Sam is a Lead Analyst, undertaking analysis for JRF’s work on social security, communities and place, and the wider economy. Sam was previously a Senior Economist at the New Economics Foundation, predominantly working on social security and housing policy, and before that was a Senior Analyst at Policy in Practice. Sam holds a Masters in Mathematics from the University of Bath.
Email: sam.tims@jrf.org.uk
Bold action on housing, energy, social security and insecure work can return incomes to growth for low- and middle-income households, more than offsetting price shocks from Middle East conflict.
Blunt cuts to social security don’t work — we need to tackle the root causes of need. Hitting 80% employment would reduce Universal Credit spend by £10 billion.
With the local elections in England, and elections in Scotland and Wales around the corner, this briefing provides a reminder of the need to prioritise increasing living standards across the UK.
Investment in social security will reduce poverty this April, but progress will stall without a comprehensive set of actions for more than economic growth alone.
New evidence from JRF shows there has been no let-up for low-income families over the last year, with millions of households still struggling to afford life’s essentials, such as food, heating and basic toiletries.
Measures in the Budget, especially removing the two-child limit, ease some pain and significantly reduce child poverty, but incomes are projected to fall more in this parliament than any on record.
New JRF figures but the same old story: the Government needs to address the cost of living crisis overwhelming millions of UK households to deliver growth, with fairness at its heart.
The Government said its child poverty strategy will focus on severe and acute poverty, so it must prioritise large families, lone parents and disabled people.
A new safety net in Universal Credit would limit hardship from debt deductions and the benefit cap, giving 130,000 people a lifeline out of poverty.