Ways to take action – July campaigning update
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“Social justice is characterized by the capacity of a social, economic and political order to allow everyone – particularly the weakest – to live a truly dignified life, without leaving anyone behind.”
Pope Leo, Magnifica Humanitas
We’re committed to calling for tangible, lasting change – change that enables people to transform their lives with dignity and live with hope.
These regular updates will keep you informed about campaigns and activities calling for change and let you know about ways you can join us in making a difference.
We hope you’ll feel inspired to actively participate and make a difference in your community.
We’d love to hear from you if you do, so please get in touch and let us know what you’ve been up to.
Upcoming mayoral election in Greater Manchester
Following the election of Andy Burnham as Member of Parliament for Makerfield constituency, there will be an election to fill the vacancy of Mayor of Greater Manchester. Voting will take place on Thursday 30 July 2026.
The time, therefore, is right to raise our awareness of Catholic Social Teaching (CST) and reflect on how it can help to inform the decisions and choices we make in life.
We are holding a free webinar on Thursday 16 July 2026, from 6pm to 7.15pm, which will introduce the basic principles of CST and look at how it applies the Gospel to current social issues impacting our communities.
We’ll consider how CST encourages informed and active participation in our communities and civic life, reminding us to consider the common good and dignity of every person.
Please click here to find more information and book your place.
The deadline to register to vote in the election is midnight on Tuesday 14 July, and you can visit GMCA’s website for more information about how to register, including how to apply for a postal or proxy vote.
Calling for an end to child poverty
Did you know that almost one in three children in our area are growing up in poverty? Sadly, this rises to nearly half of all children in some local areas.
This summer, we’re continuing to highlight how child poverty remains deeply entrenched across our communities and are calling for the changes needed to address this crisis.
Demand for our services supporting families experiencing poverty continues to grow.
We recently met a young mum who came to us after taking in her brother’s children following his sudden death but found herself unable to manage the increased bills and food needed for her newly expanded family. Still coping with the tremendous grief and trying to help the children navigate that too, she was going without meals to ensure the youngest were fed. She had only eaten a couple of slices of bread that week.
We meet people like this young mum every day and we’re reminded that they are not just stories or statistics, but real people who never imagined they would experience such a time of hardship.
However, change is possible and we are calling on the Government to ensure that policies and systems are designed to prioritise the wellbeing of children and families.
Changes we are calling for include:
- An end to the benefit cap
- Free school meals for all primary-aged children
- A protected minimum amount of Universal Credit to cover the essentials
- The unfreezing and uplifting of Local Housing Allowance rates for housing benefit, to be set in line with local rents
You can join us in this work by reading and sharing our exclusive research report about child poverty, learning more about our campaigning, and donating or fundraising so that we can continue to be there for local families.
Standing up for fair access to energy support
Our energy advice service works to increase energy awareness and help alleviate fuel poverty. As energy costs have risen in recent years, more and more people have found themselves unable to afford their bills, even after many significantly reduce their usage.
In recent months, our team has been seeing more households in privately rented homes who are struggling due to their energy being supplied by sub-meters. This means that tenants have no choice but to pay for their energy through a landlord or property manager rather than directly to an energy supplier.
This arrangement can leave people without the protections and support available to other households, and unable to switch tariffs or suppliers to find the best deal. We’re particularly concerned that people with sub-meters cannot access the Warm Home Discount, which provides vital financial support to those on low incomes.
One person we support is charged more than the current energy price cap, which is unaffordable and leaving them struggling to get by. The situation has caused such distress that they have stopped using heating and hot water and even turned off their fridge to try to reduce costs.
Sub-metering also limits the measures our advisors can take to help, and it means that this person cannot access the Warm Home Discount because they do not pay an energy supplier directly.
We’re calling on the Government to act and ensure that people with sub-meters are not locked out of crucial support schemes. We have raised these concerns with local MPs, urging them to push for fair access for all households, regardless of how their energy is supplied.
Read more about our energy advice service and the other changes we call for to help prevent more people being pulled into poverty.
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