Thinking Allowed
BBC sociology and ideas interviews; claims trace to research and fieldwork
Deep reads here2 / 586 episodes
Cadence~1 every 7.0 days
Latest2026-07-07
TopicsIdeas
PriorityT2
27:51Thinking Allowed
0707
Two million British elderly live in quiet poverty—they'd rather lie to family than reach out
Though eligible for pension credits, only 63% of qualifying elderly apply. What stops them isn't the missing money, but dread of admitting hardship to family and fear of putting what little they have at risk.
8 Points
7 Quotes
PensionsElderly poverty
27:57Thinking Allowed
0630
Charity shop donations: 70–90% never sell in stores
Of clothing donated to charity shops, only 10–30% is actually sold to customers; the rest is mostly exported to second-hand markets in Kenya and elsewhere, and parts that can't be processed locally end up in landfills or are incinerated.
8 Points
8 Quotes
Pocket moneyCharity shops