The current cost of living is pushing more people into poverty, with almost 68% of low income...
Government cuts
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28/08/2013
Women hit hardest by benefits changes
Changes to the benefits system made by the UK coalition government since it took office in 2010 have hit women disproportionately hard, according to a new study published by the Scottish Government. The study provides an overview of the impacts of each element of benefits reform on men and women.
Category: Reports -
16/08/2013
Impact of austerity on deprived neighbourhoods
The coalition government's austerity programme is mainly hitting those people who depend on vital support from public services and social security, according to a new study from the New Economics Foundation think tank.
The study focuses on how people in two of the most economically deprived parts of England – Birmingham, and Haringey in north London – have been experiencing the cuts over the last two years.
Category: Reports -
12/08/2013
Councils braced for impact of benefit cuts
Fewer than one out of every four people receiving benefits will be in a position to offset cuts in their income by finding work or moving to cheaper accommodation, a new study has concluded.
The report was produced by the Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion on behalf of the Local Government Association. It describes the cumulative impact of all the main benefit changes announced by the coalition government since May 2010, and apportions them to each English local authority area. It then considers what action is available to offset their effects – either by the individuals and families affected or by local council support services.
Category: Reports -
18/07/2013
Poor families hit by Social Fund changes
Some of the poorest families in England are at risk from changes to the Social Fund for people in financial crisis, says a report from the Children's Society charity. Key parts of the Social Fund have now been devolved to local authorities: but researchers found that the money given to local authorities to replace the Fund is less than half of what used to be allocated to it.
Category: Reports -
17/07/2013
Wales feels impact of UK welfare reforms
Women in Wales are more likely to be adversely affected than men by UK-wide changes in the benefits system, according to a new report. They are also likely to lose more compared with men.
The report is the third in a series commissioned by the Welsh Government to improve understanding of how the changes will affect different groups of people in Wales.
Category: Reports -
27/06/2013
‘Over half a million’ children pushed into poverty
Over half a million more children will have been forced into poverty by 2015 as a result of the coalition government's public spending cuts and tax and benefit changes, according to a report from the official children's rights watchdog for England.
The report is based on an analysis, by Landman Economics, that uses microsimulation models to assess the likely impact on children living in different kinds of families – the first time, the watchdog says, this kind of analysis has been undertaken.
Category: Reports -
26/06/2013
New attack by Chancellor on unemployed people
Newly unemployed people will be forced to wait seven days, instead of three days currently, before being able to claim benefits. The announcement was made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer as part of a statement on public spending plans for 2015-16. He said the move was designed to be 'helpful' to unemployed people, who would otherwise be distracted by the need to look for a new job.
Category: Reports -
13/05/2013
Suicide linked to bedroom tax
A woman who was threatened with the 'bedroom tax' on unoccupied rooms in social housing has committed suicide. Stephanie Bottrill, aged 53, died in the early hours of 4 May after being hit by a lorry on the motorway near her home in Solihull in the west midlands.
Mrs Bottrill left a note to her family saying: 'Don’t blame yourself for me ending my life. The only people to blame are the Government, no-one else'. Her family said she had been worried about how she would afford an extra £20 a week as a result of housing benefit cuts. She lived in a three-bedroom house on her own. Government changes mean families deemed to have more living space than they need are faced with having their housing benefit cut – the so-called 'bedroom tax'.
Mrs Bottrill's son told a local newspaper: 'She was fine before the bedroom tax. It was dreamt up in London, by people in offices and big houses. They have no idea the effect it has on people like my mum'.
Category: News stories -
09/05/2013
‘Worry and confusion’ over housing benefit cuts
Housing benefits cuts are causing worry and confusion among families with children, according to research published by the housing charity Shelter. Families are generally confused about forthcoming benefit changes, and those faced with housing benefit cuts have no strategies to cope, it was found.
These interim findings come from an in-depth qualitative study of 18 participants living in London in the private rented sector. All the participants have children and are receiving housing benefit.
Category: Reports -
15/04/2013
Benefit cap roll-out begins in London
Roll-out of the controversial cap on household benefit payments began in four London boroughs on 15 April 2013.
The cap means no household will be able to claim benefits totalling more than £500 each week, which the government says equates to average household earnings of £26,000 a year (net of tax and national insurance payments). Single people without children will be limited to £350 a week. The cap is expected to be fully operational nationally by September 2013.
A coalition press release said: 'the days of outrageous claims giving people incomes far above those of hard working families are over'. But commentators expressed fears the cap will have the sharpest effect on families with children and on people in areas (especially London) with high housing costs.Category: News stories
