thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-16--Ashamed Of Your Debt? Talking About It Is The First Step To Tackling It

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“We talk about sex more than we talk about money,” says Bola Sol, financial wellness coach and founder of the Rich Girl Chronicles. “You have to question these things. I don’t get it.”
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Bola is one of our two guests on the latest episode of HuffPost UK Life’s new podcast, Am I Making You Uncomfortable? in which we’re tackling the stigma we often feel talking about money head on.
Also joining us is Josie Warner, senior research and insight officer at the debt charity StepChange, with expert advice on breaking the cycle of debt and smashing some taboos around money in the process.
Debt is something that impacts women in unique ways, after all – 60% of people who approach Step Change to use its services are women. So, the issues are systemic. Coronavirus has only compounded this, with job insecurity and reduced pay making it harder to stay afloat. Debt is complicated and it’s uncomfortable. But when you start tackling it, that weight begins to lift.
Nattakorn Maneerat via Getty Images
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You can subscribe, download and listen to Am I Making You Uncomfortable? on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and all major podcasting platforms. You’ll also find a full transcript of our chat below so even more of you can benefit from Bola and Josie’s excellent advice.
Join in the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #AIMYU – and go behind the scenes by subscribing to our podcast newsletter to hear what inspired us to tackle the topics you’re probably too squeamish to talk about.
HuffPost UK Am I Making You Uncomfortable? co-hosts Brogan Driscoll and Rachel Moss
Episode 8: Transcript
Brogan Driscoll:
Hello, and welcome to HuffPost’s brand new weekly podcast. Am I Making You Uncomfortable? Presented by me, Brogan Driscoll.
Rachel Moss:
And me Rachel Moss. This podcast is a frank honest conversation about women’s bodies, health and private lives. This week, we’re discussing women and debt. 60% of the people who use the debt support charity StepChange are women. There are so many ways that debt can be gendered from the fact that store cards are aimed at women to the gender pay gap, to the fact that women are more likely to be single parents.
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Brogan:
We’ll be joined by Josie Warner, senior research and insight officer at Debt Charity StepChange and Financial Wellness Coach Bola Sol. And you can join the conversation by using the hashtag #AIMYU.
Okay, I’ll go first because I was in debt for quite a long time. For the whole of my 20s, actually. I’ve only just paid off my debt and for a long time it was something that I felt ashamed about. I just hid away from it. I didn’t even... I had a credit card with a separate bank, so I didn’t see the number and it was something I...
I used my credit card at the end of every month. I wasn’t very good at managing my spending, in the fact that I just used to go out all the time and go out for dinners – honestly, three or four times a week. And who did I think I was? And on a journalist, entry level salary. I was keeping up with my friends who were accountants and engineers and being an idiot. But anyway.
Rachel:
Although I feel like you’re so harsh on yourself saying, “being an idiot”, because I have plenty of friends who were in that same situation as you. I will admit that I wasn’t, because I’m not going to pretend that I’ve ever been in bad debt when I haven’t, because I am the stingiest person you’ll ever meet on the other end of the scale. I freak out if I’ve had two takeaways in a month. So I am the opposite of that, but I know plenty of people who will completely relate to what you were saying. And I don’t think it’s stupid at all, because it’s so hard not to get swept up with your friendship group and their spending habits. I think for me, luckily, my friendship group, I’ve said this to you before, I’m naturally the organiser and I’m also stingy. So when I organise meals, it’s to really cheap restaurants or a picnic. So basically I’m responsible for helping everyone else stay out of debt.
Brogan:
That’s so good, I wish I had a friend like you. But also you said that I’m being harsh on myself. You just said that you’re stingy: are we kind of excusing the way we approach money in a way that is not very fair.
Rachel:
Yeah. That’s so true.
Brogan:
To be sensible with money, even saying sensible makes it seem like you’re boring, which you aren’t at all.
Rachel:
Yeah.
Brogan:
Yeah. It’s so interesting.
Rachel:
Yeah. It definitely is. And I think it plays into the whole idea that we moralise the way we talk about money and particularly debts as well. So I’ve never been into big credit card debt or anything like that. But actually I do have massive debt in the form of a student loan and a mortgage. And those things are considered good debt. Whereas credit cards are considered and I say, this with air quotes, “bad debt.” And it’s just so crazy how there are different judgments attached to different types of debt.
Rachel:
I almost feel if somebody says that they’ve got themselves into their overdraft because they’ve bought loads of clothes: you have to check yourself not to call that irresponsible. Whereas if somebody says they’re a single mother and they’re in debt because they’re struggling with their rent you go, “Oh my God, that’s really sad.”
When actually both of those situations are going to impact that person’s life that will relate to their emotions and their well-being and their mental health. And I think it serves absolutely no one to get judgmental about debt. It’s not helpful.
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Brogan:
It’s really interesting because I feel like for a really long time, I would joke about the fact that I had debt. But I would never ever have told anyone what the number was.
Rachel:
Yeah.
Brogan:
Because I feel like everyone spoke about using credit cards and lots of people spoke about not having any money and being broke, but there was so much shame around it. I saw this post actually on Instagram, the other day from a woman who – she’s just released a book actually. It’s called My Frugal Year, her account – and she was in about £26,000 of debt. And she’s documenting her journey, getting out of it. And something that she posted on her Instagram account a couple of weeks ago was, “You’re not in debt. You have debt.” Which I thought was really interesting because I never thought about that. It’s a difference between your debt being your identity and your debt being the situation that you’re currently in that-
Rachel:
Absolutely.
Brogan:
... with help, obviously depending on how serious your debt is, because my debt was not terrible. It was about £8,000, which is a lot of money, but not something that I couldn’t get myself out of. If I was in a sticky situation, I’m sure I would have been. I could have gone and lived with my parents. It’s really interesting that idea of having debt versus being in debt, I think.
Rachel:
Yeah
Brogan:
It’s temporary. It’s something you can offload if you have help.
Rachel:
Yeah. It’s a nice way of thinking about it. And also you touched on there, the idea that even though it wasn’t comfortable for you having that debt, you knew you had a safety net. And I think just being upfront about those privileges and also about the big spectrum of debt as well. Because it does go from the, “Oh shit, I’ve spent too much this month” to really, really impacting people’s lives and they’re in it out of necessity. We’re getting a little bit better I think, as women talking about money, I love Money Diaries, which I know has got huge on Refinery29, for anyone who hasn’t seen it, which has got a huge following. It is anonymised accounts of women sharing their spending habits, whether that’s debt or not debt, all the ins and outs. And those kinds of things are at least like bringing up the conversation a bit more, I think.
Brogan:
You mentioned that Money Diaries on Refinery29 is an anonymous kind of column and I think that’s what makes it so brilliant and also such a safe space for women to talk about their money – their salary, their spending, their debt, their kind of living situation. In a way that allows them not to be judged because when Money Diaries... It’s from the US actually. It’s a US import from Refinery29, but when it kind of blew up in the UK, I remember lots and lots of publications (I don’t know if you remember this, Rach) trying to copy the format -
Rachel:
Yes.
Brogan:
And the issue with all of the copycat approaches is that they featured the women – they even named them, or they had their pictures in – and there were a couple of occasions where, I remember one in particular where there was a woman who lived with her parents, had a decent salary but had no savings and used to spend quite a lot of her salary, just on clothes and going out. And she basically went viral with loads and loads of people dragging her for being irresponsible and being entitled. And It just struck me that the confessional nature of the Money Diaries format is like another way that society can judge women based on their money situation. And I think it’s good that Refinery29 is anonymous because it protects the people who are coming forward about it and it does open up a really interesting conversation. Because I don’t know any of my friends’ salaries.
Rachel:
Really?
Brogan:
No.
Rachel:
That’s interesting. You find out salaries more if your mates are in public sector jobs. So I’ve got so many friends who were teachers: so the pay scales are very public. And as soon as they’ve got a head of department job I know within a range, what they’re going to be paid. And I think because of that, they’re quite open about it. But when you’re in private sector jobs, it’s a whole other matter. Even among other journalists. It takes a real long time to get to know someone to have that honest conversation, to even figure out if you’re on the right salary.
Brogan:
So obviously money is a really taboo subject, particularly in British culture. And I think that debt is even more taboo. So it’s really great that we’re going to be having this conversation. And we’re going to hear from some listeners who have sent us in their own experiences of debt too.
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Testimony 1:
My experience of debt is that you never get out of debt. You need a dream come true or winning a lottery to actually balance yourself. And that’s what my experience is. It’s more a mental thing. You have to be strong and know how to balance and learn how to budget, but you never really be free from debt. I mean who is? Credit cards, mortgages, things like that. Everyone’s got some debt to pay, but if you come from my background and many like me who have never had savings or having a job that can bring in £30,000 a year. We’ve always been on the breadline. And so we’ve had to get into debt to be able to survive.
Testimony 2:
I got bankrupt about 15 years ago and I lost all the money I had then made me feel like a failure. I had to rely on parents and friends and I had to start from zero and build up. Psychologically it was a very hard time. What it changed is it changed my attitude towards risk. I became quite afraid of taking risks. I thought it happened to me because I wanted more money, more recognition, more success. So it changed my perspective on how I looked at things. It made me concentrate on the job from then on. I just wanted to do the best I can and the success and the money if they ever came, came after that. And I also, started looking at things to the perspective of need: do I really need to buy that thing? Do I really need it? So I think overall it was a good experience.
Brogan:
Next up, we’re joined by Bola Sol, financial wellness coach and the founder of Rich Girl Chronicles. A community for women to come together and talk money. Bola, thank you so much for joining us today. So you’re a financial wellness coach and I wondered whether you could explain what financial wellness means exactly for our listeners.
Bola Sol:
Yeah. So financial wellness is basically having less anxiety around your funds and regardless of how much you make. I understand everybody’s circumstances are quite different, but it’s really key that people inhale and exhale when it comes to their finances as well. And I say, “Okay, how can I help others have a positive relationship with money so that they don’t avoid it, but they’re getting in front of it and they feel confident.” Rich Girl Chronicles is about defining your story with money. So whether you want a one bedroom house for yourself, or somebody wants a six bedroom house, you get to decide how you value your money. Because also, to be fair, reflection of how you value yourself, how you value your time and how you value your energy.
Rachel:
I love that. It’s such a positive way of framing it. Where do we learn our money habits from? Would you say, so some of those habits that are getting in our own way,
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Bola:
It’s parents, it’s media, it’s gentrification, it’s colonisation, it’s patriarchy, it’s history, right? It’s about how we are taught from home, but also what our parents were taught, right? And who their parents were. And so a variety of sources.
Rachel:
