The biggest issue in the UK which drives the divide between the haves and have nots is housing and the lack of it, especially affordable housing.
The country needs more housing and more housing in areas which are both suitable for families and near to employment without driving. They have built thousands of new flats in and around Manchester city centre, but the Labour controlled council has not sought for one (even one) to be affordable. Thus all the low income workers need to commute in whereas the wealthy can walk to work.
The sale of council homes under Right to Buy was a sensible policy as far as it went, but the mistake was not reinvesting the money in new housing. Nowadays I see Housing Associations building new homes only for the 'tenants' to buy them a couple of years later. Not sure that is sensible. If you can afford to buy, then buy a private property not one built using public money.
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