One month since the election…

This weekend it will be one month since the general election. As that milestone approaches, our director, Patrick O’Dowd, looks at some of the commitments and proposals made so far that may impact our areas of work, and also factors which also might need to be considered as the new government continues to set out its priorities…
As well as running our many services supporting people in local communities across Greater Manchester and Lancashire, as a charity we’re also proud to shout loudly for justice, advocating for real change to help individuals and families experiencing poverty, homelessness and discrimination.
It’s incredibly important that the voices of people with lived experience of the issues that decision makers are considering are not only heard, but also considered and acted upon, and we’re proud to stand alongside people as they demand the change that will enable and empower them to change their lives with dignity.
With almost a month having passed since the general election, it’s still very early days in the new administration.
But, as a charity with a mission to tackle poverty and its causes, we welcome proposals already included in the manifesto on improving worker rights, the reform of Universal Credit to help reduce poverty for people in work, and an ‘ambitious strategy to reduce child poverty’.
We know that poverty – which has been significantly growing due to the cost-of-living crisis – isn’t something that can be solved with a few soundbites or a quick fix or two. It’s something that needs a long-term, strategic plan, delivered at national, regional and local level and charities like ours are ready, willing and perfectly placed to help do that.
We’re still concerned that there isn’t any plan to bring forward legislation to end the cruel practice of the two-child benefit cap and would call for the Government to consider this as an urgent priority, especially as latest figures show that 333,000 children in Greater Manchester and Lancashire are currently living in poverty.
This is an unacceptable figure, and with an increase of 31,197 children compared with the previous year, we need to remember that this isn’t just a number – it’s real, young lives that are being devastated. Action needs to be taken now to start to turn this around rapidly, before it becomes too late.
As experts in supporting people experiencing homelessness, we also welcome commitments made around increasing the number of new homes, including social housing, to address the housing crisis. We also welcome the increase in the rights of those who rent and a law to extend building safety rules (for example, Awaab’s Law). This shouldn’t happen in isolation though, and needs to be connected to the proposed legislation to improve environmental conditions and promote green energy. This is especially important in the area covered by Salford Diocese as we have some very poor quality, poorly insulated properties, which makes it even more expensive for those already on low incomes to heat. Conversion of these properties and improvement of their energy efficiency is vital.
We’d urge the Government to keep up the momentum to help bring about these changes as soon as possible, and compel them to ensure the detail around how these can be delivered is also available for scrutiny. Tangible action plans are vital and it’s important that they continue to be measured and held to account to ensure real progress can be made.
Better engagement with the voluntary, community and faith sectors will be key as many organisations already show how effective they are at helping people most in need across the UK. At Caritas, we’re here, ready and willing to help drive forward real change in our area and we believe that, only through collaboration, can any Government effectively tackle the complex social problems faced by people in the communities we work within.
We will continue to advocate loudly for the effective implementation of the proposed or outlined policies, as well as those not yet being discussed that we feel would make a huge difference to people’s lives. We want to ensure the voices of those experiencing the trauma of poverty, homelessness and marginalisation are heard in the decision-making process, and are central to decision made.
It’s time for action, and we’re here and ready to help deliver that change.