Ways to take action – March campaigning update
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“When situations of injustice are widespread, they demand structural reforms, not merely individual acts of charity.”
Pope St John Paul II
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 get in touch and let us know what you’ve been up to.
Children in temporary accommodation
Across Greater Manchester and Lancashire, in the areas served by our charity, almost 9,000 children are living in temporary accommodation, a number which has steadily increased in recent years.
Sadly, we know that experiencing homelessness has profound implications for children’s wellbeing, stability and development.
A recent report published as part of the Sensory Lives Project highlights the severity of these impacts for children who are neurodivergent, with some families describing their experiences of living in temporary accommodation as a form of “torture”.
The report is based on a national call for evidence in which parents and professionals described conditions as harmful, documenting serious impacts on physical and mental health, barriers to education and specialist support, unsafe environments, and the distress caused by uncertainty and frequent moves.
It is too often the case that families are forced to remain in temporary accommodation for a number of years due to shortages in suitable housing. This means that what should be a short-term stopgap can become a prolonged period of instability with long-lasting consequences for children and families.
The report calls for children’s rights to be placed at the heart of decisions about housing, alongside improvements to the suitability of housing for neurodivergent children and increased support for families.
As part of research we carried out with Catholic schools locally, school leaders told us that they frequently step in to provide bus tickets for children living in temporary accommodation, particularly when families are placed far from schools and support networks.
We therefore welcome the recent announcement by Andy Burnham that, from later this year, children in temporary accommodation will be entitled to free bus travel to and from school. While this will not address the root causes of homelessness, it is a practical and important step in mitigating some of the immediate impacts experienced by children and families.
For those who work in schools, please look out for our webinar in the summer term which will focus on temporary accommodation and explore how schools can support families experiencing homelessness. Details will be available on the events section of our website: www.caritassalford.org.uk/events
Refugee family reunion
Refugee family reunion has long provided a safe and legal way for people granted refugee status in this country to reunite with family members they had been separated from, often because of war, persecution or dangerous routes to safety. It has been the main safe route allowing children to reunite with parents who are refugees in the UK.
However, in September 2025, the Government suspended new applications for family reunions with almost no notice while the policy is under review, and we understand that new restrictions may be introduced that would make family reunion impossible for many refugees
We know that the Gospel compels us to welcome the stranger and protect those who are most in need, and Catholic Social Teaching emphasises the dignity of every person.
Therefore, we’re pleased that Bishop John Arnold, our chair of trustees, has added his name to a letter coordinated by the Joint Public Issues Team calling on the Home Secretary to reconsider proposals to make family reunion more difficult to access for those most in need.
Faith leaders signing the letter are urging the Government to recognise that: “for many refugees, the presence and safety of close family is essential for their stability, wellbeing and integration. For people of faith, family is foundational to human belonging, resilience, and hope.”
We’ll continue to call for justice, compassion and policies that protect and uphold human dignity. You can read more about our campaigning here and our work supporting refugees and people seeking asylum here.
Calling for an end to the benefit cap
Following a number of years of campaigning for the Government to scrap the two-child limit on benefits, we were delighted when it was announced at the Autumn Budget last year that the two-child limit will be abolished in full from April.
However, a separate policy remains in place which will mean that many families will see little or no improvement to their finances when the two-child limit is lifted – the benefit cap.
The benefit cap restricts the amount of support a working-age household can receive from the social security system, with the majority of those affected being lone-parents of young children living in areas with high rental costs.
DWP analysis shows that around 50,000 low-income families currently affected by the two-child limit will gain nothing in April when the policy is scrapped as they will hit the benefit cap. A further 20,000 will only see a partial increase in their income.
Furthermore, despite significant increases to the cost of living in recent years, the threshold for the cap will remain frozen in 2026/27 – the fourth consecutive year it has not risen in line with inflation.
Evidence presented by Child Poverty Action Group shows that the benefit cap does not meaningfully incentivise work, but instead keeps many families trapped in poverty. This is because many households impacted face barriers to employment, including caring responsibilities for young children.
Therefore, we join with many other organisations in calling for an end to the benefit cap, so that every family has the opportunity to receive adequate support and live with hope and dignity.
Read more about policy changes we call for here, and our child poverty work here.
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