Housing Policy Resolutions for 2014: Hope and Frustration
Happy New Year to all our readers! What kind of New Year’s resolutions might help the UK to stem the still-worsening housing crisis? The answer to this question is both frustrating and potentially...
View ArticleChildren’s Society survey – millions of families can’t afford to keep the...
A cold home is unpleasant for all of us. But for children, cold can cause illness and even death. A shocking new survey by the Children’s Society alongside YouGov and the Mirror paints a stark picture...
View ArticleNew Liturgy for Lent 2014
The West Midlands Joint Public Issues Team has produced a liturgy for Lent 2014. These liturgies are short worship inserts suitable to be used in Lent 2014 but adaptable for other occasions with the...
View ArticleHousing and Debt: how long will the Government continue to throw fuel on the...
The Citizens Advice Bureau has reported that council tax debt was the most common issue for its clients between January and March 2014. The debt charity StepChange has also reported a dramatic increase...
View ArticleChurches respond to Government’s draft Child Poverty Strategy
The Baptist, Methodist and United Reformed Churches have responded to the UK Government draft “Child Poverty Strategy”. The Child Poverty Act requires the government to update and publish its plan to...
View ArticleTheology and other ways to waste time
In the second of this week’s blogs on child poverty, Nigel Varndell from The Children’s Society explains why they waste time on theology. According to the story, an American theologian once challenged...
View ArticleChild Poverty, meaningless promises & free holiday for every reader!
I am prepared to commit to sending every reader of this blog on holiday to a destination of their choice on the strict understanding that it costs me and my friends less than nothing and it causes me...
View ArticleWork won’t cure Child Poverty
Last week’s report from the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission said something much more profound than the simple headline that the Government will not meet its commitments on child poverty....
View ArticleChanging the law on Child Neglect
You won’t be surprised to learn that our understanding of child development and the effects of neglect has changed over the past 80 years. You may be surprised to learn that the law around neglect...
View ArticleGetting affordable homes built: while politicians jockey, can Churches act?
As next year’s General Election draws nearer, housing is likely to become a crucial area of debate and distinction between the political parties. There will be controversy around the urgent need for...
View ArticleHomelessness and the Housing Crisis – Prayer Update November 2014
With Advent fast approaching, many Christians will be reflecting on the circumstances of Jesus’ birth. There was no welcome for a mother about to give birth to a unique child, ‘no room at the inn’ for...
View ArticleGraham’s Story: Another reason to #rethinksanctions
Today a cross party committee of MP’s called for a complete review of the benefit sanctions system. Their report descibes a system that is broken, one that causes unecessary hardship and hunger to no...
View ArticleBuilding more homes in the UK: signs that public opinion is starting to change
Housing has become an essential issue in the pre-election debate. The main political parties have spoken more about their vision for housing than at any time in recent decades, and it has moved from...
View ArticleEver been late for a meeting? Did you lose a month’s income?
With a new Government in place, it’s urgent that we keep up the pressure for a rethink of the unjust benefit sanctions regime which is harming thousands of people. There is a new action you can quickly...
View Article#rethinksanctions: Responding to your MP
Hundreds of people have contacted their MP about Benefit Sanctions, many using our online tool. Some of the replies have been positive. The replies which have been less positive have used a shared...
View ArticleTaking money from the poorest makes them poorer
Taking money from people on low incomes makes them poorer. Removing income does not make people healthier, create suitable jobs, reduce caring responsibilities, free up time to take on extra work, make...
View ArticleWelfare Reform and Work Bill 2015
The Welfare Reform and Work Bill is currently passing through Parliament and will lead to substantial cuts to family incomes – especially lone parents and other families with children. We are...
View ArticleEnough
“Poverty is not being able to do things that are necessities. Things that are important like gas and electric, showers, bus fares, and having to worry that your daughter has a hole in her shoes. She...
View ArticleWas the Spending Review #enough?
The Government’s change of mind on cuts to Tax Credits is very welcome. It was intended that many working families would now have received a letter explaining that their income was to be dramatically...
View Article#Enough: One More Card
There are 68 Christmas cards sent each year per family in Britain This year we are asking you to send ONE MORE CARD. This Christmas there will be many who do not have enough to live on. We want to ask...
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