Politicians should detail strategies for addressing escalating poverty issues
In the upcoming debate between Sir Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak, scheduled for 9pm tonight, Tuesday 4 June 2024, both leaders are expected to set out their plans to address the rising poverty levels in the UK. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) has been calling on politicians to address these concerns, emphasising the need for specific and ambitious plans to tackle poverty.
According to the latest research, 3.2 million people in the UK are only £40 a week from being in poverty, with 700,000 children, 1.5 million working-age adults, and one million pensioners currently living below the poverty line. The JRF's CEO, Paul Kissack, has stated that such high levels of poverty are a stain on the moral conscience of the nation.
Sir Keir Starmer (Labour) proposes building 1.5 million homes, with a focus on social rent properties, to address the housing crisis and reduce homelessness, a key driver of poverty. Labour also plans to reverse or mitigate welfare cuts that have disproportionately affected the poorest and disabled, which have contributed to rising destitution despite high employment levels.
On the other hand, Rishi Sunak (Conservative government) focuses on increasing household income and reducing essential household costs as part of the government’s child poverty strategy. However, government immigration policies that limit access to benefits for some families may conflict with poverty reduction efforts, especially affecting immigrant children and households who face extended qualifying periods for settlement and higher costs.
The debate will contrast Labour’s emphasis on public housing and welfare support expansion with the Conservative administration’s approach centred on income and cost management but complicated by immigration-related restrictions that may exacerbate poverty among vulnerable groups.
The JRF is evaluating poverty levels in the UK based on income that is less than 60% of the UK average after housing costs have been deducted. In May 2024, seven million households reported going without essentials like showers, toiletries, or adequate clothing in the last six months. In the same month, seven million households also reported going hungry or cutting or skipping meals in the last 30 days.
According to Paul Kissack, there hasn't been enough urgency from Rishi Sunak or Keir Starmer to address poverty. The debate tonight is an opportunity for the leaders to demonstrate their seriousness about addressing hardship. The debate will be broadcast on ITV and hosted by Julie Etchingham.
- Both leaders, Sir Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak, are expected to discuss their respective housing policies-and-legislation in the upcoming debate, with Starmer proposing the construction of 1.5 million homes to address the housing crisis, a key contributor to poverty, while Sunak's focus lies in increasing household income and reducing costs.
- The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) has been pushing for ambitious and specific policy changes to tackle poverty in the UK, and following the debate, the JRF will evaluate the general-news on whether there has been enough urgency shown by the leaders to address this pressing issue.
