More than two million children are in danger of developing a
mental illness by 2030 as the nation’s fraying social fabric
takes an increasingly heavy toll.
The dire warning is contained in a forensic new inquiry into the
state of 21st Century Britain, which concludes
that the country is sliding back into the “Two Nations” of the
Victorian era marked by a widening gulf between mainstream
society and a depressed and poverty-stricken underclass.
The Centre for Social Justice’s (CSJ) Social Justice Commission’s
report, “Two Nations: The State of Poverty in the
UK, argues that the most disadvantaged in Britain are
no better off than 15 years ago – the time of the financial crash
– and cites evidence that for them the jump from welfare into
work is not worth it.
The CSJ’s 350-page study also finds that the pandemic lockdowns
had a catastrophic effect on the nation’s social fabric,
especially for the least well off, where the gap between the
so-called “haves” and “have nots” was blown wide
open.
Children, scarred by the pandemic lockdown, are having a
particularly hard time. Twenty years ago, just one in nine
children were assessed as having a clinically recognisable mental
health problem. That figure is now one in five, rising to one in
four for those aged 17-19.
If trends continue, the report argues that by 2030 over one in
four 5 to 15-year-olds – which may be as many as 2.3 million
children - could have a mental disorder. There are likely to be
108 per cent more boys with mental health disorders by 2030 than
there would have been if the lockdown had not happened.
The report says;
“During lockdown: calls to a domestic abuse helpline rose 700 per
cent; mental ill-health in young people went from one in nine to
one in six and nearly a quarter amongst the oldest children;
severe school absence jumped by 134 per cent; 1.2 million more
people went on working-age benefits, 86 per cent more people
sought help for addictions; prisoners were locked up for more
than 22 hours per day; and a household became homeless every
three minutes.”
“Two Nations has found a yawning gap between those who can get by
and those stuck at the bottom” the report warns.
Six in ten of the general public say that their area has a good
quality of life – this plummets to three in ten of the most
deprived.
Mental health looms large in the minds of the most deprived.
After higher benefits, they cite improved mental and physical
health as pivotal to a better life. The report has found that 40
per cent of the most disadvantaged report having a mental health
condition compared to just 13 per cent of the general
population.
The report says:
“Supporting people into work has become an issue of national
importance. Economic inactivity has risen since the COVID-19
pandemic. The total Universal Credit (UC) caseload has risen by
106 per cent since March 2020, and the number of claimants with
No Work Requirements has increased by 186 per cent.
“The most disadvantaged view mental ill-health as the biggest
factor holding them back, which only ranks fifth for the general
public. The number of people economically inactive because of
long-term sickness has risen to over 2.6 million, an increase of
nearly 500,000 since the COVID-19 pandemic. Over half of those
signed off (53 per cent) reported depression, bad nerves, or
anxiety.”
The findings come from the Centre for Social Justice, which
nearly 20 years ago published Breakdown Britain, a seminal work
that ultimately led to a wholescale reform of the welfare system
and the introduction of Universal Credit.
The report has been produced by a high-powered team of
Commissioners chaired by former Sunday Times editor Martin Ivens
and includes Lord King, the former Governor of the Bank of
England, Andy , the Labour Mayor of Manchester,
, former leader of the Liberal Democrats, Labour’s Sir
MP, Conservative MP , and businesswoman Liz
Earle.
Lord King said:
“One glimmer of light in our investigation is the institution of
the family – rather than government - as a place of nurture,
support, and fulfilment. No family is perfect, and families
come in all different shapes and sizes, but if we are able to do
more to support the family, then there is no question that it can
do more to support each and every one of us.”
Andy Cook, Chief Executive of the Centre for Social Justice
said:
“This report makes for deeply uncomfortable reading.
“Lockdown policy poured petrol on the fires that had already been
there in the most disadvantaged people’s lives, and so far, no
one has offered a plan to match the scale of the issues.
“What this report shows is that we need far more than discussions
on finance re-distribution; but a strategy to go after the root
causes of poverty - education, work, debt, addiction and
family.”
At the heart of the 350-page report is a landmark poll of 6,000
people conducted by J.L. Partners – 3,000 drawn from the general
public and 3,000 on the lowest income. The report also heard from
over 350 small charities, social enterprises and policy experts,
and the Commission travelled to 3 nations of the UK and to over
20 towns and cities.
Crime and an erosion in faith in the justice system, shabby
housing and drug addiction and are major obstacles. Both the
general public and the deprived cite crime as the worst thing
about living in their area.
The most disadvantaged worry twice as much as the mainstream
about the quality of their housing and communities being “torn
apart” by addiction.
The report declares:
“Although overall crime rates are down, violent crime remains
high, and crime is highly concentrated - still six per cent of
families account for half of all convictions. Outstanding cases
for the Crown Courts continue to rise, eroding the public’s trust
that justice will be done and emboldening criminals.
“Only eight per cent of victims are confident they would receive
justice as a result of reporting a crime.
“The most deprived who live in social housing are three times
less likely to rate their quality of life at least eight out of
ten, compared with the general population who own a property.
“There has been a 63 per cent increase in deaths of people on
methadone than pre-COVID-19 pandemic. 11.5 per cent of adults who
have used cannabis in the last year consume it every day. Before
the COVID-19 pandemic, deaths from alcohol poisoning had been
falling but rose 15.4 percent following the COVID-19 pandemic,
and nearly 5000 people died from drug poisoning last year.”
“Over the past eight years, over one in seven children have been
classed in the Child in Need category at least once and 1 in 52
children were looked after at least once.”
ENDS
Please find the Centre for Social Justice’s (CSJ) Social Justice
Commission’s report, “Two Nations: The State of Poverty
in the UK here: https://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/library/two-nations
MEDIA CONTACT
Matt Walsh
07754 786789
matthew@mippr.co.uk
About the Social Justice Commission
Nearly twenty years on since the Centre for Social Justice was
founded, the CSJ embarked on an ambitious cross-party review of
the state of social justice today: the Social Justice
Commission.
The Social Justice Commission has conducted an unflinching
inquiry into what life is like for those who are struggling the
most in our nation in 2023.
It was set up to examine:
- The deeply felt scars left on the most disadvantaged
individuals and families by successive lockdowns.
- The hidden impact of the cost-of-living crisis.
- And question whether the policy initiatives designed to
address poverty in our communities are fit for purpose.
The second stage of the Social Justice Commission’s work will
consider a way forward, underpinned by a belief that addressing
the social rifts still afflicting the country is key to reversing
sluggish rates of economic growth and reducing the strain on our
public services, including the NHS.
To do so the Social Justice Commission will cast its inquiry
internationally, seeking the very best examples of social justice
problem solving from around the world and presenting the most
compelling policies to all main political parties. It will also
highlight the best interventions found here at home.
The Social Justice Commission will report its solutions and
policy recommendations in Spring 2024.
