Cuts ‘not just a disgrace, but a social calamity and an economic disaster’ – UN
UN HUMAN RIGHTS EXPERT HITS GOVERNMENT POLICY
GOVERNMENT policies and drastic cuts to social support are entrenching high levels of poverty and inflicting unnecessary misery, a UN human rights expert has said.
Philip Alston, UN special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, travelled across the country to examine the impact of austerity and also came to Newcastle and the West End Foodbank earlier this month.
At the end of his 12-day visit, he said: “The United Kingdom’s impending exit from the European Union poses particular risks for people in poverty, but the Government appears to be treating this as an afterthought.”
Almost all studies have shown that the UK economy will be worse off after Brexit, he added.
Consequences for inflation, real wages, and consumer prices will drive more people into poverty unless the Government takes action to shield those most vulnerable and replaces current EU funding for combating poverty, he said.
According to his research, 14 million people – a fifth of the population – live in poverty. Four million of these are more than 50% below the poverty line, and 1.5 million are destitute, unable to afford basic essentials.
After years of progress, poverty is rising again, with child poverty predicted to rise 7% between 2015 and 2022, homelessness is up 60% since 2010, and food banks are rapidly multiplying.
Mr Alston said: “In the fifth richest country in the world, this is not just a disgrace, but a social calamity and an economic disaster, all rolled into one.
“During my visit I have spoken with people who depend on food banks and charities for their next meal, who are sleeping on friends’ couches because they are homeless and don’t have a safe place for their children to sleep, who have sold sex for money or shelter, children who are growing up in poverty unsure of their future.
“I’ve also met young people who feel gangs are the only way out of destitution, and people with disabilities who are being told they need to go back to work or lose benefits, against their doctor’s orders.” Successive Governments have presided over the systematic dismantling of the social safety net in the UK, he added, and the introduction of Universal Credit and significant reductions in the amount of and eligibility for important forms of support have undermined the capacity of benefits to loosen the grip of poverty. “British compassion for those who are suffering has been replaced by a punitive, mean-spirited, and often callous approach,” Mr Alston said. “As a ‘digital by default’ benefit, Universal Credit has created an online barrier between people with poor digital literacy and their legal entitlements.
“And the ‘test and learn’ approach to the rollout treats claimants like guinea pigs and can wreak havoc in real people’s lives.”
He also highlighted that local governments in England have seen a 49% real-terms reduction in funding since 2010, with hundreds of libraries closed, community and youth centres shrunk and underfunded, and public spaces and buildings including parks and recreation centres sold off.
“I was told time and again about important public services being pared down, the loss of institutions that would have previously protected vulnerable people, social care services that are at a breaking point, and local government and devolved administrations stretched far too thin,” added Mr Alston.
“The voluntary sector has done an admirable job of picking up the slack for those government functions, but that work does not relieve the Government of its obligations.
“The Government has remained in a state of denial, and ministers insisted to me that all is well and running according to plan.”
On the local authority budget cuts, Mr Alston told a press conference: “The leader of Newcastle told me ‘we have been reduced to emergency service provision, we don’t have the money to do anything more.
“Yet when I meet the Treasury they say it’s fine, these councils have a lot of money. It is totally an economic analysis that ignores the damage being done to society.”
British compassion for those who are suffering has been replaced by a punitive, meanspirited, and often callous approach
Nick Forbes, leader of Newcastle City Council, says he hopes the UN report will result in major changes.
He said: “The Government should be deeply ashamed that it has taken a UN observer to highlight the scale of poverty and misery these Tory policies are causing. I’m angry that they’ve consistently ignored our warnings – it’s time for change and I hope Prof Alston’s report will be a catalyst for a more caring, humane approach.”
A Government spokesman said: “We completely disagree with this analysis. With this Government’s changes, household incomes have never been higher, income inequality has fallen, the number of children living in workless households is at a record low and there are now one million fewer people living in absolute poverty compared with 2010. Universal Credit is supporting people into work faster, but we are listening to feedback and have made numerous improvements to the system including ensuring 2.4 million households will be up to £630 better off a year as a result of raising the work allowance. We are absolutely committed to helping people improve their lives while providing the right support for those who need it.”