Autumn Statement 2023- A missed opportunity to truly tackle poverty.
This year’s Autumn statement comes at a time when 28% of UK adults (14.7 million) are skipping meals and 35% of UK adults (18.4 million) are losing sleep on at least a monthly basis because of costs. However, the reality of the immediate needs of people across the UK have not been met with a committed crisis response.
Although it is welcome that benefits were uprated in line with the September inflation figures, we would usually expect this as a standard practice rather than a point of celebration. It’s the very least that should be expected — and a real issue that this hasn’t been the case for nine of the last thirteen years. With social security not covering the costs of essentials this is a minimum step that reduces but does not eliminate the deficit budgets people are facing.
Another policy, where the fanfare masks a hidden reality, is the announcement of an increase to the National Living Wage to £11.44 and the change to ensure that everyone over the age of 21 receives this as a minimum. We’re pleased to see the age-related disparity addressed in this announcement and disappointed that the same thinking didn’t translate into the different rates of standard allowances in Universal Credit.
However, we also know that people in work have not been immune to the impact of rising costs. So, a review of social security and of wages against the Minimum Income Standard would be beneficial. This will ensure that minimum pay is enough for people to be able to afford the essentials to survive and thrive. his mindset is already accepted among Real Living Wage employers. As we wait for the recommendations to be accepted by the UK Government, if you are an employer, why not engage directly with the Living Wage Foundation and make this change a reality for those you work with?
Another announcement that causes concern is the proposals being put forward to increase expectations of work for people experiencing physical and mental health issues. The ‘Back to Work Plan’ risks putting some people with vulnerabilities and disabilities in very challenging positions. As highlighted in my recent blog, there are a multitude of barriers that people face getting into and thriving in a work environment, so a holistic and supportive approach is needed. As the UK Government’s response to the very short consultation window they provided was published at the same time as the Chancellor sat down, there’ll be many more hours of analysis needing to be put in to truly understand the impacts of what is being proposed As ever, listening and engaging with the experiences and voices of people with lived experience of these issues iskey. Here are our friends at Church Action on Poverty’s views, written by Stef, author of Second Class Citizens: The Treatment of Disabled People in Austerity Britain, and a member of Manchester Poverty Truth Commission to get the ball rolling!
With such major changes to our welfare system being not much more than a footnote to the Chancellor’s speech, it is little surprise to us — though deeply disappointing — to see what wasn’t mentioned at all. With 28% of UK adults (14.9 million) feeling financially insecure, the Autumn Statement didn’t go far enough in providing the emergency support people need. With 9% now having debts that they don’t know how they will repay, there is no time to lose as the debt crisis of the future builds. We had proposed that the UK Government would do well to ensure that the funding of debt advice was brought into clearer focus — with every organisation in every sector that benefits from the life-saving service we provide contributing fairly to our costs. This is sorely needed if those celebrating the halving of inflation today are to avoid a nasty hangover in the future.
A clear strategy and commitment to tackle UK Poverty is needed now.
