It has been a real privilege to contribute in a very small way over the last three years to the work of the Poverty Strategy Commission by being part of the Commission’s expert advisory group. And not even the tube strikes could prevent me or indeed many others attending the launch of the final report in Parliament last week.
The report reminds us that we live in a country where over 1 in 3 children (36%) and nearly 1 in 4 people (24%) live in poverty*. Yet somehow, the reality of these statistics doesn’t command the attention it should on the political agenda.
The report calls for a new social contract, which would mean that:
- Those who are expected to work, and are working as much as expected, should not be in poverty
- Those who should not be expected to work (because of disability or caring responsibilities) should not be in poverty
- Pensioners who have contributed as much as required in their working lives should not be in poverty
- No-one should have to live in deep poverty or be homeless
As discussed at the launch, these statements are not controversial, and yet we’re far from achieving them.
The report highlights that everyone has a role to play in shifting the dial on poverty: Government, business, civil society and individuals. Fair By Design was especially pleased to see the emphasis on tackling the poverty premium and reducing costs, as well as increasing incomes and resources.
Now that the work of the Commission has come to an end, the real work begins. The starting point is building support for the social contract above. Fair By Design and Barrow Cadbury Trust are committed to playing their part in making this vision a reality. We would encourage all charities and civil society organisations to read the report and to advocate for the new social contract to tackle poverty at every opportunity.
* These statistics are based on a new definition of poverty devised by the Social Metrics Commission taking into account all resources available to people as well as inescapable costs.
