Poverty | LocalGov


One in three children in relative poverty 28/03/2025 Almost one in three children are living in relative poverty, according to the latest figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Ministers consider exemptions to benefit cap 27/02/2025 Parents of children under five reportedly could be exempt from the two-child benefit cap.
Fife Council reaches £46m ‘turning point’ 25/02/2025 Fife Council has reached a ‘turning point’ and will now have to save £46m, according to a new report by the Accounts Commission.
Nearly 70,000 children to benefit from free breakfast clubs 24/02/2025 Around 67,000 children from some of the most deprived areas in England are set to receive free school breakfasts.
‘Regressive’ council tax is a growing burden on poorest, report says 17/02/2025 The average council tax bill rose by 77% in real terms between 1994 and 2020, analysis has found.
Growth alone won’t cut child poverty, research finds 29/01/2025 Labour will make no progress on child poverty by the end of this Parliament unless it invests in social security, new analysis has found.
Labour urged to take action on child poverty 07/01/2025 The Government will need to take ‘action on multiple fronts’ to lift more children out of poverty, a think-tank has said.
Children eligible for free school meals twice as likely to be absent 03/12/2024 A think-tank has warned that the costs of going to school are a barrier to regular attendance for some children from low-income families.
Veterans are twice as likely to run out of food, research finds 11/11/2024 Adults who have served in the UK’s armed forces are almost twice as likely to have run out of food than those who have not, new research has found.
Record nine million people face hunger and hardship 09/10/2024 A record 9.3 million people in the UK are facing hunger and hardship, including three million children, new research has found.
An alternative to Winter Fuel Payments 08/10/2024 Alex Clegg, economist at the Resolution Foundation, sets out a possible alternative to Winter Fuel Payments.
Making digital poverty history 08/10/2024 Elizabeth Anderson, CEO of Digital Poverty Alliance, discusses the role of local government when it comes to tackling digital poverty.
Charity says 10,000 children have fallen into poverty under Labour 07/10/2024 The two-child benefit cap has pushed 10,000 children into poverty since the Labour Government took office, new research has found.
Household Support Fund extended six months 02/09/2024 The Household Support Fund (HSF) will be extended for another six months, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has confirmed.
Call for cross-government taskforce to avoid ‘crisis of care’ 22/08/2024 More than a million extra people will be providing informal care over the next decade, a charity has said, calling for a government plan to avoid a ‘crisis of care’.
Charities call for single social water tariff 21/08/2024 The Government has been urged to introduce a single social tariff for water to end the ‘unfair postcode lottery’ of support in England and Wales.
NextGov: Ending the need for food banks 27/06/2024 Trussell Trust policy manager Beatrice Orchard and research officer Adrianne Clarke set out what the next government can do to end the need for food banks.
Decades of ‘neglect’ have left children shorter and overweight 19/06/2024 Children in England are getting shorter, more obese and sicker because of poor diets, food insecurity and poverty, health experts warn.
NextGov: Scrapping the two-child benefit cap 17/06/2024 Rachel Walters, ECPC, and Amanda Bailey, NECPC, argue the next government should scrap the two-child limit on benefit payments.
Annual welfare spending to rise by £20bn 13/06/2024 Welfare spending is set to increase by £20.8bn a year by the end of the next parliament, a think-tank has found.
Child poverty ‘directly correlated’ with two-child benefit cap 06/06/2024 Child poverty is ‘directly and strongly’ correlated with the percentage of children affected by the two-child benefit cap within a constituency, analysis has found.
Food bank charity distributes record 3.1m parcels 15/05/2024 A record 3.1 million food parcels were distributed by the food bank network Trussell Trust this year – nearly double the number provided five years ago.
Sir Marmot sends MPs damning letter on their constituents’ health 01/05/2024 Health inequality expert Sir Michael Marmot has urged MPs and council leaders to act after a report found government policies were ‘cutting people’s lives short’.
Tax cuts could drive 55,000 into poverty 05/03/2024 Tax cuts reportedly being considered by the Chancellor in tomorrow's Budget could result in tens of thousands of people being driven into poverty.
Chancellor needs to show compassion to most vulnerable 05/03/2024 Cllr Elizabeth Campbell, leader, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, urges the Chancellor to renew the Household Support Fund.
