have disproportionately benefited from liberalisation while others have been left struggling.

PM Modi attended the WEF in Davos and gave the opening plenary speech.&nbsp;

He is the first Prime Minister to participate in a forum meeting in two decades after the then Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda in 1997.

Rahul took to his Twitter handle to attack the prime minister.

Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address at the World Economic Forum (WEF) at Davos, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday asked him to inform the global forum that why one per cent of India`s population gets 73 per cent of its wealth. Rahul took to his Twitter handle to attack the prime minister. "Dear PM, welcome to Switzerland! Please tell DAVOS why 1% of India`s population gets 73% of its wealth? I`m attaching a report for your ready reference," Rahul tweeted. Dear PM, Welcome to Switzerland! Please tell DAVOS why 1% of India’s population gets 73% of its wealth? I’m attaching a report for your ready reference. https://t.co/lLSNOig5pE — Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) January 23, 2018 × With his tweet, Rahul also attached a new survey by international rights group Oxfam, which mentioned that India's richest one per cent garnered as much as 73 per cent of the total wealth generated in the country in 2017. The report's findings are in line with those of similar studies including the one published by renowned economists Lucas Chancel and Thomas Piketty last July. Both the reports finding said the rich have disproportionately benefited from liberalisation while others have been left struggling. PM Modi attended the WEF in Davos and gave the opening plenary speech. He is the first Prime Minister to participate in a forum meeting in two decades after the then Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda in 1997.

Tell Davos why 1% Indians corner 73% wealth: Rahul