We were talking about our own money experiences at the start and Brogan was really honest about her own experience of debt. And then I said on the flip side, I’m the stingiest human being you’ve ever met. And I do think that comes from my upbringing and having a time when things were really tight financially. So my mum was very open about budgeting and all of those things. So I guess you can either lean into what you learn or you can rebel against it, can’t you? Is that something that you see with the women you talk to a lot?
Bola:
Absolutely. It’s about learning and unlearning and I’m very honest with my journey as well. And when I say, “Look I’m not in the best place financially, or I am.” I guess it starts with honest conversation, right?
Rachel:
Yeah. So true. And could you tell us a bit – I think this leads us really nicely into all of your work with Rich Girl Chronicles – could you tell us what it involves exactly and how it works?
Bola:
Yeah. So it’s currently an accountability group. And every month there is only one obligation. You send me your budget before the new month begins or at the start of the new month. And I always told them a budget is a forecast, but I need to see that you are committing to this and then we have various discussions about everything. So recently we had a discussion that we have... some of them are co-founders of amazing companies and some are also coaches of different industries and things like that. So it’s literally just a collective of women who come together and we just say, “Look, we are actually very powerful.” Recently on Sunday we shared multiple streams of income. I shared how I’m currently making five streams of income. Somebody shared how they’re making two. And sometimes some of those income streams aren’t as powerful as the others in terms of the financial value, but it was about sharing and saying, “Okay, how do we get started here? How did you get started?” So it’s literally just a community of women who are empowering each other financially.
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Brogan:
We were talking earlier about how there is quite a lot of secrecy around money. I’m really interested in how you’ve like tipped that on its head and brought people together to talk openly about their finances and how that... What is so powerful about that conversation and connecting with others and talking about money?
Bola:
It is that you are not any form of slave to what society has told you. You are right. You’re not slaves to money. You have freedom and this is what people don’t understand. Even some of my clients, they sometimes get a bit nervous of me and I’m like... because here’s the thing. You have to give your budget at the beginning of the month. That is your end of the bargain. However, if you don’t and you come to me and you say, “Look, this happened this month. I’m going through a tough time with my family.” I am understanding. But the fact that even sometimes my clients don’t feel they have the right to exercise that is a bit of a problem. Because it means that we feel that we are prisoners of our own condition and we don’t have to be.
Brogan:
Yeah. Super powerful. I love that you are empowering so many women to talk about this. Why have you picked women, other than being a woman, as your target demographic? Why do you think women need more help with this stuff?
Bola:
Let’s look at patriarchy. Let’s look at gender pay gap it is... let’s look at feminism, let’s look at intersectional feminism. It is just, there is a myriad of reasons I’ve chosen it, but studying mathematics and finance at university, and gagging for internships at big corporations. And then going there and seeing these big buildings and then looking around and say, “Wow, there isn’t one Black woman here. Wow. There’s two women in the room and there’s a hundred of us?” I say, “This is a problem.” And then I’m like, “I have to go back and tell my community.” Because I do not want to be the token anything. I do not want to be the token woman. I don’t want to be the token Black woman. I want to be the woman who had a rope that tied back or had her arm tied back and said, “Right, let’s bring another one.” And that we bond together to make a positive difference. So we are not in the room enough. And I said, “Let’s be in the room. And then let’s build a table.”
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Brogan:
So store cards and buy now pay later schemes are often marketed at women, I would say. What do you think about those kind of financial products?
Bola:
I believe they prey on people’s financial illiteracy. I think for so long people have been preying on people’s ignorance and it is wrong. And I speak very publicly about those companies on social media, they send me private emails saying, “Hey, we understand you’re upset. Let’s tell you about how it works.” And I say, “How dare you? I am an educated Black woman. How absolutely dare you.” I know what’s happening and it’s not okay. This is how, elderly people are being tricked out of their pension. People are told and cryptocurrency isn’t regulated. So, someone can say, “Hey, look, I’ve just put six grand in Bitcoin. And they’ve told me it’s going to be 60,000 in so, and so years.” And you just think, “Where was the knowledge who was the credible person, where’s the validity behind this?” And now we are using what is about to be an old school form of corporate greed. And we’re trying to take into a new world order, but whatever the new world order is, I think it’s basically saying everybody has to stop being greedy. Everybody has to stop being superior. It is time for equality.
Rachel:
You just spoke about how confusing money is deliberately. So for so many people and how hard it is to understand interest rates, with some of these pay later schemes and things. Do you have any advice or resources that you could recommend to people in terms of improving confidence or literacy around money? Are there any accounts that people should follow? Are there any resources that people should read?
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Bola:
The Break Platform by Patricia Bright. If you check out The Eman Effect, he is a financial expert and qualified wealth manager. So he has a great platform. This is all via Instagram, by the way. And Stock Pickers Academy – they’re FCA regulated though, which is fantastic.
Brogan:
In terms of emotional spending, I take your point, it’s a really interesting point that there are lots of different influences and factors at work. We wanted to ask about overspending. Because we’re talking about debt. So I wanted to talk about the temptation to buy things and spend money and why we do so how it makes us feel.
Bola:
Of course, yeah. So I find from myself included and my clients that emotional spending can come as a result of many things. I have thought about doing a masters in financial psychology. One of them is PMS. If we’re keeping it frank, when mother nature arrives, oh my gosh, I do not want to clean. I do not want to cook. I don’t want to speak to anybody. Emotional spending is having a hard day at work and then walking past one of your favourite retailers and just saying, “Oh my gosh, thank God for contactless.” There are levels to emotional spending and it’s very dependent on as well your upbringing, also your current circumstance. If you are currently living at home, where you’re not happy with, is it that you want to in some form or another escape and live somewhere else? There are so many levels to emotional spending and it’s very dependent on your current circumstance and I guess your history and all your life lessons and what has made you, who you are today.
Rachel:
You mentioned there having an emergency fund: it made me think about that whole idea of a ‘fuck it’ fund, which I massively prescribe to. I don’t know if you speak about that with the women you work with at all, but for anyone listening who doesn’t know what the hell I’m on about: a fuck it fund is basically spare money that you have by your side. If you’re ever like, “Fuck, I need to get out of this situation.” It could be a shitty house share, a shitty job, a horrible relationship. Any of those things, you need a fuck it fund. But of course, if you’re in debt, that is one of those things that is stopping you from getting that right. So is that something you talk to women about and how can you get that? Get that blanket if you don’t have it.
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Bola:
Yeah. So I would definitely say when somebody has an emergency fund, but they are or wants an emergency fund, then they’re also in debt. It’s about creating ratios, creating percentages where you split it, just like a pie chart. I’d like to keep things very simple. And I say, even with debts, you have to look at urgent debts, first non-urgent debts, right? What comes first? And then maybe you can just build a small buffer of an emergency fund. So maybe you can put 5% of your income from an into an emergency fund, but make sure you’re getting the best rate of interest. But then you look at your debt for example, and then you just say, “Okay, well let me put, I don’t know, 15% into it.” So that’s 10% more, but that means I pay it off faster. So I make people create debt repayment plans. I’m somewhat of a financial artist. I’m like, “You draw me the picture you want to envision and I will help you get started.” And then, you finish it off.
Rachel:
And do you have any tips for dealing with money and debt in a new relationship as well from a wellness perspective? Do you bring that up straight away? How do you bring that up? Is there anything like that you can help us with?
Bola:
Well, it depends on the type of relationship you want with the person. Because if it’s like, “I don’t see a long term future with you and I’m just having fun during quarantine.” I call them quarantine baes. I’m literally just like, “Look, you have no business knowing my business.” But if you see a long time with them, it’s important you start having these discussions and say, “Look this is where I’m currently at. This is my situation.” I think it’s important to make it clear that when you are making a statement, ask yourself if there’s anything you need from that statement from the other person. So, you say, do you let them know? I would really appreciate your assistance on this and assistance doesn’t have to be financial assistance. It could be professional assistance. Maybe they’re fantastic with the graphs or they’re fantastic with Excel. But in order to include someone in your personal finances, it means that you include them in your personal life, to which extent is completely up to you. So if I’m dating someone and it’s three months and I have a bit of debt left, I might tell you I might not. But if I want to share my life with you, then I would like to let you know.
Brogan:
It’s such a good point. It’s such a relief. I think when people...so I was saying earlier that I was in... I’ve just got out of the credit card debt.
Bola:
Congratulations.
Brogan:
Thank you.
Bola:
It’s a big deal. It’s a big deal.
Brogan:
I’m proud. Thanks. I feel like I’ve gone red.
Rachel:
It’s a good thing. It’s a podcast.
Brogan:
My finance fairy godmother just praised me. Yeah, so I was in debt for ages and I was really embarrassed to talk about it and even – I’ve been with my boyfriend for a couple of years – and it was a while until we both spoke about money and realiaed we’re basically we’re in the same position. And neither of us were telling each other that really, we probably shouldn’t have spent the money that we had. And once we opened up about it, it did take us a while. But once we opened up about it, we were able to check on each other... Not each other’s spending, but maybe sometimes actually we check each other’s spending, check our spending as a couple, encourage each other to pay things back. I felt so much lighter once we’d spoken about it, to be honest, because it was something that I was hiding, I think. It was very freeing. I just wanted to share that.
Rachel:
Well no it’s nice. Because you say you were hiding it, but there’s a lot of shame around it, right? We joke about it, but there’s so much shame. Why do you think we have so much shame about it?
Bola:
It’s ingrained in the culture that we’ve been told is a culture we should accept and that culture is now shifting and changing. We shouldn’t feel ashamed about anything. We talk about sex more than we talk about money. You have to question these things. I don’t get it. And for so long, my quest to understand personal finances has come from a place of scarcity. Why did I not have money to an extent growing up? We never went without food, praise my mom. But I think right now everybody is having a truth moment, whether or not they want to announce it themselves. So I think it’s a cultural thing. It’s such a shame, but this is why we’re here to break the stigma women!
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Brogan:
Bola so we ask all of our podcast guests the same question. What makes you uncomfortable?
Bola:
Racism, since the Dawn of time? I have felt discriminated against too. I am born and bred in Brixton, south London. And I say that very proudly. I’ve always called myself Bola is an abbreviation for my full name Abolaji. And sometimes I thought the need to use my English name, which is Anita. There’s been micro-aggressions all my life. There’s been macro-aggressions. And I think we’ve been quiet for so long or we’ve just somewhat... Some of us have accepted it in one form or another. And with the very public killing of George Floyd and I have to shout out to someone who could have been my auntie. Someone could have been my mother. Belly Mujinga is a woman who a member of the public spat in her face. And I believe she was a train driver and she passed away from COVID-19. As a Black woman, I’m tired of racism. I’m tired of any ism.