Majority on Universal Credit cannot afford enough food 20/02/2024 New research reveals the ‘devastating’ consequences of the inadequate Universal Credit system, according to anti-poverty charity The Trussell Trust.
Scotland’s public services ‘crumbling’ 19/02/2024 Scots have observed worsening poverty and public services are failing to address social problem, according to a new report.
Crisis support requests quadruple in five years, FOI reveals 06/02/2024 Applications to council crisis funds for help with beds for children have more than quadrupled in half a decade, a children’s charity has revealed.
Household Support Fund doubt leaving councils ‘in limbo’ 05/02/2024 Councils have urged the Government to commit to extending the Household Support Fund (HSF) at a time of ‘record demand’.
Millions would need to double income to escape poverty, report warns 23/01/2024 Six million people in the UK would need to more than double their income just to escape poverty, a new report has found.
5,000 winter deaths caused by cold, damp homes 18/01/2024 Cold, damp homes caused an estimated 4,950 excess winter deaths in 2022-23, according to the End Fuel Poverty Coalition.
End-of-life care issues ‘still far too common’ 21/12/2023 Issues faced by people receiving end-of-life care 70 years ago, including poverty and isolation, are ‘still far too common’, according to a new report.
New index exposes deprivation disparities 12/12/2023 A ‘novel methodology’ has uncovered stark inequalities between different ethnic groups in small residential areas.
'Critical' to maintain progress, Dundee told 30/11/2023 A finance watchdog has said Dundee City Council is ‘well-run’ but ‘long-standing difficulties remain’ to be tackled in its improvement journey.
School support staff paying for pupils’ essentials 24/11/2023 The cost-of-living crisis is forcing school support staff to use their own money to help pay for pupils’ food and clothing, union reveals.
One million UK children in poverty 24/10/2023 There were 3.8 million people, including a million children, living in destitution in the UK in 2022, with state support ‘relatively absent’, a new report has found.
Fighting poverty at the local level 18/10/2023 This week for London Challenge Poverty Week John McGeachy, campaigns manager for Age UK London talks poverty amongst older people and what councils can do.
Families with children struggling most with living costs 18/10/2023 Action for Children have found that one in five homes with children, a total of 1.5 million households, are struggling with ‘serious financial difficulties’.
Food banks warn of ‘worst winter yet’ 18/10/2023 A record 600,000 people will need the support of a food bank this winter, according to the Trussell Trust.
Home upgrades drop off in north east 17/10/2023 The number of government-funded projects to upgrade cold and draughty homes in north east England has significantly reduced, according to climate change charity Ashden.
‘Strong correlation’ between poverty and shortage of green space 16/10/2023 There is a ‘strong correlation’ between deprivation and a lack of green space, a new report into Local Green Spaces (LGS) has found.
Child poverty warning over possible benefit freeze 16/10/2023 A freeze on working-age benefits would push 400,000 children into poverty, new research has found.
Seven in 10 councils struggling amid cost of living crisis 03/10/2023 Seven in 10 councils are struggling to support people hit by the cost of living crisis, according to new research published today.
One in 20 children sleeping on the floor, survey finds 29/09/2023 More than a million British children may be sleeping on the floor or having to share beds, a children’s charity has found.
Mental health services ‘under increasing pressure’ 26/09/2023 Council leaders have called for long term funding for mental health services in response to a study that warns the prevalence of depression is set to increase.
Childcare expansion has ‘little to offer’ poorest families 26/09/2023 The free childcare expansion continues a trend of prioritising support for working parents rather than helping low-income families, financial experts warn.
Government set to fail to meet rough sleeping target 25/09/2023 The Government will fail to meet its target to end rough sleeping because of a ‘chronic shortage’ of affordable housing and support services, experts warn.
Over 900 children in Stockport receive free school meals 20/09/2023 Over 900 children in Stockport are being provided with free school meals thanks to a council-run scheme.
Estimated £36bn needed to combat poverty 06/09/2023 The Government needs to find £36bn to combat poverty effectively, according to the cross-party Poverty Strategy Commission.
Sadiq Khan expands Pension Credit campaign 22/08/2023 The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced the expansion of a scheme that has helped Londoners receive an additional £8.4m in unclaimed Pension Credit.
