Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF)

📓 JRF's annual report on the state of #UKPoverty launched this morning, revealing some stark truths. 👇      📊 The latest analysis from our researchers shows a worsening picture of poverty in this country, with families in poverty now on average needing thousands to get out of poverty.   The average person in poverty has an income 29% below the poverty line, equating to a gap of £6,200 for a couple with two children under 14.   📈 With 14.4 million living in poverty in 2021/22, our politicians must take action on this vital issue.    🗳️ A general election is on the horizon, and we are demanding practical solutions from political parties to address this.    Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/ebJWWJ_R

Important analysis from Catherine Hale. Including calling out the term 'economically inactive'. Sadly the paper uses this throughout, despite comments from Liz Kendall in the Telegraph at the weekend admitting that this was a dehumanising term. It's a shame because as Catherine points out, the actual paper acknowledges that disabled people are excluded from the labour market. 'Economically inactive' is a stigmatising term that reinforces a narrative that we desperately need to override. Stigma holds poverty in place, dehumanising terms and narratives enable good humans to make decisions that cause harm. Please can we stop using it.

The UK government must take immediate action on hardship and hunger.    📰 Last week with Mind, We are Carers, Turn2us, Trussell and over 200 organisations we delivered the news to parliament that it is time to act.    Our social security system is failing to protect people from going without the essentials. But it doesn't have to be this way. A future where everyone can afford the essentials is possible. 📢

The government is right to shift from blaming and shaming people to tackling the root causes of why so many people are out of work because of ill-health. But these ambitions risk being undermined by an eroded benefits system that's become a barrier to work itself. 📢 Find out more in this piece by Iain Porter: https://lnkd.in/e9EuqTNi

For too long, too many people and places across the UK have been shut out of having a meaningful stake in our economy. 📢 Our economy should help rather than hinder the flourishing of all people and places. The challenge is no longer to make the case for inclusive growth, renewal and innovation, it is to develop the thinking and practice about how to make it happen. 🤝 The progressive change that is needed cannot be delivered by Government alone. There needs to be a partnership between central, regional and local government, both to develop the new ideas and policies to implement them. The Inclusive Growth Network (IGN) has been ahead of the curve. Find out more about the impact of IGN from Annabel Smith at Centre for Progressive Policy 👇

There's still snow on the hills and freezing temperatures. Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) latest cost of living tracker shows that in October: 🥶 a quarter (24%) of low income households couldn’t afford to heat their home in the previous 6 months. 🥶 🥶 And the picture is even worse for low income private renters who receive housing benefit, where over 4 in 10 (44%) couldn’t afford to heat their homes. This pressure will grow, as the latest data shows rent price inflation at 8.7% in 12 months to October, a figure that has been above 8% for 15 consecutive months now. Yet, in the Budget, the Government failed to re-link Local Housing Allowance (housing benefit for private renters) to local rents and left it frozen. This means the gap between the support low income households receive and the cost of their rent will continue to grow. And that is on top of a basic rate of benefits that, at £91 per week, falls well short of what is needed to cover life’s essentials. A social security system should be there for people when they need it. At the very least it should ensure people can afford the essentials in life. Ours does not.

🗣️ "A choice between heating and eating isn't really a choice at all."    Latest stats from Trussell show that over 1.4 million emergency food parcels were provided by food banks in the Trussell community in just 6 months.    People turn to food banks because our social security system is falling short. And every day millions have to make heartbreaking decisions. But it doesn't have to be this way. A future where everyone can afford the essentials is possible. The UK Government must make sure Universal Credit covers the cost of the essentials like food, heating and toiletries. 📰 Together we can end hunger and hardship.

📢 Over 1.4 million emergency food parcels were provided by food banks in the Trussell community in just 6 months. Why? Because our social security system is falling short. But it doesn't have to be this way.    Our social security system should support us, especially when we need it most.     The UK Government must make sure Universal Credit covers the cost of essentials like food, heating and toiletries. A future where everyone can afford these essentials is possible. Today we gathered with organisations from across the UK at Parliament Square to deliver The Hardship Times to parliament. ⌛ It’s time to end hunger and hardship.

Today I'm at the Social Housing conference. If you're here, pop over to say hi and find out how you can frame your communications so you grow support for building social homes.

🌐 We're delighted to have funded the work of the Inclusive Growth Network (IGN) for the past four years. They have collaborated with a dynamic community of organisations to learn, spread good practice and deepen understanding of inclusive growth across the UK, building local capacity and helping places create more inclusive economies. Their latest report looks at the broad impact they've been able to make across a range of areas among its 14 members, which include councils and combined authorities from across the country. 🏛 Hosted by the Centre for Progressive Policy, champions of inclusive growth with a focus on place, productivity and public services, the IGN is now looking to go further in their vital work and scale up their interventions to a national scale! JRF's Director of Insight and Policy Alfie Stirling said: "With fresh commitment from government to many of the core tenets of inclusive growth, the IGN stands well-placed to offer a wealth of practical expertise in testing and delivering what works when it comes to putting genuinely inclusive growth into practice." Find out more 🔽