A “NEW approach” to tackling poverty that does not rely on government action alone could make a significant difference, the final report by the Poverty Strategy Commission says (News, 8 September 2023).
The report, A New Framework for Tackling Poverty, was published on Thursday, and launched in Parliament on Monday. The Commission, which describes itself as “independent and non-partisan”, is based in the Centre for Social Policy Studies, which is chaired by Baroness Stroud, a Christian Conservative peer. She also chairs the Poverty Strategy Commission.
Members of the Commission include the chief executive of Trussell, Emma Revie, and the executive director of Citizens UK, Matthew Bolton. Sir Hector Sants, the former head of the Archbishop’s Task Group on Responsible Credit and Savings, is an adviser.
The report says that “sustained action from individuals and families, Government, civic society, and employers can lead to the complete eradication of deep poverty and significant reductions in poverty overall.” The phrase “deep poverty” refers to “those who are at least 50% below the SMC’s [Social Metrics Commission’s] poverty line relevant to their family”.
It says that, based on the SMC’s measure of poverty, “the UK is experiencing its highest level of poverty on record, and . . . action on poverty has stalled”. The Government’s pursuit of “cost-saving social security reforms” has “increased poverty amongst disabled people by some 250,000”, it says.
“Whilst these reforms ultimately stalled, this intent is indicative of a failure to grasp the challenge effectively. What is needed is a new approach,” it continues. “That is why we have outlined a new social contract for the UK, where the responsibility for — and actions needed to tackle — poverty are shared between actors from across society. Delivering on this approach would ensure that action on poverty is not just a question of what the Government can afford to spend on social security, but of how we can all work together to move the dial on poverty.”
The approach suggested by the report includes: “everyone working as much as they can reasonably be expected to”; employers paying wages that help to ensure that people do not live in poverty; families having strong relationships and the tools to save money; the Government structuring markets so that housing and childcare are affordable; and the “Government structuring the social security system to ensure that no-one has to live in deep poverty”, whether or not they are able to work.
Baroness Stroud said: “The need for a new social contract has never been clearer. A holistic approach to tackling poverty is the only way to address this societal failure and to create a new path to growth.
“The benefits of comprehensively tackling poverty will be experienced by the whole of society, from reduced costs to public services through to more vibrant communities and higher living standards. That is why a strategic approach to putting this in place is so urgently needed.”
The director of policy, research, and impact at Trussell, Helen Barnard, who is also a member of the Poverty Strategy Commission, said: “We are seeing more people trapped in severe and sustained poverty, turning to foodbanks because they have nowhere else to go. . .
“The wide-ranging set of solutions in this report would help millions more people to thrive, breaking the vicious cycle of hardship and bringing us closer to a future without the need for foodbanks. We need a strategic approach and action from governments, businesses, civil society, and communities themselves to turn the tide and end hunger in the UK.”
