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Life In Low Income Families In Scotland: Research Report
ANNEX FOUR: TOPIC GUIDE, ADULTS
PART 1: EVERYDAY EXPERIENCES OF LIFE ON A LOW INCOME
General Issues
1. How do you feel about the area you live in? What are the good things and the bad things?
2. What's life like for ADD DESCRIPTION OF GROUP (e.g. teenagers) living in your community?
3. And what about (i) older people (ii) youth and teenagers (iii) younger children?
Frames of reference and Community Experience
4. So, who would you say are the people in your area who are the least well-off, or the poorest?
5. How is that some people end up having less or being poorer than others?
6. Most or all of you know what it's like to be living on a low income. How do you think this affects how other people view or treat you?
Managing on a low income, Monetary issues
7. In this project we are interested in the day-to-day experiences of what it means to live on a low income. How does living on a low income affect your everyday life?
8. Do you think that any of these experiences are different for men and for women?
9. What would you be able to do, or find easier to do, on a regular basis if you had more money?
10. What kind of things do you have to do to manage being on a low income, that you would prefer not to have to do?
11. We all try to make the most of what we've got. What are some of the ways that you make sure that you enjoy life, even though money is really limited?
Managing on a low income, Non- Monetary issues
12. Living on a low income can put a strain on families and it can bring families closer together. Can you tell me how you've seen the lack of income affect families you know at the moment?
13. As for families, living on a low income can put a strain on friendships and it can bring friends closer together. Can you tell me how you've seen the lack of income affect friends you know at the moment?
14. Who if anybody is particularly good to you when you're up against it in financial terms?
15. Who if anybody are you particularly good to you they're up against it in financial terms?
Temporal issues
16. Have you always had as much/little money as you have now?
17. What happens for things which need additional cash, such as birthdays, Holy Communions, school holidays and special holiday such as Christmas?
18. What happens when you have to find money for unexpected expenses, such as child takes a growth spurt, electrical equipment fails?
Routine, Crisis and Spontaneity
19. We all have to face crises or difficult times in our life. Some people feel these hit hardest when we are on a low income. What do you think about this?
20. Have there been difficult times in your own life that have been made worst by not having enough money?
21. How do you get manage to get back on track?
22. Is it easy to get help? What makes it difficult?
PART 2: VIEWS OF POVERTY AND POLICY
23. How would you define poverty?
24. What would you say the government is doing to improve things for people experiencing poverty?
25. What would you say the government should be doing to improve things for people experiencing poverty?
26. In your local area or community what is being done to improve things for poorer people?
27. Do you think local communities themselves can do anything to alleviate being on a low income / living in poverty?
PART 3: END NOTE
28. Just to finish, I know we're only giving you a 10 token, but if you were to find yourself a 1000 richer tomorrow, what would you do with the money?
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