Relative and absolute wealth and poverty, and donations to charity!

[Beef Oven!]

We all know that in the UK and similar countries, no-one is poor in absolute terms anymore, but what about the rich? Steven Gerrard has very kindly donated £96 to the Hillsborough Family Support Group. He's quoted as saying that he'd been thinking of doing something like this for some time, but wanted to get the timing right. Good on yer Steve!

Back to the relative side of material life, after income tax, utility bills, food, professional fees, insurances and other 'running costs', a top-flight professional footballer in the premiership could be left with around £100k per week of disposable income burning a hole in his pocket.

As of January 2014, the average UK salary is just over £26k, with a just over £20k median. On average, how much disposable income does the average modern Briton have out of their £500 per week pay? £150-£250? Hard to say.

Steve appears to have given the relative equivalent of around £150-£250 to this cause. A generous amount by any standard.

[amateur51]

We all know that in the UK and similar countries, no-one is poor in absolute terms anymore, but what about the rich?

You may not feel poor but plenty of people on benefits, and those without access to needed benefits, certainly feel poor.

And those for whom housing costs take up a disproportionatly high prportion of their income certainly feel trapped by their poverty.The almost total dependence now on the private rented sector where rent levels are regulated only by the market has led to this situation, which given the level of Housing Benefit bills to pay these private individals is, we are told, making us all poor.

Steven Gerrard has very kindly donated £96 to the Hillsborough Family Support Group. He's quoted as saying that he'd been thinking of doing something like this for some time, but wanted to get the timing right. Good on yer Steve!

He gave much more than that - concentrate!

[Flosshilde]

As of January 2014, the average UK salary is just over £26k, with a just over £20k median. On average, how much disposable income does the average modern Briton have out of their £500 per week pay? £150-£250? Hard to say.

The problem is that the excessively high pay of a few can distort the average (I don't remember the difference between 'average' and 'median', but suspect that the latter can also be distorted) & give a slightly rosier picture of people's pay.

Steve appears to have given the relative equivalent of around £150-£250 to this cause. A generous amount by any standard.

As you say it's relative; the more somebody has the more, proportionately, they can afford to give, so £96,000 is probably rather less generous than you suggest (but still a good example - one that his colleagues should follow)