Time to ban the use of bailiffs 21/08/2023 Councils have the power to end the use of bailiffs for good. It’s time for them to show leadership, says Joe Cox, senior policy officer, Debt Justice.
Areas with low social mobility face funding ‘penalty’ 11/08/2023 The areas with the highest levels of social mobility receive 50% more in Whitehall grants than the least socially mobile areas, think tank Onward says.
Disadvantaged women in North East dying early 10/07/2023 Disadvantaged women in the North East are dying prematurely as public services are failing to meet their needs, according to a new report.
Older adults who left workforce during pandemic facing poverty 07/07/2023 Nearly half of the older adults who left the workforce during the first year of the pandemic ended up in relative poverty, new research has revealed.
Nearly 13 million adults facing ‘debt crisis’ 03/07/2023 The number of households struggling under a heavy debt burden has increased by two thirds since 2017, a debt charity has warned.
Low-income households in Bristol could pay more council tax 29/06/2023 Bristol City Council is considering reducing the support it gives low-income working age households to pay their council tax.
Childcare payments boosted by 47% 28/06/2023 Childcare payments to working families on universal credit are to increase from today by 47% in England, Scotland and Wales.
Prince William unveils campaign to tackle homelessness 26/06/2023 Prince William is launching a campaign with the aim of ending long-term homelessness, which he says should not exist in a ‘modern and progressive society’.
Vulnerable families facing £5,600 shortfalls 26/06/2023 The UK’s most vulnerable families are facing shortfalls of up to £5,600 this year due to the cost-of-living crisis, new research has revealed.
Council tax arrears hit ‘historic high’ of £5.5bn 26/06/2023 The amount of unpaid council tax has reached a ‘new historic high’ of £5.5bn, according to official figures released by the DLUHC.
Seven in 10 children experiencing poverty in working households 05/06/2023 The number of children suffering poverty has shot up since support given during the COVID pandemic came to an end, according to new figures.
Record number of children at risk of exploitation 05/06/2023 A record number of children are at risk of exploitation because families will be unable to afford activities over the holidays, Barnardo's warns.
COVID impacted GCSE success rate for poorer children 26/05/2023 Children whose families used food banks during the COVID pandemic did worse at their GCSEs than expected, according to a study.
Rising food bills to hit poorest harder than energy costs 19/05/2023 The rising cost of food will soon overtake the price of energy, hitting poorer households hardest, campaigners have warned.
Scottish councils ‘uniquely placed’ to assist reform 17/05/2023 Councils are well-placed to deliver the key aims of Scotland’s government – such as tackling child poverty and net zero – but need funding, experts warn.
Food banks hand out record 3 million food parcels 26/04/2023 A record number of food parcels have been given out over the last year to people struggling with the cost of living, UK’s largest food bank network reports.
Over 8m families receive cost-of-living support 25/04/2023 Over eight million low-income families are set to receive £301 cost-of-living payment from today.
More than 4,000 people die while homeless 20/04/2023 More than 4,000 people have died while homeless in the UK since 2019, according to campaigners, many in unregulated taxpayer-funded ‘exempt’ accommodation.
Khan urged to provide more information on free school meals 20/04/2023 Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has been urged to provide more information about how he will implement his free school meals initiative.
‘Broken’ housing system forcing 310,000 children to share beds 19/04/2023 More than 310,000 children in England are forced to share beds with other family members because of overcrowding, according to housing campaigners.
Islington Council scraps library fines 17/04/2023 Islington residents who have an overdue library book can now return it without fear of being penalized, the local authority has said.
Health of over 2.5m young people affected by poor housing 17/04/2023 Many young people are suffering physically and mentally because of poor quality housing, according to poverty campaigners.
Million children in poverty due to limit on benefits 06/04/2023 The two-child limit for payment of benefits is affecting 1.5m children, with more than a million of them growing up in poverty, according to campaigners.
Quarter of households with children face food insecurity 03/04/2023 Over a quarter of UK households that are home to children under four experienced food insecurity in January, a new study has revealed.
Austerity made country poorer, think tank says 30/03/2023 The UK’s long-term failure to invest in transport, housing, healthcare and local services has made Britain poorer, according to the Resolution Foundation.
