Destitution has more than doubled in the UK - in just the last five years

Destitution has more than doubled in the UK – in just the last five years

Last Updated: October 25, 2023By Mike SivierTags: destitution, joseph rowntree foundation, poverty, report, Research, UK

Need a miracle: but people in poverty won’t get it from the Tories.

That’s right – according to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, destitution has more than doubled in the UK, in the last five years alone.

Channel 4 has reported on this, as follows:

"I live off £30 a month."

A Joseph Rowntree Foundation report estimates the number of people experiencing ‘destitution’, which it defines as having a very low income or having to go without basic supplies, has more than doubled in the last five years in the UK. pic.twitter.com/uXRuoNoiT3

— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) October 24, 2023

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Here are the headline findings of the report:

Approximately 3.8 million people experienced destitution in 2022, including around one million children. This is almost two-and-a-half times the number of people in 2017, and nearly triple the number of children. There is an urgent need for action to tackle destitution in the UK.

There has been a shameful increase in the level of destitution in the UK, with a growing number of people struggling to afford to meet their most basic physical needs to stay warm, dry, clean and fed. This has deep and profound impacts on health, mental health and people’s prospects; it also puts strain on already overstretched services.

Nearly three-quarters of people experiencing destitution are in receipt of social security payments, further evidence of benefit inadequacy. Ad-hoc support from the Government, first during the pandemic and now to help with the cost of living, has not halted the rising level of destitution. We urgently need a bold and ambitious programme of action to address destitution and its corrosive impacts.

Recommendations

Universal Credit should have an ‘Essentials Guarantee’ to ensure everyone has a protected minimum amount of support to afford essentials such as food and household bills. An independent process should determine the Essentials Guarantee level, based on the cost of essentials. Universal Credit’s basic rate would need to at least meet this minimum amount, and deductions would not be allowed to reduce support below that level.

Undertake wider reforms to social security, including: lowering the limit on deductions from benefits to repay debts; reforming sanctions so people are not left with zero or extremely low income; and ensure people can access disability benefits they are entitled to.

Ensuring cash-first emergency financial assistance is available in all areas, along with free and impartial advice services to address the crushing debt, benefits and housing issues that keep people destitute.

Enable everyone in our communities to access help in an emergency whether they have ‘no recourse to public funds’ or not – and resource local authorities to meet this additional need. Local authorities, charities, independent funders and housing providers should also work together to prevent destitution and homelessness for people with restricted entitlement.

The full report may be downloaded here.

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One Comment

Hecuba October 25, 2023 at 1:12 pm - Reply

Fascist tories must be delighted to learn their cruel and callous policies have worked so well by destroying so many womens, children’s and mens’ lives! Government supposedly means individuals (primarily men because it is still men who hold immense political power) are elected to work for their citizens not just a few elite wealthy boys! However UK doesn’t have a government rather we have a fascist cruel and vindictive one.

It will take at least 20 years to overturn all the structural damage fascist tories have done to ensure the most disadvantaged women, children and men are denied their human rights of food, safe homes and health care. Once upon a time the state – meaning government provided real financial support to women, children and men who became impoverished but now being poor is seen as ‘individual failure’ and hence why should the state support all those worthless ‘unproductive non-humans!’

It is a shameful indictment on the current fake government that there are now approximately 3.8 million people destitute and do not have money to buy basic food!