Nick Ferrari in disbelief that 7 million households 'can't afford a toothbrush'

[00:00:00]People just don't like hearing the truth.

[00:00:02]>> You're telling me people in this country can't afford a 50p toothbrush.

[00:00:06]>> Yes.

[00:00:08]>> Where, who, why?

[00:00:09]>> It's not a serious journalistic response.

[00:00:11]>> I'm grateful for you. I'm grateful for your analysis of my journalistic abilities. You can get a nice packet of pasta for 89p and that's going to do you it's going to do you more than one.

[00:00:21]>> What about all the other costs of living you're living at home? The other bills like what about electricity bill, gas bills? What about those? go through if you would Alfie the the work that you and your colleagues have done and more importantly the findings that you've discovered. Good morning.

[00:00:36]>> Yeah, good morning. Um I mean look I think the work um I'm afraid shows just the depth of the national emergency that we're in right now. I mean the focus from government on cost living could has not come a moment too soon. We we do this survey we started it in the cost of living crisis just following the pandemic. So four and a half years ago we conduct the same study twice a year.

[00:01:00]So that's nine times now over the last four and a half years. What we found in May and June which is the most recent study was that the number of people um who are going without essential items that's things like having enough food, having appropriate clothing, basic toiletries, hot water, people that are not having those things has now risen to the highest levels on uh on record um across all of those surveys.

[00:01:25]So 7.4 4 um million people. But you know each one of >> sorry 7.4 million people haven't got toiletries.

[00:01:32]>> 7.4 7.4 million households household skipping house are skipping one of a number of >> uh basic uh basic things whether that's enough food as I as I mentioned.

[00:01:44]>> Yes. Um when you say toiletries what what are we talking about there Mr. Sterling? You know, it's toothpaste, it's um shampoo, uh the sorts of things that that we use basic toiletries.

[00:01:55]>> But you know how much toothpaste costs, I assume. Do you >> So Nick, are you are you suggesting that are you sort of saying that these numbers aren't right? Are you saying that the study that's happened to be taken place the last four and a half years?

[00:02:05]>> Just essentials. Just essentials as does toothpaste is 45p.

[00:02:10]>> How much cheaper do you want it to be?

[00:02:12]But if you're in debt, um, your income doesn't cover your outgoing. You have to not have something. I mean, that's what that's what this research shows. So, people have got something.

[00:02:24]>> Say again. Sorry.

[00:02:25]>> How have you How has that person got in debt?

[00:02:29]>> The most basic reason why people are not in debt is because the cost of living is higher than the income they >> I've just told you. You can get toothpaste for 45p. A bar of soap at Asda cost you 35p. and I can get you two toothbrushes at the pound shop for £1.

[00:02:44]So, we've had a nice wash and we brushed our teeth. Why don't we go out and get a job?

[00:02:48]>> So, of course, many of these people are in work. I mean, that's >> Well, then you're going to be able to afford You're going to be able to afford two toothbrushes, aren't you, for a pound at the pound shop?

[00:02:56]>> Not Not if your housing cost.

[00:02:58]>> You're telling me you're telling me people in this country can't afford a 50p toothbrush?

[00:03:03]>> Yes.

[00:03:04]>> Where? Who? Why?

[00:03:06]>> 7.4 million households.

[00:03:08]>> 7.4 4 million households in this country, Mr. Sterling, cannot afford a 50p toothbrush.

[00:03:13]>> And that's and that's precisely why I think it should be it should be an emergency. And actually the government is recognizing that with the policies they're now beginning um to put out.

[00:03:21]It's going to be really important to see that >> I don't wish to cause any personal offense because I respect enormously what you and your colleagues at the Joseph Roundry Foundation doing. But I'm just not buying it. I just not buying the 7.4 million households can't afford a 50p toothbrush. In fact, I've just been told that I can get you a 25p toothbrush. Asda. So a 20 You're telling me and I respect you enormously, your company, your foundation, I'm sorry, that you are telling me there are 7.4 million households in Britain who can't afford a 25p toothbrush. Where does their money go?

[00:03:51]>> If you only have £5 and you need6, that means you're one pound short. Nick, >> where's that five quid go?

[00:03:59]We what I'm afraid what we're having here which is we do get quite a lot of is not a reflection of the study but it's people with an ideological >> No I think it's an analysis of the figures that you put out I would put it to you >> that when you come out with these which are very disturbing figures it's not unfair that a journalist would challenge you and say well hold on a second what precisely can't they afford and I'm told they can't afford soap and shower gel and then I say well I can get you shower gel from sainsbur for 35p. Yeah. And you can get, you know, you can get potatoes for ATP. But the point is these things all add up. And if people haven't got sufficient income to cover all of those items, they have to go without some of those items. So just being able to pick out one particular item and say, "Oh, [clears throat] that's 80p. That's 150."

