Westminster should take action to prevent poverty

Leading charities are calling on the Government to take urgent action to prevent struggling families from falling into poverty after the UK leaves the EU.

A coalition, including the Shelter and Child Poverty Action Group, say the risks facing low-income households should be assessed and contingency plans stepped up. The charities said 14 million people are already living in poverty, and warned that more could be pushed into hardship because of the risks of no-deal.

The JRF said that even if there is a smooth exit from the EU, continuing with the benefit freeze for another year will lead to millions of people in poverty missing out on £220 a year and another 200,000 being pulled into poverty.

The impact of leaving the EU without a deal could be more severe, it was warned. An open letter to MPs said many people are already facing “impossible situations” such as struggling to pay their rent or put food on the table for their children.

Part of it reads: “Without preemptive action by the Government there is potential for the already shamefully high rates of poverty in the UK to worsen further in the face of price and income shocks.”

The letter was signed by officials from the JRF, Shelter, Trussell Trust, Child Poverty Action Group, Action for Children, National Children’s Bureau, Poverty Alliance, Turn2us, Barnardos and ATD Fourth World.

The charities called for urgent improvements to Universal Credit, an end to the freeze on working-age benefits and tax credits, and an emergency stimulus package for areas with high levels of poverty.

A government spokesman said its priority was to support people to improve their lives, “and that will remain a priority after we leave the EU”.