Becky is responsible for analysis of the tax and benefit system, focusing on how changes to social security policy, along with housing and labour markets, financially impacts people with low incomes. Prior to JRF, she worked in community development, local authority democratic services, and youth work, before completing a PhD in young people’s transitions from education into the labour market.
Becky is on maternity leave until May 2026.
As the pressure of the cost of living crisis mounts, the Government has the opportunity to return incomes to growth for low- and middle-income households.
A year into the new Labour Government, key hardship measures show no improvement - over 7 million low-income families are still going without essentials.
While on average all families are forecast to see a fall in living standards this Government, families on the lowest incomes are set to bear the brunt of the pain.
Without additional targeted policy action, poverty will not fall between 2025 and 2029.
The Government must tackle stagnant levels of hardship as part of their mission for growth, with worse living standards to come if no action is taken.
JRF is calling on the Government to place a strategy for household economic security at the heart of its strategy for growth.
Analysis suggests that without additional actions, economic growth will not be enough to reduce poverty levels.
Novel JRF modelling shows what the latest economic forecasts mean for UK households ahead of the March Budget.
Without further action we will miss the Scottish child poverty targets – but our briefing shows how we can still meet these targets by combining efforts on housing, jobs and social security.