Advertisement
News

It’s not the end of austerity, but there’s some progress in tackling poverty

The £1.7 billion fund for increasing work allowances announced today by Philip Hammond is a glimmer of hope in addressing a “burning injustice”

The end of austerity turned out to be less definitive than had been suggested earlier in the day on Monday, as Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond backed away from “austerity is at an end” to “austerity is finally coming to an end”.

But amidst the growing storm of dissent around the nationwide roll-out of the deeply-unpopular Universal Credit, the Chancellor delivered a glimmer of good news. He announced £1.7 billion into increasing work allowances, as part of a pledge to “make work pay.”

‘Burning injustice’

The announcement was described as an important step forward in addressing the “burning injustice” of rising poverty among working families by the chief executive of social justice charity the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF).

Campbell Robb said: “This move will help make Universal Credit a tool for tackling poverty, and ease the burden for low income families.” He said that JRF had been working with other organisations, politicians and people living in poverty to make the case for the change, which he described as “crucial.”

And he added that the fight must continue: “We will continue to work constructively with the Government to reform Universal Credit so that the needs of the people who rely on it come first. The public supports this, the Government supports this and it is what needs to happen in a just and compassionate society.

“However with 14 million people living in poverty, the government needs to be emboldened to carry out serious social reform to make this a country that works for everyone.”

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Support someone in your own community

With our online vendor map, you can support a local vendor by supplementing their income with a subscription to Big Issue. For every annual subscription sold via a vendor, a vendor receives £50.

Recommended for you

Read All
Meet the woman with a 'radical' solution to water pollution
Water pollution

Meet the woman with a 'radical' solution to water pollution

Will free school meals and vouchers be offered over the Easter holidays in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
Free school meals

Will free school meals and vouchers be offered over the Easter holidays in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?

Free school meals: Everything you need to know
Free school meals

Free school meals: Everything you need to know

Water companies are 'wilfully misleading' the public over sewage claims, watchdog says
sewage

Water companies are 'wilfully misleading' the public over sewage claims, watchdog says

Most Popular

Read All
Here's when people will get the next cost of living payment in 2023
1.

Here's when people will get the next cost of living payment in 2023

No internet, no opportunities: Addressing the challenges of digital exclusion in the UK
2.

No internet, no opportunities: Addressing the challenges of digital exclusion in the UK

What are 15-minute cities? The truth about the plans popping up from Oxford all the way to Melbourne
3.

What are 15-minute cities? The truth about the plans popping up from Oxford all the way to Melbourne

They Might Be Giants is not a cult: How they built a birdhouse in your soul... and a 40-year sustainable creative enterprise
4.

They Might Be Giants is not a cult: How they built a birdhouse in your soul... and a 40-year sustainable creative enterprise