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Classicman if I am not mistaken, much of your social security is based on families with children? If you are a young man who can't find work in an area of high unemployment, what help is available to you?
Of the help that's available, how much of it is provided through a voucher system and how much through actual currency?
In the UK, some asylum seekers on, a particular programme, awaiting a decision on their case, are provided with vouchers in order to get what they need. It's never enough, it means they are unable to go to anywhere that isn't within walking distance (often with families having been split up into different areas and twns, but thats a whole other debate:P) and they have the social stigma of buying things in shops with vouchers. Might as well stick a big sign over their head.
If you're unemployed you get a fortnightly payment into your bank, or as a cheque for the post office to cash. It isn't enough, not by a long shot, but with careful money management it is enough to feed and provide basics, alongside a few sparse luxuries like cigarettes and maybe a couple of pints at a weekend. After a certain amount of time (used to be a year, I think its six months now) you start to come under more pressure to take up some kind of work or training. Throughout your claim you report in every fortnight to show what you've been doing to try and find work. Help is available to get into training schemes and 'jobsearch' programmes are mandatory after 6 months. If you don't attend the programmes, you get a penalty, of maybe two or three weeks at half your benefit. (emergency rate).
We have poverty in the UK. Some half a million children live below the official poverty line. I really don't think the poor here, are as badly off as they are in many other places (I suspect including America). On the other hand I know there are countries where the poor are a damn sight better off than here.
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