Category Archives: Poverty

7 November 2023 ~ Impact of the rising cost of living on women – Women and Equalities Committee Inquiry – Closing Date

This inquiry will examine the impact of the rising cost of living on women, as households continue to come under pressure from increased costs.

In February 2023, the Women and Equalities Committee heard from people with disabilities and unpaid carers on how they were managing with cost-of-living increases. That evidence will inform this inquiry.

The inquiry will consider how the rise in the cost of living could exacerbate existing inequalities and what steps the Government and other stakeholders, including different sectors of the economy, could take in response.

This inquiry is currently accepting evidence

  • The committee wants to hear your views.
  • We welcome submissions from anyone with answers to the questions in the call for evidence.
  • You can submit evidence until Tuesday 7 November 2023.

https://committees.parliament.uk/work/7931/impact-of-the-rising-cost-of-living-on-women

 

October 27, 2023

7 November 2023 ~ Impact of the rising cost of living on women – Women and Equalities Committee Inquiry – Closing Date

This inquiry will examine the impact of the rising cost of living on women, as households continue to come under pressure from increased costs.

In February 2023, the Women and Equalities Committee heard from people with disabilities and unpaid carers on how they were managing with cost-of-living increases. That evidence will inform this inquiry.

The inquiry will consider how the rise in the cost of living could exacerbate existing inequalities and what steps the Government and other stakeholders, including different sectors of the economy, could take in response.

This inquiry is currently accepting evidence

  • The committee wants to hear your views.
  • We welcome submissions from anyone with answers to the questions in the call for evidence.
  • You can submit evidence until Tuesday 7 November 2023.

https://committees.parliament.uk/work/7931/impact-of-the-rising-cost-of-living-on-women

 

October 27, 2023

Flagship study finds a million children experienced destitution in the UK last year

A major new report reveals a shameful increase in the level of destitution in the UK. The number of people experiencing destitution increased by 61% from 2019 to 2022, with an even larger increase in the number of children experiencing destitution.

A combination of extremely low incomes, a threadbare social security system, the increasing cost of basic essentials and high levels of debt has led to this rapid increase.

The report, Destitution in the UK 2023, is the fourth in a series from Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), undertaken by Heriot-Watt University in partnership with Kantar Public.

As a general election approaches, JRF is calling on all parties to make tackling destitution a priority and set out their plans to reverse the appalling rise in hardship.

Key findings:

  • Around 3.8 million people experienced destitution in 2022 – a 61% increase since 2019
  • Since 2017 the number of children experiencing destitution has almost tripled – an increase of 186%
  • Almost two thirds of people who experienced destitution in 2022 have a disability or chronic health problem
  • The social security system is not protecting people from destitution: 72% of those destitute are in receipt of benefits

People are considered destitute if they have not been able to meet their most basic physical needs to stay warm, dry, clean and fed. This can be because they lack necessities like clothing, heating, shelter or food. It can also be because their income is so low they are unable to purchase these items.

With around 3.8 million people experiencing destitution in 2022, severe hardship is now commonplace. Around six in ten (2.3 million) are UK nationals without complex needs, with migrants and UK nationals with complex needs making up the remainder.

72% of destitute households are in receipt of social security benefits. 56% report receiving income from Universal Credit.

Around 12% of households experiencing destitution in 2022 were Black, Black British, Caribbean or African-led, despite comprising only 4% of the population.

Recommendations

The UK government should introduce an ‘Essentials Guarantee’ into Universal Credit, to ensure that everyone has a protected minimum amount of support to afford essentials like food and household bills. While working towards this, the UK government should lower the current limit on benefits deductions, reform sanctions so that people are not left with zero or extremely low income, and ensure that people can access the disability benefits they are entitled to.

Cash-first emergency financial assistance should be available in all areas, along with free and impartial advice services to address the crushing debt, benefits and housing issues that keep people destitute. This should also be available to people with ‘no recourse to public funds’.

Part of a longer press release at https://www.hw.ac.uk/news/articles/2023/flagship-study-finds-a-million-children.htm

October 27, 2023

Flagship study finds a million children experienced destitution in the UK last year

A major new report reveals a shameful increase in the level of destitution in the UK. The number of people experiencing destitution increased by 61% from 2019 to 2022, with an even larger increase in the number of children experiencing destitution.

