Responding to the Chancellor’s autumn statement, which included
confirmation that benefits would be uprated in line with
September’s inflation figure as usual and housing benefits paid
to those in the private rented sector unfrozen, Paul Kissack,
Chief Executive of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation said:
“Taking away the threat of an across the board cut to benefit
rates offers some relief as we head into another difficult
winter. The Chancellor has said he has taken difficult decisions
to put the economy back on track but the decisions are still more
difficult for many still struggling to afford the barest
essentials.
“By finally ending the freeze on LHA so that it covers the bottom
30% of local rents the Chancellor has recognised how far behind
actual market rents housing benefit has fallen. Too many families
have been facing an impossible choice between keeping up with
their rent and putting food on the table for far too long.
However, refreezing after a year means it won’t move with rents
going forward, meaning renters will start to face the same issue
again from April 2025.
“The commitment to more personalised employment support for
disabled people are undermined by moves to restrict financial
support for hundreds of thousands of future claimants and
exposing more people to sanctions. In JRF’s recent report into
Destitution in the UK, almost two-thirds of destitute survey
respondents reported having a chronic health problem or
disability, demonstrating that this group is already at risk of
the most severe form of hardship. Being destitute meant they
couldn’t afford to keep warm, dry, clothed and fed.
“The Chancellor made the right decision on uprating benefits, but
we now need to ensure that the fundamentals of our support system
are compassionate and adequate for all of us who need it, whether
we are on low pay, sick, disabled or have lost our job.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
- JRF’s report into destitution found:
- Approximately 3.8 million people experienced destitution in
2022, including around one million children.
- This is almost two-and-a-half times the number of people
experiencing destitution in 2017 and nearly triple the number of
children.
- Almost two-thirds (62%) of destitute survey respondents
reported having a chronic health problem or disability,
demonstrating that this group is already at risk of the most
severe form of hardship.
- The social security system is not protecting people from
destitution: 72% of those destitute are in receipt of benefits
https://www.jrf.org.uk/press/flagship-study-finds-million-children-experienced-destitution-uk-last-year