[00:04:42]>> I did ask you not ser it's not a serious it's not a serious journalistic response.

[00:04:47]>> I'm grateful for you. I'm grateful for your analysis of my journalistic abilities and grateful for your time to as well. Alfie Sterling is an economist and director of policy at the Joseph Rantry Foundation. This is what you're saying. Uh Nick Ferrari, you're completely out of touch sitting behind sitting behind a high salary uh and an entitled lifestyle and you're poo pooing the plight of ordinary workers. Alex in black Keith on your wage, your lifestyle. How can you comment on many of us who are struggling? This is serious. The cost of living does not affect you. You're like a politician.

[00:05:14]You have no idea. Uh John's in Brighton on this. Johnny on the [clears throat] radio. What can you tell me? Good morning. Yeah, I've got to laugh those those I agree with those previous comments. I mean, I don't think you understand the cost of living crisis, Nick. You're going on that guy about the your toothbrush, you know, and all these these little, you know, it's not just that. It's all the other buy.

[00:05:38]>> So, you've got £5. The gentleman said if you've got £5, you what have you spent that £5 on?

[00:05:43]>> What about all the other things you need?

[00:05:45]>> I wonder if you'd like to answer my question first.

[00:05:47]>> Everything else? Food.

[00:05:48]>> Right. Okay. So you can get a nice you can get a nice packet of pasta for 89p and that's going to do you a it's going to do you more than one >> about all the other costs of living you're living at home the other bills like what about electricity bill gas bills what about those >> but I'm I put it to you that I don't believe that 7.4 >> how much is the bus fair to get your 25 >> well it's going to be two pounds isn't it I but I don't believe that 7.4 4 million households are in a in this country are in a position where they can't afford a 20 a 50p and the bus fair isn't too why don't you just respond to what I said John and increasing the volume of your voice does not increase the power of your argument so let's try again what right let's just try again do all the other things no we're having a problem here John do you really believe 7 no here we go let's this is the last chance here I feel a bit like the manager uh the referee in the World Cup final um 7.4 4 million households. Do you really believe they can't afford a toothbrush? Look, >> I'm not going into that.

[00:06:47]>> And the reason you're not going into it is because you know it's bogus. It's utterly bogus.

[00:06:52]>> No, it's you you don't each of those people are in a different situation.

[00:06:57]>> So you do >> you don't understand it. You're disconnected from reality.

[00:07:01]>> Okay. But you're refusing. You can't handle the truth because you know that 7.4 million households can afford a toothbrush. But in many instances, not all. And there will be some who are in genuine need. In many instances, they are making the wrong spending decisions.

[00:07:17]John, uh, this comes from Matt.

[00:07:19]Disgusting. You don't understand the cost of living crisis. You're making me so angry. Uh, this one comes in from Paul Sims. This is a new alltime low for you. How do you get away with it? Gary's in Grandanthm. What do you want to say, Gary? Good morning.

[00:07:31]>> Good morning, Nick. I think all these people um saying that you're out of touch and out of order need to give their head a wobble. All you're saying is the truth. effectively. Yes, there is a cost living crisis. Seriously, >> I don't I don't think there's a 7.4 million households who can't afford a toothbrush. People can afford makeup.

[00:07:50]They can afford alcohol. They can afford They can afford vapes. They can afford the latest designer clothes.

[00:07:56]Going on holidays. It's about making choices. That's all it is. I'm a father of four. I um I run my own small business. And >> um I have to make choices. We haven't had a we haven't had a an expensive holiday for for years. We haven't done any of those things because we put what we need first.

[00:08:13]>> Where did you get your work ethic from?

[00:08:14]Was that from your mom and dad?

[00:08:16]>> Uh yeah, it was it's work hard and you will get your rewards and sometimes you have to make decisions and you put there's been times in in mine and my wife's life where we've gone without food to give our kids food, but we've always made sure all the essentials are paid for and whatever money we've got left, that's what we use if we're going to go and have a family day out or if there is enough money for a holiday. it.

[00:08:38]People just don't like hearing the truth because it means they've got to take a look at themselves, self-evaluate, and go, "Oh, I am making the wrong decisions." And >> why is there that lack of personal financial responsibility? What's brought that about, do you think, Gary?

[00:08:52]>> I I I think some of it's education. I don't think that we're taught correctly in school when it comes to actually um how to handle money. You're just taught basic math skills, not interest rates, not credit card debt. And that's the problem. So many people get themselves into debt, like you asked that gentleman on the on the radio earlier.

[00:09:10]>> They get into debt because they're living beyond their means. Because they're trying to live in what society deems as acceptable to give themselves some validation rather than just being happy with themselves, content with themselves and their life, and going, "This is what I can afford. This is what I can do and this is how I'll