A combination of extremely low incomes, a threadbare social security system, the increasing cost of basic essentials and high levels of debt has led to this rapid increase.

The report, Destitution in the UK 2023, is the fourth in a series from Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), undertaken by Heriot-Watt University in partnership with Kantar Public.

As a general election approaches, JRF is calling on all parties to make tackling destitution a priority and set out their plans to reverse the appalling rise in hardship.

Key findings:

  • Around 3.8 million people experienced destitution in 2022 – a 61% increase since 2019
  • Since 2017 the number of children experiencing destitution has almost tripled – an increase of 186%
  • Almost two thirds of people who experienced destitution in 2022 have a disability or chronic health problem
  • The social security system is not protecting people from destitution: 72% of those destitute are in receipt of benefits

People are considered destitute if they have not been able to meet their most basic physical needs to stay warm, dry, clean and fed. This can be because they lack necessities like clothing, heating, shelter or food. It can also be because their income is so low they are unable to purchase these items.

With around 3.8 million people experiencing destitution in 2022, severe hardship is now commonplace. Around six in ten (2.3 million) are UK nationals without complex needs, with migrants and UK nationals with complex needs making up the remainder.

72% of destitute households are in receipt of social security benefits. 56% report receiving income from Universal Credit.

Around 12% of households experiencing destitution in 2022 were Black, Black British, Caribbean or African-led, despite comprising only 4% of the population.

Recommendations

The UK government should introduce an ‘Essentials Guarantee’ into Universal Credit, to ensure that everyone has a protected minimum amount of support to afford essentials like food and household bills. While working towards this, the UK government should lower the current limit on benefits deductions, reform sanctions so that people are not left with zero or extremely low income, and ensure that people can access the disability benefits they are entitled to.

Cash-first emergency financial assistance should be available in all areas, along with free and impartial advice services to address the crushing debt, benefits and housing issues that keep people destitute. This should also be available to people with ‘no recourse to public funds’.

Part of a longer press release at https://www.hw.ac.uk/news/articles/2023/flagship-study-finds-a-million-children.htm

October 27, 2023

3 October 2022 ~ Women’s Census: Rough Sleeping – St Mungo’s, Solace & SHP – until 7 October 2022

London Women’s Rough Sleeping Census: can you help us evidence the extent of women’s rough sleeping?

Research, lived experience and the experiences of services tell us that women are some of the most vulnerable within the rough sleeping and homeless population, yet we also know that women are under-represented in rough sleeping statistics and provision.

The Women’s Development Unit is part of the Life Off the Streets women’s workstream which has been tasked with organising a women’s census, aiming to better capture data about the extent of women’s rough sleeping. The census is being delivered by a sub-group led by the Women’s Development Unit, SHP and St Mungo’s and has the support of DLUHC, the GLA, London Councils and the Life Off the Streets Core Group.

The methodology used will differ from the normal snapshot count in recognition of the fact that women sleep rough less visibly and are less likely to meet outreach teams as a result.

We hope the findings will tell us about the scale of hidden rough sleeping among women; services they have encountered prior to rough sleeping; and the needs of women. This data will help to increase understanding of women’s experiences and inform future provision.

This will take place across a full working week 3rd-7th October. Please note this date has changed from the date originally advertised.

We are working collaboratively with organisations across London to help deliver this work. Can you be involved?

On this page we will post updated information, guidance and training sessions over the next months.

Sign up to our mailing list to make sure you receive all the latest information, including how to get involved.

Watch the recorded outreach session on the census here, as delivered on 30th August. You can find the accompanying slides with information on what the census is, how it will work and how you can carry out your gender informed outreach shifts here.

Watch the recorded information session on the census here, as delivered on 15th August. You can find the accompanying slides with information on what the census is, how it will work and how you can be involved here.

The census team have produced guidance to support services to take part in the census:

Read our Gender-informed outreach guidance here for outreach teams planning their census shift. All those taking part in the shift should be familiar with this guidance.

Read our Survey guidance for non-outreach services for services who will be conducting the survey with their service users. All team members taking part should be familiar with this guidance.

Training sessions to run alongside this guidance took place at the end of August – recordings of these sessions will be available shortly.

We have created a template which services can fill in with local information in case you need to signpost anyone during census week. Download the template for completion here.

Contact Us: Womens.census@cstm.org.uk

Check details and updates at https://www.connection-at-stmartins.org.uk/womens-census/

 

September 21, 2022