Social workers report helping vulnerable out of their own pockets 21/03/2023 A third of social workers are using their own resources to help the people they work with, a new survey has revealed.
Ombudsman warns councils ‘not getting it right’ on homelessness 21/03/2023 Vulnerable people are facing homelessness because some councils are ‘still not getting it right’, according to the local government ombudsman.
Local health chiefs warn of ‘second health emergency’ 21/03/2023 The increase in costs of essential food items and energy has created a ‘second health emergency’ after the COVID pandemic, local health chiefs have warned.
Welsh council chiefs welcome free school meal extension 10/03/2023 Councils in Wales have welcomed the Welsh government’s announcement that free school meals will continue for children from lower income families over holidays.
Third of parents worried about losing their home, charity warns 08/03/2023 A third of parents are worried about losing their home because of the cost-of-living crisis, according to campaigners.
Benefits £140 a month below everyday costs 27/02/2023 Poverty campaigners have called for a shakeup in the UK’s welfare system after finding that benefits are at least £140 a month below basic everyday costs.
Liverpool council apologises for treatment of homeless sick man 23/02/2023 Liverpool City Council has apologised after a man who needed surgery was left living on the streets for six months during the COVID pandemic.
Vulnerable households to benefit from £842m boost 21/02/2023 Council leaders have welcomed the announcement of £842m of support for most vulnerable, but call for more long-term protection for struggling households.
Food banks ‘overwhelmed’ by increases in demand 20/02/2023 The majority of independent food banks have reported that they are ‘overwhelmed’ by the increasing demand for their services as food inflation hits 16.7%.
Khan announces £130m free school meal funding 20/02/2023 Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, today announced £130m would be made available to ensure all primary schoolchildren in the capital can receive free school meals.
Over 200,000 children missing out on free school meals 17/02/2023 Local authority leaders have called for the introduction of an automated sign-up system in order to expand access to free school meals to 215,000 children.
Birmingham food banks ‘running short of supplies’ 16/02/2023 The leader of Birmingham City Council has warned that the city’s food banks are ‘running short of supplies’.
Council launches £120,000 poverty grant scheme 03/02/2023 Central Bedfordshire Council is launching a grant scheme to help local charities and voluntary groups which support people in poverty.
Councils call for ‘fair’ benefits system to help vulnerable 31/01/2023 Councils have warned that vulnerable and less well-off people are being hit hardest by the cost of living crisis.
Nearly 70% rise in households struggling with costs 30/01/2023 A think tank has renewed calls for the Government to help people struggling with rising housing costs.
Council chiefs call for extra support for 13.4m in poverty 26/01/2023 Millions of people still face poverty despite recent support, council leaders warn as shocking new study that reveals four million children in poor households.
Household Support Fund should be permanent, council chiefs say 09/01/2023 The Government should make the Household Support Fund it has provided to councils permanent to help with the cost-of-living crisis, council leaders say.
Council proposes stopping council tax for poorer families 22/12/2022 Stafford Borough Council is proposing changes to its local council tax reduction scheme which will mean some families will pay no council tax next year.
Teachers cooking and cleaning for students, survey reveals 19/12/2022 Cost of living crisis has driven a large proportion of teachers to cook and clean clothes for their students and to provide them with supplies, poll reveals.
Cost-of-living anxiety reaches new heights in London 13/12/2022 Anxiety about the cost of living has reached new heights in the capital as Christmas approaches, new polling reveals.
Council offers food banks £800 per month 05/12/2022 Birmingham City Council has made almost £500,000 worth of grants available to projects providing food to residents.
New regulatory body for bailiffs launched 30/11/2022 A new regulatory body for bailiffs was launched today as new figures reveal over a third of families fear the cost-of-living crisis will force them into debt.
Unpaid family carers facing ‘dire poverty’ 29/11/2022 Unpaid family carers are experiencing unprecedented financial hardship with many now forced to use food banks, new research reveals.
One third of surveyed single parents skipping meals 25/11/2022 Single parents are being forced to skip meals because of the cost of living crisis, new research reveals.
School support staff forced to pay for pupils’ food 25/11/2022 School support staff are paying for pupils’ food, skipping meals and taking on multiple jobs to survive, a union poll has revealed.