Rachel:
Thank you for sharing that. That’s a really powerful thing for us to include. Thank you.
Brogan:
Thank you so much Bola.
Bola:
Brilliant no worries. Thank you for having me.
Rachel:
I hope you get some chill time this afternoon. Thank you so much.
Brogan:
Thank you for your time this afternoon.
Bola:
Thank you. Yeah, definitely take care. Bye.
Rachel:
Take care bye.
Testimony 3:
Being really poor growing up meant that when I finally started to earn my own money, I was really frugal but then I realised that spending money on myself was self-soothing. So I went so crazily into debt and had no idea how much debt I was in, until I decided that the agony of the sleepless nights wasn’t worth it anymore. So I went on a course, came back home, finally opened all the envelopes, then opted into being poor for as long as it took to pay it all off. I’ve not been in debt since, unless you count mortgages and I won’t be getting into debt again.
Testimony 4:
When I was on maternity leave and when it was time to go back to work I realised that I couldn’t afford it Between exorbitant nursery fees and overpriced train fares, I would have taken home just over £100 a month and spent less than an hour a day with my baby. So I took £10,000 out of our savings account, took out £20,000 loan and bought a franchise. It didn’t start well and only got worse. Not only was I not making any money but soon after starting the business I had to find £1500 a month to cover my overheads. Then Covid-19 happened. I couldn’t trade, I wasn’t eligible for a loan, I couldn’t sell it, I couldn’t afford to keep it going and I certainly couldn’t afford financially or emotionally to start from scratch when it wouldn’t be possible again. So I terminated the franchise agreement and closed the company. Today I find myself having lost over £40,000, £20,000 of which I still need to pay back over the next four years.
Rachel:
Now we’re joined by Josie Warner senior research and insight officer at Debt Charity StepChange, which is the UK’s largest provider of free debt advice. So Josie could you explain for those listeners who haven’t heard of StepChange before what the charity does and who it’s aimed at?
Josie Warner:
So we work with people across the UK who are experiencing problem debt. So we provide free tailored debt advice to those people. So either over the telephone or online, and we also help people find recommendations for their debt problems. So there’s a range of different solutions that people can take. So we have a team of close to a thousand advisors who provide tailored advice to people struggling with financial difficulty.
Rachel:
The statistics around women and debt are pretty sobering. And we know that it’s a really prevalent problem and 60% or over 60% of StepChange’s clients are women. Why are women so disproportionately affected by debt? What are some of the key reasons why women end up in these situations?
Josie:
I think there are two different elements to this. So I think there are environmental and economically environmental reasons. So this is things like the gender pay gap. Women are more likely to have caring responsibilities of family members or children. Women are more likely to be in secure work. So that includes zero hours contracts and things like that, and that just makes the wider environment for women economically really tricky to navigate through. And then often women kind of in financial difficulty, or even before financial difficulty, are impacted by what we call life events. So this is things like relationship breakdown, experiencing unemployment or redundancy or experiencing a new illness or injury. If you couple those two things together, it makes it really difficult for women to just work through their financial situations and it can make financial situations really tricky.
Brogan:
In terms of spending, are women more susceptible to spending more or - because it feels like there are these buy now pay later schemes that are marketed at women and a lot of various shopping things that are marketed at women.
Josie:
I don’t think necessarily women are more likely to overspend actually it’s a bit of a myth that goes on there. I think with buy now-pay later, it’s interesting. I’ve seen over the last year, you see a lot of advertising for those things like Instagram, for example. And it’s just about making women aware of the risks that are associated with using those kind of credit payment. But in our stats, so this is for people in problem debt, we find with women they’re less likely to have higher credit debt. So men are more likely to have higher debts on credit cards and other credit products, but women are more likely to be behind on household bills. So more likely to build up arrears on things like the heating, electricity, council tax, things like that. So it’s an interesting point and we speak about it quite a lot and it’s important for us as women to talk about, budgeting and spending. But it is a bit of a myth that goes on that women fall into financial difficulty because of problems with spending. I think there’s as we were talking about before, there’s a lot of other factors that come into play with women and their finances.
Rachel:
So StepChange obviously focus on people in problem debt: that is a lot of your clients. What kind of impact does that debt have on the people that you work with? Particularly women.
Josie:
The debt has a huge effect. And the thing is it extends way beyond just someone’s financial situation. There’s a lot of research out there about the experience of debt on women. It really impacts their mental health, for example, and really feed into many other areas of their lives. So it can cause an awful lot of stress. We have a lot of cases of women telling us about how debt just keeps them up at night because they worry so much. Debt can be a really harmful situation and experience for someone to go through.
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Brogan:
Could you for our listeners define what you mean by problem debt and what’s maybe perhaps some of the different types of debt?
Josie:
Problem debt is where it’s, where debt starts to feel like it’s a really heavy burden. And as I was saying before starts to really impact on other areas of your life. So if you’re finding that keeping up with commitments like credit commitments are a real struggle, you’re just not able to keep up with the repayments on a regular basis. If you find that you’re falling behind on different bill types, or it’s just generally you feel like your financial situation is just really impacting on you. That is what we would classify as problem debt.
Brogan:
So you’re a policy advisor, right now what are the most pressing issues that you’re dealing with and how are you trying to advise your clients?
Josie:
So I work in the research policy and public affairs team. So we do everything from evidencing, collecting evidence and data right through to influencing government and regulators and other organisations about what we think needs to happen to change. As you can imagine, Coronavirus has kind of shifted everything, just trying to make sure that people who are at real risk of financial difficulty and people who may have already fallen into financial difficulty are getting the support that they need. And then further down the line that support really continues.
Brogan:
What would you like to see the government doing to help people who’ve been really hit financially by lockdown and by the pandemic in general?
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Josie:
Firstly preventing people or protecting people from unaffordable repayments, for example, evictions. A lot of our clients in problem debt rent in the private rented sector and evictions are a real worry for us further down the line. There’s an eviction ban at the moment, but we’re just worried about what’s going to happen after that. We’re also looking to make sure that people are provided with grants and things for when they most need it. So there are people and there’s people coming through to debt advice. For example, other stats are showing really alarming rates of food bank use. And other things. So we just want to make sure that people have the grants and the income support that they need in order to cope financially. And then also we’re looking at universal credit. That seems like it’s the form of support that’s the most forefront, for politicians. So I think there’s steps that can be taken to improve universal credit. So for example, once someone starts getting paid universal credit money is deducted for certain things. So for example, advanced payments that happened when there was a five week wait between applying and, then receiving payments. So yeah, deductions. So we want deductions to be overhauled and to be suspended and looked at.
Brogan:
Do you have advice for listeners? What’s the first steps with reaching out for advice with your charity.
Josie:
So if people do need support, they can contact us online. So we have an online debt advice tool. So if you don’t want to talk to anyone, then you can go through that anonymously. We also have telephone advice, which also is anonymous - the advisor will take you through the advice and they’ll go through all of your income and monthly expenditure and your debts and your arrears and look at what solution may be best for you. So you can either contact us online or over the telephone. And we’re open six days a week.
Rachel:
So you mentioned that a lot of your services are anonymised, so people can get in touch digitally or over the phone, and they don’t have to give their name or lots of personal details and things like that. Why have you as a charity decided to do that? So we were talking earlier about the shame that comes around debt and embarrassment and things like that. Is that something you encounter?
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Josie:
So people can get in touch with the charity, either over the telephone or online. So if you contact us online, you don’t need to speak to an advisor it’s completely anonymous. So for a lot of people, it’s quite difficult to talk about financial problems. So for those people, I think online debt advice is a really good option. Our advisors over the telephone, they’re really supportive, nonjudgmental. We’ll give kind of the best advice that’s tailored to you.
Rachel:
So Josie, we have a question that we ask every guest who comes on to our podcast and that is what makes you uncomfortable.
Josie:
Can I give two answers? So one, I’d say on the debt stuff, we touched on it a little bit already, but the taboo around debt makes me really uncomfortable. I’m someone who works for a debt advice charity, so I’m more comfortable than most talking about debt, but I try and bring it up with some of my friends sometimes, and it’s really awkward. And I guess that’s why we’re talking about it today. So, yeah. I think the more we can do to get rid of the stigma and shame and embarrassment around debt, which it doesn’t need to be, it affects so many people as we’ve already discussed. Yeah, but to be around it makes me quite uncomfortable. Outside of that, I was thinking about this. What’s made me really uncomfortable - I’m downstairs at the moment because I’m trying to be closer to the router, so I don’t lose you. But I’ve been working out of my bedroom mostly and I’m just quite aware that all of my colleagues and external people that I speak to on a regular basis are just seeing my bedroom - it’s really bizarre.
Rachel:
So strange.
Josie:
It’s just not something you would you’d ever imagined, but yeah, it’s just like there and it’s like, “Yeah, this is my bedroom.”
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Rachel:
So intrusive, isn’t it?
Josie:
It is really intrusive. But there’s no way around it. So yeah, I’d say that’s something that’s been making me feel quite uncomfortable. The last couple of months.
Brogan:
Yeah it is a very surreal part of working from home life.
Rachel:
Definitely.
Brogan:
Okay. Thank you so much for joining us. That was so interesting and informative. Lots to think about, and it’d be really helpful for listeners as well.
Rachel:
Yeah. Thank you.
Josie:
Thank you so much for having me and inviting me on, it was great to talk to you guys.
Rachel:
If you’ve listened to this episode and you’re worried about debt and you need some advice or some help, there are organisations out there who will listen and will support you and you can find StepChange at stepchange.org and their advice line is 0800 138 1111. And if you’d like some mental health support to do with money, Mind is just one of the really great charities out there that you can contact. You’ll find them online at mind.org.uk or you can ring the Mind support helpline on 0300 123 3393.
That’s it this week from, Am I Making You Uncomfortable? Please subscribe to our podcast and review it. I’m Rachel Moss. And you can find me on Twitter @rachelmoss_
Brogan:
And I’m Brogan Driscoll, and you can find me @Brogan_Driscoll. Thank you to our producer, Chrystal Genesis, our assistant producer, Rachel Porter and our sound engineer Nag Kirinde.
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Rachel:


