Poverty

Ken Loach’s film highlights the risks of not learning lessons from the past. Speaking at the Festival of Ideas today, Julia Unwin discusses what Beveridge would say now.

It will take a co-ordinated response from Government departments and local authorities to tackle poverty in Wales, says Michael Trickey.

A New Statesman essay suggests welfare reform could damage the UK’s economic prospects. We need a new welfare system that fits the modern needs of both the economy and society, says Julia Unwin.

The debate around poverty has been hijacked by provocative rhetoric. This is dangerous, argues Tony Stoller, because the right words are needed to overcome hardship.

Living standards are being squeezed – and single people without children are the group to be worried about, says Katie Schmuecker.

The benefits cap means some people may be motivated to find work – but finding a job in the first place is the problem, says Helen Barnard.

'Absolute' child and pensioner poverty fell between 1979 and 1996, but that trend faces a dramatic reversal, says Chris Goulden.

From Monday new local schemes for council tax support come into force. Sabrina Bushe argues the changes create a postcode lottery, with more than two million poor families paying the price. 

Budget 2013 sought to boost the economy and housing market. But as Julia Unwin argues, the lack of measures to increase supply and improve safety nets could repeat mistakes from the past.

'Real people' are the symbols of collective failure to tackle poverty, says Quintin Oliver.