📢 The Government must hold firm in their ambition for the Employment Rights Bill. Too many people are in poorly paid, poor-quality jobs which don’t give them the flexibility to work and care. The Bill shows the government wants to end this and give workers more power. 1/2

Really positive to see the employment rights bill published today. It’s such an important opportunity to level up workers’ rights, tackle insecurity, help workers to balance work, health and care - and make work a real foundation for economic security.👇

STOP THE FREEZE: New Joseph Rowntree Foundation research out shows why the Chancellor must choose to permanently unfreeze LHA and re-link it to local rents this Budget. If she doesn't, private renters on housing benefits will be on avg £703 per year worse off by the end of the Parliament. 🧵1/x

So, it’s Budget week. The Chancellor has been clear: “the focus of the Budget in October will be to protect living standards”. This 3-point thread takes a look at the challenge, based on recent Joseph Rowntree Foundation modelling. (Look out for an update this week on how the Chancellor did) 1/

In 2020 we launched the Inclusive Growth Network, with four years of grant funding from Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Read our Impact Report, which sets out how the IGN has become a thriving, successful network, with real-world impact👇 🧵1/6 inclusivegrowthnetwork.org/about-us/our-i…

The IGN can go further and faster in testing new approaches and interventions that can be scaled up nationally. This is what our Director of Place and Practice Annabel Smith had to say about what’s ahead👇 6/6

ICYMI, last week Inclusive Growth Network launched their Impact Report celebrating four years of the Inclusive Growth Network, supported by initial Joseph Rowntree Foundation funding - find out more about the Network's impact so far here 👇

Today’s ‘Get Britain Working’ white paper indicates a fundamental reset in approach to supporting disabled people into work. It's the right approach, but at the moment mostly words, and Govt needs to follow through on good intentions.🧵1/7 gov.uk/government/pub…

Govt’s Get Britain Working plan signals a welcome reset in approach to supporting disabled people to work. But risks being undermined by £3bn of arbitrary unspecified budget cuts & a safety net that leaves people going without essentials. Me for The Guardian theguardian.com/commentisfree/…

4.3 million children are in poverty UK govt won’t see progress on child poverty by 2029 even with high economic growth 📢 Our analysis shows under our central scenario only Scotland will see child poverty rates fall by 2029 in large part due to social security policies 1/5

This is a really good, albeit familiar, piece about all the extra things schools are having to do to support children living in poverty. 2/3 have provided food to families in the last year & almost half financial support. This eats into school budgets. bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

In her speech the CX mentioned the rising cost of social security for people with health conditions and disabilities With further cuts expected to the support people receive, it's worth highlighting that 30% (243k) of the rise in the health caseload is due to expected changes

Healthy food should be accessible to all, but the latest report from The Food Foundation shows that this isn't the case. On average, healthier foods are more than 2x as expensive per calorie as less healthy foods, limiting their availability to people on low incomes. Read more 👇

Two-thirds of working-age adults in poverty are in a household where at least one adult works. ❌ Work is not a guaranteed route out of poverty – the quality really matters, including fair pay and hours. Read Louise Woodruff in Good Business Charter: goodbusinesscharter.com/in-work-povert…

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Liz Kendall's speech today laid out plans to cut disability and sickness benefits by billions. ❌No truly moral choice would leave disabled people without support designed to allow them to lead a dignified life, or facing hardship. 1/4

Big picture today is Government chose to cut unprecedented £5bn of income from disabled people at highest risk of hardship. This drive for cost savings undermines any positive changes contained in the disability benefits green paper. Here are some other big problems:🧵1/11

NEW analysis out today from Joseph Rowntree Foundation & Centre for Progressive Policy shows that improving paternity leave poses significant growth benefits to the UK economy. Giving families more choice over who cares for babies could have an economy-wide benefit of £2.8bn ft.com/content/5c4a86…

UK’s paternity leave entitlement is worst in Europe – just 2 weeks on low pay A more generous offer will support families financially and help them make more equal choices around who cares For the first time @CPP modelling for JRF establishes the economic benefits too 🔽 1/2

Extending Statutory Paternity Leave to 6 weeks at 90% of a father’s average weekly earnings could deliver £2.68 billion to the wider economy 📢 Eligibility needs to be expanded to all working fathers so self-employed fathers don't miss out Read more: jrf.org.uk/work/improving… 2/2

New NEF analysis by Max Mosley challenges the government narrative that the rise in PIP claims is disproportionate We show that financial insecurity is driving a greater proportion of a growing population of disabled people to legitimately seek support independent.co.uk/news/uk/politi…