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-16--The Medics Who Went Back To The NHS Frontline To Fight Coronavirus

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Clutching the hand of an elderly woman as she succumbed to coronavirus, nurse Victoria Meynell felt an overwhelming sense of emotion at being able to comfort the patient in her final moments.
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Victoria, 38, a cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, was one of thousands of people who responded to a rallying call for people with clinical skills to return to the NHS frontline in the fight against Covid-19.
Those who had left the service in recent years were asked to “stand up, step forward and save lives” and within weeks, more than 10,000 people had responded.
Victoria, who used annual leave to return to the frontline, was just 90 minutes into her first shift on a hospital ward in 10 years when she encountered the woman who was in her nineties and dying of coronavirus.
Knowing that visiting restrictions meant her family could not be with her, Victoria made being with the woman her priority and was with her when she passed away.
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Victoria Meynell, who returned as a nurse on the NHS frontline Victoria Meynell
“I sat with her and talked to her and held her hand and showed her dignity and respect while she was dying,” Victoria told HuffPost UK.
“For her to have ended her life alone would have been heartbreaking and it was an honour to be with her in her dying moments, particularly as none of her family could be.”
“For her to have ended her life alone would have been heartbreaking and it was an honour to be with her in her dying moments.” - Victoria Meynell
The biggest realisation for Victoria was the severity of the pandemic and what NHS staff were having to face countless times a day.
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“I realised that if I was having to face a coronavirus death just 90 minutes into my first shift, this is what hospital staff must be facing many times a day,” she said.
Victoria, a mum-of-three, qualified as a nurse in 2005 and worked on a coronary care unit looking after people with acute heart problems, before turning to research and then joining the BHF.
But despite the fact that it had been a decade since she’d worked on a hospital ward, Victoria told HuffPost UK that when it became clear the coronavirus situation was escalating, she felt the “adrenaline kick in” and wanted to help.
Since returning to work at a hospital in the West Midlands in early April, she has been doing shifts ad hoc on weekends and days off while still holding down her full time job.
“I did feel like a bag of nerves when I entered the hospital for the first time,” she said. “It was daunting and I felt mixed emotions as I wanted to help but knew I would be rusty in many ways.
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“I was assigned to a Covid-19 ward straight away and was kitted out in all the personal protective equipment (PPE) including a gown, visor, face mask, gloves and a hair cap.
Victoria Meynell, who returned as a nurse on the NHS frontline Victoria Meynell
Victoria Meynell, who returned as a nurse on the NHS frontline Victoria Meynell
“It had been so long since I had been on a ward and I suddenly went back at this completely crazy time and the reality of the situation hit.
“I took over from a nurse who explained all the patients on the ward had tested positive for coronavirus. They were mainly elderly patients with complex health needs and many of them had Do Not Resuscitate care plans in place so their treatment would not be escalated to intensive care if they deteriorated further.”
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Victoria said she did fear passing coronavirus on to her husband and three children, and took precautions such as undressing at the front door and putting all her clothing in the wash and disinfecting any handles and surfaces.
“Even though we were in a time of crisis, everyone pulled together and people adapted so incredibly to the challenging situation.” - Victoria Meynell
But she says that her anxieties melted away when she was actually in the hospital and the sense of camaraderie and the feeling of “we are all in it together” made her feel heartened and resilient.
“Even though we were in a time of crisis, everyone pulled together and people adapted so incredibly to the challenging situation,” she said.
“It felt good to know I was making a difference – particularly to individuals and the enjoyment comes from knowing you have helped people and working together to make sure the NHS didn’t get overwhelmed.
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“But I felt the real heroes were those who do this job in the hospital every day and it was heartening to see their attitude and the way they kept going.”
Vanessa Smith, a senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, also responded to the call for help.
The 34-year-old approached her manager and asked if she could take a two-month secondment from her role. She is now working at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.
Vanessa Smith
She told HuffPost UK: “It felt right to offer my help by going back to the wards and putting my clinical skills to use.”
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Vanessa had previously worked at the hospital before joining the BHF and was still in touch with her former colleagues. When she realised how busy they were, she knew she wanted to do her bit.
Her role at the BHF involves making sure the information booklets published by the charity are medically accurate and patient friendly. So it did feel daunting to return to the frontline at a time of crisis.
“It was exciting jumping straight back into the deep end, but I also felt anxious as I knew I would be looking after some of the poorliest patients with Covid-19,” she said.
“We wore PPE to fully protect ourselves but the hoods made it difficult to hear and for the patients and staff to identify us so we had our names written on the hoods.
“All the extra layers and tight face masks made it very hot so we had to rotate every few hours so we could have breaks to drink water and have food.”
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Vanessa Smith
Within a day of beginning her shifts, Vanessa was looking after an elderly gentleman who was coming to the end of his life.
Vanessa told HuffPost UK she helped set up a Skype call with the patient’s family so they could be with him at the end virtually, while she was with him in person.
“I brushed the gentleman’s hair so he looked nice for his family and chatted to him and held his hand and made sure he was comfortable.” she said.
“We set up the Skype call so his family could be with him towards the end and say their goodbyes and so that he could hear their voices before he sadly passed away.”
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“His family were there virtually at the end while I was there with him physically holding his hand. Luckily, he had a peaceful end and wasn’t alone.” - Vanessa Smith
Vanessa said the hardest part of the pandemic is seeing people die without their family there.
“I’ve seen some of the lows of people losing loved ones too soon due to this virus. But I’ve also experienced the feeling of relief and joy for patients whose health has improved and hopefully they will get to return home,” she said.
“I’ve seen first-hand how much this virus can affect people who were previously independent and working.”
Vanessa said her time on the wards has been tiring due to the long shifts and huge emotional impact, but said it had been great to support fellow staff.
“Everyone is still smiling and giving the best possible care to patients despite feeling anxious themselves in the surreal times we are living in,” she said.
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Chloe MacArthur, 34, told HuffPost UK she has no dependents – no children to homeschool or dogs to walk – so felt it was her duty to return to the NHS frontline.
She qualified as a nurse six years ago and had experience caring for patients in a specialist intensive care unit. She also works for the BHS, primarily on the heart helpline.
Chloe MacArthur Chloe MacArthur
Chloe has returned to do shifts at her former hospital Royal Brompton and Harefield Trust in Chelsea and has been looking after Covid-19 patients. She says it has brought home the enormity of the situation as her daily life hadn’t changed too much during lockdown.
“When someone is very sick, usually being there for them and holding their hand is the only thing loved ones can do for them. But at the moment, that is something they can’t do.” - Chloe MacArthur
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“Approaching the hospital was quite unnerving,” she said. “It was eerily quiet instead of there being a hive of activity in the reception area.
“When someone is very sick, usually being there for them and holding their hand is the only thing loved ones can do for them. But at the moment, that is something they can’t do.
“It makes me think about how distressing it must be for loved ones at home waiting for news about their critically unwell husband, wife, brother or grandmother, unable to hold their hand while they sleep.”
She added: “Whether they are in intensive care or on the wards, they are more than just Covid patients.
“They are people who are loved and missed and it is a privilege to be able to look after them.”
Nicola McQueen, chief executive officer of NHS Professionals, an organisation that supplies temporary staff to the NHS, said: “We were really pleased to be one of the routes for nurses to return to the frontline during the Covid-19 pandemic.
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“We saw a fantastic response to our recruitment campaign: ‘Stand up, Step forward and Save Lives’.
“I’d like to thank all of those who stepped forward to lend their support and for their continued and ongoing commitment.”
Ruth May, chief nursing officer for England, said: “The whole nation is indebted to these incredible nurses, doctors and other healthcare staff who have answered their country’s call and played a vital role as the NHS has worked through the greatest challenge it has ever faced.
“Although we are now through the first peak, the NHS will continue to require compassionate, caring and expert individuals so if you have been inspired by their efforts over the last few months, please consider a career in our health service.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-16--How Marcus Rashford Forced Boris Johnson To U-Turn On Free School Meals

