So says community activist Caroline Mockford speaking at
the Poverty
Alliance’s Poverty Assembly. Caroline was highlighting her successful
campaign to make the NHS 24 number free to call from mobiles and landlines.
Caroline used her own example to highlight the need for
the change in legislation. In 2008 she was changed £8 for a call she made to
NHS 24.
On the back of this, she launched a petition to have the
number made free and, with the help of the Poverty Alliance, the costs were
successfully challenged. Now, it is completely free to phone NHS 24
on 111, when calling from either a landline or mobile.
As Caroline correctly identifies, this extra charge
penalised those on low incomes as many do not have a landline and were required
to use a mobile, thus paying higher rates.
This is one of numerous hidden extra charges which those
on low incomes have to pay.
These costs are often referred to as the poverty penalty or the poverty premium and are little discussed in the national media, but are the everyday reality for many across the country.
These costs are often referred to as the poverty penalty or the poverty premium and are little discussed in the national media, but are the everyday reality for many across the country.
Those
with Experience are the Experts
Caroline’s story is testament to the ability of
individuals to challenge the system and achieve clear results. However, her
story also reveals that the solutions for tackling poverty do not lie just in
the minds of our key decision makers and elected officials.
Instead, she shows that those with experience of poverty are experts on their situation and must be included in the decision making process.
Instead, she shows that those with experience of poverty are experts on their situation and must be included in the decision making process.
Working
Together
Caroline, like other commissioners with the Poverty Truth
Commission, has a deep insight into the costs of being poor as she has lived
experience of the struggles dealing with them, such as paying higher energy tariffs
for a pre-payment meter.
The extra costs of being poor is one of a number of
issues being addressed by the Poverty Truth Commission. The Commission seeks to
bring together those experts with important decision makers to work together in
creating long-term solutions to poverty.
Turning
Up the Volume on Poverty
On Saturday 21, June the Poverty Truth Commission will be
celebrating the fantastic work of our commissioners such as Caroline. If you’re
interested in seeing how their great ideas can be combined with the power and
passion of influential individuals across Scottish society then please come
along.
To register at this free
event click here; call 0141 248 2911; or
email info@povertytruthcommission.org #TurnItUp2014
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