Broke: Fixing Britain’s Poverty Crisis

by Tom Clark (Editor), Kerry Hudson (Foreword), Jem Bartholomew (Contributor)

A dozen years into austerity, statistical warning lights are flashing to suggest a return to types of deprivation we once imagined we had consigned to history. In the decade up to the pandemic, the official count of rough sleepers and recorded malnutrition in hospital patients both doubled, while recourse to food banks rocketed by an order of magnitude.

And yet it has never been statistics but rather individual human stories – from the fictionalised accounts of Dickens to the faithful reporting of Orwell and Priestley – that have seared the reality of hard times into the public imagination. In Broke, Tom Clark assembles today’s masters of social reportage to go deep into the communities so often ignored by politicians, introducing us to those at the hardest end of the poverty crisis. Contributions from Jem Bartholomew, Cal Flyn, Dani Garavelli, Frances Ryan, Samira Shackle, Daniel Trilling and Jennifer Williams, and a foreword by Kerry Hudson, unflinchingly reveal the contemporary experience of cold, hunger, homelessness, disease, debt, disability, punishing work and an immigration system that makes people destitute by design.

With Joel Goodman’s photography bringing the characters to life, and some of the writers having had first-hand experience of the issues raised, Broke blends powerful human stories with analysis of the policies that have led us to this point – and the reforms we urgently need.

All royalties will be donated to Leeds Asylum Seekers’ Support Network

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 30, 2023

About the author

Tom Clark writes daily editorials on politics, economics and social affairs for The Guardian in London.

Reviews

[Euan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very revealing account of inequality in Britain. Main takeaway is just how multi faceted inequality and poverty are and how many factors impact it - housing, access to credit, insecure work, health, benefits.

Framed largely through the cost of living crisis but let’s not kid ourselves this has long been a problem, it’s just journalists are only now just covering it.

My sense is that these issues are so entrenched and deep rooted that there is no “quick win” to address many of them. Sadly, they are decades long projects to address the wrongs - one must ask will the Government, potentially soon a Labour led one, address them?

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Broke’ lays bear the stark reality of austerity Britain and the harsh experiences that ordinary people are facing just to try and survive each day. Each chapter focuses on people from across the country, each of their struggles and hardships printed on page in the hope that this book, funded by the Rowntree Foundation, will inspire a shift in thinking. Carefully crafted to avoid falling into the ‘poverty porn’ category that the book itself berates, ‘Broke’ is an empathetic and thought provoking exploration of the current social and economic climate, as well as challenging current perceptions and advocating for change.

[Cidney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is just brilliant and I want to buy a copy and send it to my MP. This is the truth behind the poverty crisis which has been caused by 14 years of "austerity" and we all know who started that. What makes this book stand out is that Mr Clark has sent out 8 people to differet parts of the country, to report on a family or individual living in "austerity" conditions. These are ordinary people who rent privately and are thrown out by the whim of a landlord, sometimes because they have reported mold or some other unhealthy defect which is something which the "money grabbing" landlord can't be bothered to fix (think of the little boy who died in hospital with lungs full of mold particles and his parents repeatedly reporting it to their landlord, shame on that man who did absolutely nothing). Landlords can get rid of tenants in the blink of an eye, leaving them running round to find somewhere to live and ending up sofa surfing or if you are very unlucky living on benches. There are simply no social houses anywhere now because they were sold off by a certain woman and no council is building them now, preferring to rely on private landlords who obviously want to make as much money as possible from people who are unable to find the money to buy a house, let along put down money for the deposit. We have become a nation of rich people who couldn't care less about the "little" people who are creating the wealth by which they profit.

We have a record number of people using food banks and even the food banks themselves are finding it difficult to stock their larders as more people are finding it difficult to donate because they need the food themselves and have precious little left for others. I used to be a regular donor but I can't always buy extra each week now to donate for others whilst we are all struggling with rising prices and then read about the huge profits all our supermarkets are making, so why can't they reduce their prices across all the foods they sell? Once again profits for shareholders mean more than people being able to put food on the table for their families to eat, healthy food preferably rather than junk food which is sometimes all they can afford.