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The U-turn, when it came, was sealed just before 10am, minutes before the weekly cabinet meeting in Downing Street. Boris Johnson told education secretary Gavin Wiliamson and chancellor Rishi Sunak that he had decided free school meals should indeed be extended over the summer holiday.
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It didn’t take long for the £120m in extra funding to be agreed, as the Department for Education and the Treasury had already costed the six weeks of extra help for England’s 1.3m children eligible for the £15-a-week vouchers. All that was needed was for the PM himself to make the final call.
But what was really needed, in the final analysis, was Marcus Rashford. The 22-year-old footballer’s powerful campaign had finally grabbed Johnson’s full attention on Tuesday morning, when he was shown the BBC Breakfast interview with the England star from the day before. Featuring Rashford’s own personal story of being on free school meals, while his single mum went out to work, the clip had gone viral online.
The interview itself was testimony to BBC Breakfast’s recent shift to campaigning journalism, a drive led by new editor Richard Frediani. The programme had also been the first to tell Colonel Tom Moore’s extraordinary story and used the power and reach of the BBC’s schedules to push it as his fundraising snowballed. With clips rapidly shared to other broadcasters, the Rashford interview was striking a similar chord with the public.
Just as importantly, Tory MPs had seized on the interview, as well as a Times article penned by Rashford on Tuesday morning, and his own heartfelt, open letter to all MPs. The footballer has 8.4m followers on Instagram, but more importantly when it comes to politics, 2.8m followers on Twitter: the social medium of choice for Westminster and the mainstream media. His open letter had had an enormous impact, with 156,000 retweets.
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Rashford's interview with BBC Breakfast proved to be a pivotal moment. EMPICS Sport
The PM’s media team had on Monday grasped the growing power of Rashford campaign’s direct appeal to MPs, with his official spokesman issuing what turned out to be a holding statement. He stressed that Johnson would “respond to Marcus Rashford’s letter as soon as he can”, and No.10 praised him for using his profile “in a positive way to highlight some very important issues”.
When the prime minister said at his press conference on Tuesday evening that it was a campaign “to be honest I only became aware of very recently – today”, he was referring to the BBC Breakfast interview, insiders said. Johnson had been aware of Rashford campaign more generally, but it was the interview that clinched the decision.
There was, however, some raw politics in play too. On Monday night, only a handful of Tory MPs were threatening to do the unthinkable and vote for a Labour Opposition day motion calling for the U-turn. Among them were two former ministers well liked on the backbenches, Tracey Crouch and Rob Halfon. Halfon had had to break the news to his whip that he would be using his first ever proxy vote under coronavirus regulations to vote against his own party.
But by Tuesday morning, the handful had swelled into dozens, making it a real possibility that the government could actually lose, despite its 80-strong majority. Tory MP’s WhatsApp groups, notably the One Nation Caucus but also the backbench 1922 Committee group, were set alight with messages about the growing rebellion. Newer MPs from the ‘Red Wall’ shared their unease too, and plenty of backbenchers said their inboxes were heaving with a public agreeing with Rashford.
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“I was getting messages by the bucketload from the public. And it wasn’t the usual leftwingers, it was people I knew were not normally political,” one backbencher said. “The idea of us denying free school meals to those in need, it felt like a poll tax moment in the making.” Williamson, a former chief whip, was also picking up real discontent among MPs.
Boris Johnson and Gavin Williamson during a visit to Pimlico primary school. PA
Another Tory MP added: “The whips could tell this was going to be a huge headache. You never, ever vote for an Opposition Day motion, precisely because it’s technically meaningless so why would you get into trouble for that? But that just proved how big this was, that so many were prepared to do it. There was nothing in that motion that you could disagree with.”
Work and pensions secretary Therese Coffey inadvertently helped fuel the rebellion when she gave a misjudged response to Rashford’s tweets about the hardships faced by families struggling in the pandemic. Correcting the footballer for saying poor people’s water supplies could be cut off, without addressing his wider point, her stance was met with incredulity among some fellow MPs. Just after the U-turn had been made in private, Coffey’s public tweets then had a marked shift in tone, welcoming Rashford’s ‘passion’ for supporting children in need.
The row was the talk of the Commons tea room too, with Tories confiding in each other and wondering whether the PM’s response to Rashford would include a concession. Government whips felt they could contain the rebellion, but the numbers were getting very worrying. “I would give the Chief Whip [Mark Spencer] a lot of credit for this,” one MP said. “He worked extremely hard to feed back views of the flock.”
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When the Cabinet meeting was held, the only two ministers physically present with Johnson around the Cabinet table were Spencer and Sunak. With others dialling in via Zoom call, the PM proceeded to break the news of the change in policy, singling out for praise Rashford’s contribution to the debate.
The Manchester United star’s weeks of commitment to the cause had been particularly important, as he had personally injected his own money to help the food waste charity FareShare to hit a target of £20m. Just as crucial however was his overall tone. “He made clear this was not about politics, it was about children and hunger. That was what was decisive”, one insider said.
“He played a blinder,” one MP said. “It took this charismatic young man to make everyone see what was before their eyes.” Another added that the context of the Black Lives Matter protests (a disproportionate number of black children are on free meals) was important too. “Here was a young black man showing leadership some of us can only dream of,” they said.
The actual roots of the change stretched back to Williamson’s own decision in April to extend the school voucher scheme to cover the Easter holiday. He told friends at the time that because the precedent had been set for the first time to cover days outside term time, it would be very difficult to avoid a similar move in the summer. A further short extension for the late May half term only added to his case.
Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson. ASSOCIATED PRESS
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The Treasury was not so easily moved. Sunak made clear to his colleagues that it was time to get back to more traditional Tory fiscal responsibility with taxpayers’ money. “He was already worried about the dependency of the furlough scheme and didn’t want more people getting into dependency,” one source said. “He wanted a move back to normality, not another new precedent being set.”
Allies of Sunak reject the idea that he was concerned about ‘dependency’. When the bid for extra cash came in for the Easter extension, the chancellor was happy to sign it off but told the DfE to manage expectations on it being repeated for further holidays.
The Treasury was expecting a fresh bid for the summer extension but never got one, HuffPost UK understands. Sunak’s main theme was prioritisation and felt that food for vulnerable and poorer children should be top of the list.
Whichever department was to blame, Johnson could only produce £63 ahead of last week’s prime minister’s question time, in answer to Keir Starmer’s own call for a summer extension.
Even the £63m proved a difficult sell to some backbenchers, who pointed out it would cover all ages, not just children, and was not a real substitute for school meal vouchers. Newly-elected Tory MP for Stockton South Matt Vickers had already seen his local council denied access to a smaller £9m holiday activities fund, and word was filtering out that a PR nightmare was looming.
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Ultimately, it ended up as a decision for Johnson himself and as First Lord of the Treasury, only he could make the final call. After his own statement to the Commons on merging DfID with the Foreign Office, Johnson got back to his Downing Street office around 4pm and then phoned Rashford directly. He thanked him for his £20m in fundraising and for the way he had raised the whole issue of free school meals.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-16--Disabled Women Have Been Hit Worst Of All By Lockdown

