Budget 2024: affording the essentials?

Our friends at Trussell and The Joseph Rowntree Foundation have summarised the Budget for those who are facing hardship, and unable to afford the essentials. As charity who often supports those who are on a low income, or who are accessing benefits, we collaborate with both of these charities as we hope to see the conditions for those who are facing food poverty and hardship improve.

Helen Barnard, director of policy at Trussell, said: “We welcome the Chancellor’s action today to take the first steps towards tackling the appalling levels of hardship we see in communities across the country.  Her decision to ease the burden of debt repayments for people receiving Universal Credit is a much-needed step towards better protection from hunger and hardship in our social security system. We are also very encouraged to see the confirmation of a full years’ funding for the Household Support Fund to help deliver crisis support locally, a vital lifeline to people facing immediate hardship.

“However, today’s announcements still fall short of the action required to truly protect people from being forced to turn to food banks to survive. We now need the UK government to move swiftly to build on these first steps to fulfil its manifesto commitments and end the need for emergency food,  which will ease pressure on public services. Achieving this requires both reform and investment in social security. There is no time to lose in turning the tide on hunger in the UK – the government must set out a clear plan to end the need for emergency food and ensure that we do not see even more people facing hunger on its watch.”

Paul Kissack, Chief Executive of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation said:

“Today’s actions alone won’t be enough to fix the foundations for millions who struggle winter after winter in devastating hardship. The Chancellor is right that change must be felt. The people who needed to feel the most change are those living in and at risk of hardship.

Limiting the devastating impact of deductions is a good step. There was also welcome investment in social homes, help for carers to work and care, and a rise in the minimum wage."

We agree with these responses to the budget, and that more steps must be taken so that change can be felt for those who are facing poverty and hardship. We need to see a more change for those who need to access emergency food, but as a charity we also look wider to those who are looking to not only those who are suffering from food poverty, but those who are going without other everyday essentials, such as; heating, clothing, and travel costs.

This small step is going in the right direction, and as all change cannot be made overnight we continue to pray for the Government to continue to implement these small changes, and that in the long term they might make the biggest difference to those who need it most.

You can read more of the responses by Trussell and Joseph Rowntree Foundation on X.com: https://x.com/TrussellUK and https://x.com/jrf_uk