What a country we live in today, people really struggling all because of the wrong adverts/reports which one party puts out constantly over the years that all people on benefits are cleary scroungers on the state. Rubbish. Absolute rubbish. The disabled and single parents and immigrants are the ones who are at the receiving end of their propaganda which is very clearly detailed in this book.
We should all read this book, no matter what particular party we have an affinity to and be ashamed for the governments who had pushed this under cover and can't be bothered to do anything substantial about it.

Welcome to 21st century Britain. Broken Britain if you aren't wealthy, broken Britain if you are a single parent, broken Britain if you are disabled, broken Britain if you are unlucky enough to be renting. Broken Britain if you are an immigrant fleeing persecution.

Welcome. It's high time our wealthy politicians stop whinging and actually come out and do something about the appalling levels of poverty in this country, which they have created, yes they have created because of their policies. End of rant. Just read the book, it's an uncomfortable read but so it should be.

[Jaward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cannot recommend this book highly enough. Each chapter is an investigative piece written by a different journalist, tackling issues such as homelessness, immigration, the impact of poor physical and mental health, and so much more on our society. Highlights how we can't expect things to change or get better for people who are stuck in a poverty cycle day-to-day living. Why have these people been made to be the enemy for so long, when it's clear that the rich and elite are the cause of so many issues.
Recommend buying first hand from independent bookshops - all royalties are said to be donated to Leeds Asylum Seekers Support Network.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Each chapter written by a different person, this book paints a picture of modern Britain that is too often unseen. Those at the sharp end of years of government austerity are given a voice. They talk about fuel poverty, about going hungry, about the Kafkaesque benefits system or asylum system, about homelessness when the only safety net is relying on charity. We don't hear these voices often enough, but they require action to change the systems maintaining this unjust situation. I would encourage you to read this and listen to these people.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book which is both brilliantly written and harrowing. It presents a wide ranging view of the social and economic problems affecting an unfortunately too large number of people in the UK. Again, nice to read a book about problems affecting society which offer some solutions rather than vague noises about the need for consciousness raising and a demand to radically rethink society (of course never supported by substance).

[Jonny Brick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dark book with very little light, emphasising the political decisions which have led to the current issues in Britain, which no culture was can detract from. Frances Ryan is very good on the struggles of the disabled (she's investigating it for a book), while the chapters on food banks, housing and debt are still shocking.

[Andy Haigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A powerful anthology of social reportage. Across its 8 chapters, each from a different writer, 'Broke' brings together personal testimony from those caught in the quagmire of poverty. Political choices matter and funding cuts have a very real impact. This book is a sobering reminder of the lives behind the statistics.

[Daniel Lipscomb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book that really humanises people in poverty. This is the first book/article I've read that depicts British poverty accurately. Each chapter reads well and is well organised, you follow a few people through their struggle on that specific topic and get a sense of the scope and scale of destitution. Really well written and thoughtful. Anyone going into politics must read this.

[Olivia Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very thorough and well evidenced (quantitatively and qualitatively) look at the ways punitive welfare, immigration and labour policies exacerbate poverty in Britain. A compelling (and well written) case for major reform.

[VintageScorpioQueen · Rating 4 out of 5]

In my opinion, it is a well written book, voicing society's need for reform. Was pleased to see research and evidence sourced from Citizens Advice in addition to other organisations. I work for CA and know how much is put in to provide this data that highlights the need for societal change.

[Kathleen O'Halloran · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read.

I like the way the book was organised. Different people writing about poverty and their take on all aspects of it, especially where their expertise lies. It paints a horrible accurate picture of broken Britain.

[jem]

everyone should read our book imho

[Reuben Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic insight into the poverty crisis within the United Kingdom. Throughout, the authors portray areas which need to be amended through stories of those struggling from the services provided.