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Coronavirus lockdown has stranded normally independent disabled women at home, with nearly two thirds struggling to get basic necessities from the shops and more than half finding it hard to cope with isolation.
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One teacher and PhD student, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, told HuffPost UK she hadn’t left the house for 14 weeks – having faced a “dystopian nightmare” of panic buying and careless shoppers the last time she went out. She, like many, has struggled to get online delivery slots.
It is just one example of the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on disabled women laid bare by new research. Some six in 10 disabled women (63%) are struggling to access basic necessities from the shops compared with 46% of non-disabled men and 52% of non-disabled women, the study shows.
Disabled women are also under significant financial pressure with a third (34%) saying their household had almost run out of money compared to a fifth of non-disabled women (24%) and men (23%), according to the research.
And more than a third (38%) of disabled mothers said they were struggling to feed their children.
The analysis from Women’s Budget Group, Fawcett Society, Queen Mary University of London, and London School of Economics shows social isolation has hit disabled women the hardest, with 56% finding it difficult to cope.
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A quarter of disabled women (26%) revealed they had not left the home at all in the last week, compared to 17% of all respondents.
Susan Watson, 46, has cerebral palsy – a lifelong condition that affects movement and coordination. She told HuffPost UK she hadn’t left home for 14 weeks during lockdown.
She has gone from being an “independent, robust and autonomous” individual to being reliant on others, particularly her husband.
“I am normally completely independent and autonomous and would drive, teach and be studying for my PhD,” she said.
“But I have changed from all that to being completely locked down. Until the last 10 days, I hadn’t even left home for 14 weeks as I have been shielding.
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“After being so independent, I now feel completely reliant on others and ultimately my husband due to the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown.” - Susan Watson
“I feel very much as though even the most mundane tasks such as going to the supermarket, meeting a friend for coffee or going to work are beyond me. I feel this situation is never going to end.
“After being so independent, I now feel completely reliant on others – and ultimately my husband – due to the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown.”
Susan Watson, who has cerebral palsy
Susan, who lives in York and is married to Tom Wright with three children, says she has been affected in multiple ways by the coronavirus crisis and has had an unsettling and disjointed experience.
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She was born with cerebral palsy, which affects her limbs and lower body. She uses a manual wheelchair and, before the coronavirus crisis, enjoyed a full life teaching at the University of York and studying for a PhD.
When the pandemic hit, her life changed drastically and she found herself juggling numerous challenges on top of her disability.
Although Susan was not on the initial list of vulnerable people instructed to shield by the government, she and her family made a decision in mid-March that she should lock down and stay at home to protect her health.
“We decided as a family that I needed to lock down and withdraw from everyday life,” she said. “We made this decision as it felt like the right thing to do to protect me against the virus.”
Susan Watson with her three children Susan Watson
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Around the start of the coronavirus pandemic, when there was discussion about who might or might not be given a ventilator if they became infected with the virus, Susan was upset when people with cerebral palsy were listed as among those who would not receive treatment.
“It was really frightening,” she remembered. “It was also a manifestation of what you felt deep down about how society viewed you. I felt I had to somehow prove my worth.
“It was a very emotional and difficult time.”
On one of her last trips out of the house before she locked herself down to shield, Susan went to the supermarket to do an ordinary shop – and was horrified by the way she was treated by people panic-buying food.
“People were pushing my wheelchair out of the way so they could grab food that they were panic-buying,” she said. “It was a horrible experience. I am a robust person but I felt like I was in a dystopian nightmare.”
Susan had major issues trying to organise online shopping as she wasn’t officially on the list of people needing assistance due to shielding. Her husband was reluctant to go out shopping as he didn’t want to risk bringing the infection into the home.
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“People were pushing my wheelchair out of the way so they could grab food that they were panic-buying. It was a horrible experience.” - Susan Watson
Then in mid-April, Susan received a letter out of the blue from NHS England telling her that they had now decided she was on the list of people who needed to shield by staying at home – even though nothing had changed. This made her feel justified in deciding to shield herself from the start of the crisis.
Susan’s husband is a key worker and although he is working from home, she says he is on long hours and can’t take time off.
As a result, homeschooling her three children and cooking meals every day for the five of them is predominantly falling on her – on top of the challenges of her disability.
“My children are 14, 12 and seven and none of them fall into the age range to return to school,” she said. “There is a lot of emotional labour associated with schooling and childcare and trying to remember everything.
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“The social isolation has been very difficult and the only people I see are my husband and children.
“I feel like I am completely cut off and the government still hasn’t given any information on when people who are shielding can stop. It feels like this situation has been going on for so long with no end in sight.
“The virus has brought to the fore how society views disabled people – that our lives are less valuable, and somehow we are more expendable.
“It has been very hard to have to explain this to my family, and especially my children.”
Susan Watson with her three children Susan Watson
The organisations that carried out the study say it paints a bleak picture. They are calling on the government to alleviate the pressures.
Bethany Young from disabled women’s collective Sisters of Frida said there are significant barriers facing disabled women as a result of the response to the coronavirus crisis.
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“Intersectional experiences need to be seen and valued,” she said. “Visibility and policy change is essential. Without it, we will struggle against even deeper social inequality long after the lockdown ends.”
Sam Smethers, chief executive of the Fawcett Society, said: “Disabled women’s experiences have been hidden from view until now.
“Yet the levels of disadvantage and pressure they face are immense and among the highest we have seen.”
Sophie Harman, professor of international politics at Queen Mary University of London, fears there may be further hardship ahead for people with disabilities with the easing of lockdown.
“The survey results paint a very bleak picture for people with disabilities,” she said. “But my fear is the worst is yet to come with the easing of restrictions.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-16--PM Claims To Be Unaware Of His Own Government's Ban On Coronavirus Drug Export

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Boris Johnson has said it would be “peculiar” to ban the export of a drug that can be used to save the lives of coronavirus patients, hours after the Department for Health had done just that.
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On Tuesday the government announced a study of dexamethasone suggests it is the first drug to reduce deaths from the illness.
Speaking at the Downing Street press conference, the prime minister hailed it as “biggest breakthrough yet” in the fight against the pandemic.
But when asked why dexamethasone had been added to a list of drugs that could not be exported from the UK, Johnson said he was “not aware” it was.
Johnson added such a ban “sounds peculiar to me” and he would “look into it”.
According to a government list of medicines that cannot be exported from the UK or hoarded, dexamethasone was banned for export in tablet form on April 24, and as an oral solution or for injection on Tuesday.
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Researchers found the drug reduced deaths by up to a third among patients on ventilators, and by a fifth for those on oxygen.
It has been immediately approved to treat all UK hospitalised Covid-19 patients requiring oxygen, including those on ventilators.
Scientists estimate that if they had known what they now know about dexamethasone at the start of the pandemic, 4,000 to 5,000 lives could have been saved in the UK.
Peter Horby, professor of emerging infectious diseases in the Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford – and one of the chief investigators for the trial, described it as “an extremely welcome result”.
“This is the only drug that has so far shown to reduce mortality, and it reduces it significantly. It is a major breakthrough, I think,” he said.
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“Dexamethasone is inexpensive, on the shelf, and can be used immediately to save lives worldwide.”
The Recovery trial – which stands for Randomised Evaluation of COVid-19 thERapY – was co-ordinated by scientists from the University of Oxford.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-16--Why The Appointment Of Munira Mirza As Head Of Racial Inequality Review Is So Controversial

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The tempestuous war of words between Labour and Boris Johnson is nothing new, but it this week escalated rather dramatically when the PM was accused by the opposition of “trying to wage a culture war”.
The prompt for this incendiary charge was the appointment of Munira Mirza to head his newly-announced commission on racial inequalities. It’s a move David Lammy says undermines the body before it’s even begun.
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Who is Munira Mirza?
Mirza is currently an adviser to the prime minister as the head of the No.10 policy unit, and also served as one of Johnson’s deputy mayors while he ran London.
She has reportedly been instrumental in the establishment of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities – announced by Boris Johnson earlier this week in the wake of a series of anti-racism protests in Britain, triggered by the killing of George Floyd.
So far, so uncontroversial.
But her past writings as well as her past political and professional affiliations have surfaced in the wake of her latest appointment.
The Revolutionary Communist Party
Mirza used to be a member of the Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP), a group which swung drastically from the Trotsky-inspired left to the libertarian right in the 1990s and collapsed altogether in 1997.
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A number of former members – Mirza included – went on to become influential in Tory Eurosceptic circles and continued to share ideas with each other.
The RCP’s ideals and views were expressed through its journal, Living Marxism, which questioned accounts of the genocides in Rwanda and Bosnia and pushed an anti-environmental narrative that bordered on climate change denial.
After losing a libel battle with ITV it was forced to close, but was quickly resurrected as the online magazine Spiked.
Mary Turner via Getty Images
Spiked
For those unfamiliar with Spiked, it is funded in part by the Koch brothers, two billionaire US industrialists.
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Koch Industries is the largest privately-owned energy company in the US and has been described by environmental campaigners as a “financial kingpin of climate science denial”.
Spiked has also published articles attacking:
It has defended:
Mirza on Spiked
Mirza has written a number of articles for Spiked (none of the ones previously referenced), and it is some of these that have been highlighted this week by her critics and led to accusations of her denying that institutional racism exists.
After David Lammy led a review of the treatment of Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) groups in the justice system for the Tory government under David Cameron and Theresa May, Mirza wrote a piece in 2017 criticising it titled “Lammy review: the myth of institutional racism”.
In it, she wrote: “Certainly there is a historic legacy here from previous decades, but it is equally possible that the current accusations of institutional racism by lobbyists and activists – a perception more than a reality – is behind the further corrosion of public trust.”
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On Tuesday, Lammy wrote on Twitter: “My review was welcomed by all parties: Corbyn, Cameron and May.
“But Munira Mirza went out of her way to attack it.”
This further undermines @BorisJohnson’s race commission.
My review was welcomed by all parties: Corbyn, Cameron and May. But Munira Mirza went out of her way to attack it.
Johnson isn’t listening to #BlackLivesMatter. He’s trying to wage a culture war.https://t.co/bNrpHgrN6v — David Lammy (@DavidLammy) June 15, 2020
In a Sun article also written in 2017, she said: “By appeasing the anti-racism lobby and affirming its culture of grievance, public institutions and business leaders are not making Britain a fairer place but harming the very people they aspire to help.”
Mirza also wrote articles for Spiked including “Stop pandering to Muslims” and “Diversity is divisive”, in which she argued that “racism is clearly in decline”.
And on the Windrush scandal, she wrote in a blog post that “the real lesson is not one of racism, as in the deliberate targeting of ethnic minority groups, rather it is that the process of immigration enforcement needs to be improved”.
Defending Boris
Mirza has been one of Johnson’s loudest supporters during his most controversial moments, notably when he compared Muslim women in burkas to “bank robbers” and “letterboxes”.
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In an article for Conservative Home, she said Johnson’s comments were part of a “reasonable, balanced and a thoughtful defence of Muslim women’s right to choose how they live”.
Defending Mirza
Mirza too has her defenders. Former chancellor Sajid Javid described her as “smart, compassionate and deeply committed to social justice”.
“One of the sharpest minds inside No 10,” he said. “No wonder the Left don’t like her.”
Defending the commission
Johnson has defended his commission, following criticism that action rather than another review was needed.
The PM, who also faced a backlash for saying he wanted to stop the “sense of” victimisation and discrimination, later acknowledged that racism “unquestionably” existed in the UK.
He told reporters in Downing Street: “The whole point of having a review is to look at the areas where people feel there’s more that needs to be done.
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“I think what we want to do is learn now very fast what fresh changes we need to make. What I feel most strongly is that there are so many positive stories that are not being heard.
“Things really are changing. You’re seeing young Black kids now doing better in some of the most difficult subjects in school than they were ever before, more going to top universities.
“We need to start telling that story and building up a culture of high expectations, a narrative about success, as well as stamping out the racism and the discrimination that unquestionably exists.”
Boris Johnson with Munira Mirza in 2014. Mike Kemp via Getty Images
Downing Street said the review would also examine poor educational outcomes for white working-class boys.
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The new commission will report directly to Johnson and also be overseen by equalities minister Kemi Badenoch.
HuffPost UK has contacted Downing Street for comment from Mirza.
On Tuesday, the prime minister’s official spokesperson said the commission will be chaired by an “independent figure” who will be announced “in due course”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-16--Boris Johnson Says He Only Learnt Of Marcus Rashford Free School Meals Campaign On Day Of U-Turn

