The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) has today
responded to the Chancellor’s Spring Statement in which no action
was taken to end the benefits freeze despite it sweeping many
families deeper into poverty.
The benefits freeze continuing for another year will
now leave families £560 worse off on average - equivalent to
three months of food shopping for an average low-income
family.
The Prime Minister also responded to a question about
child poverty at PMQs by trying to deflect attention from rising
poverty rates and onto workless households.
Campbell Robb, chief executive of the independent
Joseph Rowntree Foundation said:
“The Government should have shown today that it is
serious about tackling the rising tide of poverty in the UK.
Instead they chose not to end the freeze on benefits leaving
families in poverty to face rising costs and bear all the risks
of economic uncertainty, especially if we leave the EU without a
deal.
“When asked about rising child poverty earlier in the
day, the Prime Minister tried to shift the focus onto the issue
of workless households, suggesting a Government out of touch with
the tough realities of many lives in the UK. In-work poverty is
now rising faster than employment yet the Government has opted
not to help the 3 .2 million children in low income working
families who would benefit from an early end to the
freeze.
“The Treasury has offered some funding on projects to
tackle period poverty – but these are the symptoms of a bigger
issue – poverty itself. Families in poverty have been cut adrift.
The Government can buy itself time by asking to extend Article 50
– working families can’t get an extension to meet the essential
costs of family life”.
Ashley, 42, told us as part of our briefing ahead of
the Spring Statement:
“Benefit rates may have been frozen for the last four
years, but energy prices, food, clothing and transport costs have
all continued to rise. How can we claim to be a compassionate
society when we are allowing the most vulnerable and in need, to
be continuously pushed further into the grip of poverty. We need
action now, as things are already totally
unbearable.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
-
JRF
and 9 other
charities wrote to the
Chancellor in
February urging
him to end the freeze and protect people in poverty from the
risks of a no deal
Brexit.
-
The benefits freeze continuing
for another year will now leave families £560 worse off on
average - equivalent to three months of food shopping for an
average low-income
family.
-
Ending the freeze on the 8th April this year would right
this wrong through supporting 14 million people on low incomes
and helping 200,000 people to break free from poverty
altogether.
-
The freeze on benefits and tax credits has been in place
since 2016 and is due to end in April 2020.
-
JRF’s recent report on
poverty in the UK shows rising levels of
child poverty and in-work poverty.
