OPFS response to the UK 2024 Autumn Budget

30/10/2024

News

OPFS Chief Executive, Satwat Rehman said:

“Families – especially single parent families – have been hit hard by the cost of living crisis, They were hoping for meaningful changes to ease their day to day struggles. The budget took some small steps towards recognising inequality and poverty. The increase in the earnings limit for carers is welcome, as is the move to ease the burden of debt repayments for people on Universal Credit.

“However, we are sadly disappointed that the Chancellor hasn’t done more for families facing hunger and hardship. Today’s budget was an opportunity to reduce child poverty and to prevent more families being pushed into long- term hardship. Rachel Reeves failed to remove the cruel ‘two-child benefit limit’ and the benefit cap, which trap thousands of children in dire poverty.

“Right now, Universal Credit doesn’t cover the essentials of life, leaving many of the families we work with struggling to heat their home and feed their children.

“We are also deeply concerned that the Chancellor has chosen not to scrap the previous government’s planned deep benefit cuts for disabled people, a decision that risks pushing many into hardship. The decision to keep Local Housing Allowance frozen means that it will become further out of step with soaring local rent levels, resulting in increased homelessness.  Our social security system is broken and in need of major reform – but this was entirely missing from the budget. Far more could and should have been done to tax extreme wealth, helpling to tackle inequality and pay for increased investment in vital public infrastructure and services.”