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Boris Johnson has claimed footballer Marcus Rashford’s campaign to give disadvantaged children free school meals over the summer only came to his attention “very recently”.
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The government was forced into a major U-turn over the policy on Tuesday after the Manchester United striker wrote to Number 10 and gave a high-profile and heartfelt interview to broadcasters.
Hours later, Johnson said he “only became aware” of the campaign to help children facing poverty this summer “today” and that he had spoken to the 22-year-old to thank him for highlighting the issue.
The about-turn by ministers follows sustained pressure not only by Rashford but by a number of charities and children’s commissioner for England Anne Longfield.
PM Boris Johnson in Downing Street ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Reporters also pressed the prime minister’s official spokesperson about Rashford’s letter on Monday and were told that Johnson planned to reply.
But the PM told the press conference, which is watched by millions of people: “I talked to Marcus Rashford today to congratulate him on his campaigning, which to be honest I only became aware of very recently – today.
“I thank him for what he has done. I think he is right to draw attention to this issue, and basically we’ve got large numbers of kids who haven’t been able to get back into school.”
Rashford, who was on free school meals himself as a child, wrote an open letter to MPs declaring that the government’s “whatever it takes” message on coronavirus should be extended to cover the 1.3m children on free school meals over summer.
An Open Letter to all MPs in Parliament...#maketheUturn
Please retweet and tag your local MPs pic.twitter.com/GXuUxFJdcv — Marcus Rashford (@MarcusRashford) June 14, 2020
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It was not until Tuesday that Johnson extended the £15-a-week free school meals voucher scheme, however, with the PM’s official spokesperson saying: “Owing to the coronavirus pandemic the prime minister fully understands that children and parents face an entirely unprecedented situation over the summer.
“To reflect this we will be providing a Covid Summer Food Fund. This will provide food vouchers covering the six-week holiday period. This is a specific measure to reflect the unique circumstances of the pandemic.
“The scheme will not continue beyond the summer and those eligible will be those who already qualify for free school meals.”
Reacting to the news, Rashford wrote on Twitter: “I don’t even know what to say. Just look at what we can do when we come together, this is England in 2020.”
The striker followed that up by saying: “To all MPs. This was never about me or you, this was never about politics, this was a cry out for help from vulnerable parents all over the country and I simply provided a platform for their voices to be heard.
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“I stand proud today knowing that we have listened, and we have done what is right. There is still a long way to go but I am thankful to you all that we have given these families just one less thing to worry about tonight.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-16--Watch Live: Boris Johnson Leads Downing Street Press Conference

Watch Live: Boris Johnson Leads Downing Street Press Conference
Prime minister Boris Johnson chairs the daily coronavirus briefing alongside chief scientific advisor Sir Patrick Vallance and professor of emerging infectious diseases from Oxford University Dr Peter Horby. It comes after scientists hail a widely-used steroid drug dexamethasone as “major breakthrough” in the fight against coronavirus.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-16--Lifesaving Coronavirus Drug Approved For Immediate Use By NHS

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A cheap steroid found to reduce deaths among the worst-hit coronavirus patients by up to a third has been approved for immediate use in the NHS.
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Health secretary Matt Hancock has immediately authorised the use of dexamethasone to treat all hospitalised patients who need oxygen, including those on ventilators, from Tuesday.
The drug has been proven in trials to reduce the risk of death significantly in Covid-19 patients on ventilation by as much as 35%, and patients on oxygen by 20%, reducing the total 28-day mortality rate by 17%.
The UK also has a stockpile of 200,000 courses of the anti-inflammatory drug, meaning doctors can use it to start saving potentially thousands of lives straight away.
The drug is also cheap, with a complete course on the NHS costing only £5.
The move comes after the government-funded Recovery trial co-ordinated by scientists from the University of Oxford found the drug to have a significant impact in reducing death rates.
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Hancock said: “I’m absolutely delighted that today we can announce the world’s first successful clinical trial for a treatment for Covid-19.
“This astounding breakthrough is testament to the incredible work being done by our scientists behind the scenes.
“From today the standard treatment for Covid-19 will include dexamethasone, helping save thousands of lives while we deal with this terrible virus.
“Guided by the science, the UK is leading the way in the global fight against coronavirus – with the best clinical trials, the best vaccine development and the best immunology research in the world.
“I want to thank the brilliant scientists at Oxford University, the thousands of patients who took part in the study, and my own team, led by professor Jonathan Van-Tam, who has done such a brilliant job driving this work.”
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This is the most important trial result for COVID-19 so far. Significiant reduction in mortality in those requiring oxygen or ventilation from a widely available, safe and well known drug. Many thanks to those who took part and made it happen. It will save lives around the world. https://t.co/zRIaHulHOe — Professor Chris Whitty (@CMO_England) June 16, 2020
The drug has also been added to the government’s parallel export list, which bans companies from buying medicines meant for UK patients and selling them on for a higher price in another country.
This will protect supply for UK patients by enforcing regulatory action on those who flout the restrictions.
Deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam said: “The Recovery trial is an outstanding example of the UK leading the world with an impressive study capable of delivering robust answers to critical questions. Although these data have not yet been peer-reviewed.
“The positive findings on dexamethasone follow the disappointing findings on hydroxychloroquine.
“Together these two results illustrate the power of properly conducted clinical trials and the inherent danger of assuming things work without robust data.
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“Whilst tempting to do otherwise, it is always better to wait for the evidence.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-16--A Minute Of Kindness: Using Graduation Gowns As PPE

A Minute Of Kindness: Using Graduation Gowns As PPE
Gowns4Good was started by a small team in the US, with the idea of using donated graduation gowns in hospitals, when they realised the design was not dissimilar from surgical gowns need for PPE. After thousands of donations from across the US, demand from across the world came in too.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-16--Everything You Need To Know About Face Masks

Everything You Need To Know About Face Masks
The ‘new normal’ following lockdown is going to see you having to wear a face mask. Here’s all you need to know about what types of face masks there are and the protection they can offer.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-16--David Cameron Labels Boris Johnson's Decision To Scrap Aid Department A 'Mistake'

