To reduce the UK's desperate levels of hardship requires significant fall in relative poverty - ie weighting fruits of future growth to those in most need. Here's my explainer of mixed official indicators despite growing destitution and food insecurity. financialfairness.org.uk/en/our-work/pu…

Official poverty statistics paint a mixed picture, but headline poverty rates are not adequately capturing the depth of deprivation facing millions across the UK.

A new briefing paper by the trust's policy advisor Donald Hirsch on headline poverty rates.

financialfairness.org.uk/en/our-work/pu…

The LEAD story on BBC is that a princess has been seen in a CAR!! So reassuring to know that nothing more important is happening in the world...

BBC News - Kate photo: Princess of Wales seen after saying she edited Mother's Day picture
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-685343…

Well done to Matt Padley, Juliet Stone and Elaine Robinson for their hard work on this important report. With the excellent report by Donald Hirsch on middle incomes at financialfairness.org.uk/en/our-work/pu…, it's a bumper day for CRSP and its alumni!

Can policy makers afford to address needs of people at the bottom AND in the middle of the income distribution? This blog argues that different policies can address each, and not all require large amounts of public spending.
financialfairness.org.uk/en/media-centr… abrdn Financial Fairness Trust

Our economic system is failing the majority. There is growing destitution and poverty but also increasing insecurity for those in the 'middle'. We need fundamental policy change Donald Hirsch theguardian.com/business/2024/…

Economic insecurity is most severe at the bottom but also impacts the precarious middle. Insecure jobs, high housing costs/childcare mean there's a 1 in 3 chance someone in the middle will be in the bottom next year.

theguardian.com/business/2024/…

Job insecurity among the middle third of the income distribution has worsened. In particular, insecure work has grown sharply for single adults - most lone parents on middle incomes have insecure jobs.

New research by Donald Hirsch published today:

financialfairness.org.uk/en/media-centr…

New CRSP Joseph Rowntree Foundation research with Donald Hirsch highlights costs non-resident parents face who regularly have children to stay - for suitable accommodation, to do things together. The social security system doesn't recognise these needs and costs tinyurl.com/3ter57k2

NO Rishi Sunak , a falling inflation rate does NOT mean cost of living pressures starting to ease. If prices stop rising relative to incomes, this just means things won't get even worse. But if you don't renew cost of living payments next year, they will. bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-6…

Tackling poverty's never been simply about nudging people from just below to just above the poverty line. Latest Joseph Rowntree Foundation poverty report shows how, more than ever, marginal gains just won't do: the average person in poverty is now nearly a third short of the line Peter Matejic

Here's my paper which summarises in 7 pages the rapid deterioration of safety-net protection. The double whammy is that benefit levels have become too low to meet needs, and the majority don't even get this level of support. abrdn Financial Fairness Trust financialfairness.org.uk/docs?editionId…

.Gordon Brown cites new analysis by Donald Hirsch for abrdn Financial Fairness Trust to discuss just how threadbare working-age social security has become 👇

Wow. Rwanda is about to be made safe by UK legislation that proclaims it to be so. In Orwell's 1984, 2 plus 2 equals five because the party says so. Truth by decree has truly arrived. Scary.

If you're going for a cabinet of experience, why not go the whole way: L. Truss Chancellor (knows how to impact economy), T. May Home Secretary (expert in hostile environments) B. Johnson Culture Media & Sport (great comic, good on zipwires)