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David Cameron has described Boris Johnson’s decision to scrap the foreign aid department as a “mistake” that will cost the UK respect around the world.
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In a highly unusual move for a former prime minister, Cameron criticised the PM’s decision, stressing it would mean “less expertise, less voice for development at the top table and ultimately less respect for the UK overseas”.
It came as Johnson was warned by an MP that the decision was “particularly shameful” in the context of the Black Lives Matter protests, as the department for international development’s (Dfid) work often addresses inequalities that are sometimes a legacy of the British Empire.
The Prime Minister is right to maintain the commitment to 0.7 - it saves lives, promotes a safer world and builds British influence. But the decision to merge the departments is a mistake. 1/2 — David Cameron (@David_Cameron) June 16, 2020
More could and should be done to co-ordinate aid and foreign policy, including through the National Security Council, but the end of @DFID_UK will mean less expertise, less voice for development at the top table and ultimately less respect for the UK overseas. 2/2 — David Cameron (@David_Cameron) June 16, 2020
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Cameron, who as PM pledged the UK to spending 0.7% of national income on foreign aid, said: “The prime minister is right to maintain the commitment to 0.7% – it saves lives, promotes a safer world and builds British influence.
“But the decision to merge the departments is a mistake.
“More could and should be done to coordinate aid and foreign policy, including through the National Security Council, but the end of Dfid will mean less expertise, less voice for development at the top table and ultimately less respect for the UK overseas.”
SDLP MP Claire Hanna meanwhile questioned the timing of the move when UK aid helps many former British colonies around the world.
Replying to Johnson’s Commons statement announcing the move, she said: “Given the vital work of Dfid in addressing inequalities and underdevelopment, some of which I must say are a legacy of the British Empire, is this not a particularly shameful moment for you to abolish the department that is trying to address those inequalities?”
The plan was also criticised by some Tory MPs.
Former development secretary Andrew Mitchell, seen as an ally of Johnson, said closing Dfid would be a “quite extraordinary mistake”.
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In a statement to the PA news agency, the former cabinet minister said: “First, it would destroy one of the most effective and respected engines of international development anywhere in the world .
“Second, many of the senior figures who are key to Britain’s role as a development superpower will likely leave and go elsewhere in the international system – at a stroke destroying a key aspect of global Britain.
“Third, it is completely unnecessary as the prime minister exercises full control over Dfid’s strategy and priorities through the National Security Council.”
Former defence minister Tobias Ellwood meanwhile questioned the timing of the announcement during the coronavirus crisis and before the planned defence, security and foreign policy review.
He told the Commons: “I am concerned about the timing of this because there is an enduring emergency that must be the government’s priority.”
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Johnson said the move “will unite our aid with our diplomacy and bring together our international effort”.
“One cardinal lesson of the pandemic is that distinctions between diplomacy and overseas development are artificial and outdated,” he said.
“And yet today a dividing line between aid and foreign policy runs through our whole system.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-16--UK Registers 233 More Coronavirus-Related Deaths In 24 Hours, Bringing Total To 41,969

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The number of people who have died in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus has risen to 41,969 – an increase of 233 over 24 hours.
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Since the end of April, the government’s daily announcement has included people in care homes and the community, rather than just in hospital, who have died.
But only those who had tested positive for Covid-19 are included, meaning anyone who died with a suspected case won’t be recorded.
The figures cover the period up to 5pm on Monday.
As of 9am 16 June, there have been 6,981,493 tests, with 113,107 tests on 15 June.
298,136 people have tested positive.
As of 5pm on 15 June, of those tested positive for coronavirus, across all settings, 41,969 have sadly died.
More info:
▶ https://t.co/xXnL3FU15k pic.twitter.com/28Bl6z3tA1 — Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) June 16, 2020
It comes after the number of people who have died in hospitals across the UK, as well as care homes in Wales, after contracting the virus rose by 93 in 24 hours.
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That increase consisted of 79 patients in England, five people in Scotland, one in Northern Ireland and eight hospital patients and care home residents in Wales.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-16--Boris Johnson Shuts Department For International Development

“One cardinal lesson of the pandemic is that distinctions between diplomacy and overseas development are artificial and outdated,” he said.
“And yet today a dividing line between aid and foreign policy runs through our whole system.”
He added: “For too long frankly UK overseas aid has been treated as some giant cashpoint in the sky that arrives without any reference to UK interest.”
The government’s commitment to spending 0.7% of GNI on overseas development is understood to remain in place.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the announcement was “a distraction” from how poorly the government is handling the pandemic.
“I want to see Britain as a moral force for good in the world, a force for global justice and co-operation, leading the world on global security, leading the global search for a vaccine, leading the fight against poverty, climate change and gender inequality,” he said,
“We don’t achieve that by abolishing one of the best performing and important departments.”
Labour former Dfid minister Hilary Benn said Johnson’s language shows he has “no understanding” of how UK aid helps the world’s poorest.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-16--Lifesaving Coronavirus Treatment Dexamethasone Hailed As 'Major Breakthrough'

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Scientists have hailed a cheap steroid as a “major breakthrough” in the fight against Covid-19 after it was found to reduce deaths by up to a third among patients suffering the worst effects of the virus.
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For coronavirus patients those who end up on a ventilator, the mortality rate is normally above 40%.
But during the trial, the use of dexamethasone reduced this by a third.
The drug is cheap, too, with a complete course on the NHS costing only £5.
Peter Horby, professor of emerging infectious diseases at the university’s Nuffield Department of Medicine and one of the chief investigators for the trial, described it as “an extremely welcome result”.
“This is the only drug that has so far shown to reduce mortality, and it reduces it significantly. It is a major breakthrough, I think,” he said.
“Dexamethasone is inexpensive, on the shelf, and can be used immediately to save lives worldwide.”
The first successful clinical trial in the world has found an effective treatment to improve survival of #coronavirus patients needing oxygen treatment. pic.twitter.com/OK235v8Jci — UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) June 16, 2020
The results come from the Recovery trial – which is short for Randomised Evaluation of COVid-19 thERapY – which has been co-ordinated by scientists from the University of Oxford.
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More than 11,500 patients from 175 NHS hospitals have been enrolled on the Recovery trial since it was set up in March to test a range of potential coronavirus treatments.
In the dexamethasone study, 2,104 patients received 6mg of dexamethasone once a day by mouth or intravenous injection for 10 days.
Their outcomes were compared with a control group of 4,321 patients.
There was no change in deaths among patients who did not require respiratory support.
Martin Landray, professor of medicine and epidemiology at the Nuffield Department of Population Health, and another chief investigator, said: “Covid-19 is a global disease – it is fantastic that the first treatment demonstrated to reduce mortality is one that is instantly available and affordable worldwide.
“It’s been around for probably 60 years.
“It costs in the order of £5 [...] for a complete course of treatment in the NHS, and substantially less – probably less than $1 – in other parts of the world, for example in India.”
The research team is working to publish the full results of the study as quickly as possible.
Covid PA Media


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-16--Karnage Kills, The Gay Grime Artist Breaking The Stereotype

Karnage Kills, The Gay Grime Artist Breaking The Stereotype
Karnage Kills is a Grime artist with a difference, the rapper is femme, gay and visible in a genre known for its masculinity. Karnage’s unique way with words has seen him go from underground fringe performer in London to shows across the UK and Europe, performing for gay and straight audiences alike.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-16--Boris Johnson U-Turns On Free School Meals And Extends Scheme Into Summer

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Boris Johnson has U-turned on his decision not to award free school meal vouchers over the summer holidays in England.
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The government will now fund a scheme – for which nearly 1.3 million children are eligible – following a campaign by Manchester United and England football star Marcus Rashford.
The prime minister’s official spokesperson said on Tuesday: “Owing to the coronavirus pandemic the prime minister fully understands that children and parents face an entirely unprecedented situation over the summer.
“To reflect this we will be providing a Covid summer food fund, this will provide food vouchers over the six week summer holiday period.
“This is a specific measure to reflect the unique circumstances of the pandemic. The scheme will not continue beyond the summer.”
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In response to the U-turn by Johnson, Rashford told his followers on Twitter to “look at what we can do when we come together”.
I don’t even know what to say.
Just look at what we can do when we come together, THIS is England in 2020. — Marcus Rashford (@MarcusRashford) June 16, 2020
The scheme, which is £120m additional funding, will benefit around 15% of state school pupils.
Ministers extended the £15-a-week free school meals voucher scheme to cover Easter and May holidays amid the coronavirus crisis, but had refused to extend it to the summer break.
Several Conservatives also piled pressure on the prime minister to reverse that decision.
Ruth Davidson, the former Scottish Tory leader, tweeted: “It’s basic. Feed the kids.”
Rebecca Long Bailey, Labour’s shadow education secretary, said the U-turn was welcome.
“It is thanks to the amazing work of Marcus Rashford and campaigners that the government has had no choice but to reverse their decision,” she said.
“The government must now confirm that this new money will be for the direct provision of free school meals to all eligible children.”
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Mark Russell, chief executive of The Children’s Society said: “We are delighted that the government has decided to do the right thing by extending the free school meals provision over the coming summer holidays. This much needed step will prevent the 1.3m children who are eligible for free school meals from going hungry during what is likely to be a very difficult summer for many families and young people.
“The government should now prioritise improving the issues around accessing the voucher scheme – including providing more support for newly eligible parents to register – so families are not still left facing crisis.
“In the longer term, temporary extensions to eligibility for free school meals, such as for those with no recourse to public funds, should be made permanent, and provision should be extended to more low income working families who unfairly miss out. This will provide a vital lifeline to all children”
This morning work and pensions secretary Therese Coffey sparked an online backlash after she commented on Rashford’s tweets about the difficulties facing poorer families in the UK.
Rashford had urged MPs and the public to think about those struggling with bills that affected everything from hot water to meal times.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-17--Migrant NHS Staff Still Paying For Care Despite Scrapping Of Charge 'Will Be Refunded'

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NHS and care workers forced to pay for their own healthcare via the controversial immigration health surcharge despite Boris Johnson’s pledge to scrap it will now be refunded.
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The prime minister announced the move after it emerged that frontline health workers were still being made to pay for NHS care despite his own U-turn and subsequent pledge to scrap the charge on May 21.
HuffPost UK understands that the government made the decision to backdate the promise on Wednesday morning after it emerged that immigrant NHS staff who have been battling coronavirus were still being charged for care as the PM’s pledge had not yet been implemented.
Labour leader Keir Starmer quoted one doctor who said he had been charged £6,000 for care for his wife and four children despite Johnson’s pledge last month.
At prime minister’s questions, Starmer went on: “These are people on the frontline.
“The prime minister said he would act, when is he going to do so?”
Johnson replied: “It is vital that people who are working on the frontline and NHS workers in particular get the support they need.
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“That’s why I said what I said a few weeks ago.
“And what I can tell him is that NHS or care workers who have paid the surcharge since May 21 will be refunded and we are getting on with instituting the new arrangements as fast as we possibly can.”