The Perfect Storm - new report from Oxfam

Government rhetoric about ‘making work pay’ - used to justify sweeping welfare reforms- is sounding increasingly hollow, according to a new report by Oxfam, which details how getting a job in modern Britain is no guarantee of escaping poverty.

Oxfam’s report, The Perfect Storm, documents how the Government’s deficit reduction strategy, which has targeted £99 billion of budget cuts against just £29 billion of tax increases each year by the end of this parliament, is disproportionately impacting those on the lowest incomes. It describes a ‘perfect storm’ of factors - from increasing unemployment and lack of decent jobs, to rising living costs and falling incomes and the proposed deep cuts to welfare and public services - that are buffeting the UK’s most vulnerable citizens, both those in and out of work.

The report makes a series of additional policy recommendations that Oxfam believes could help mitigate the impact of the ‘perfect storm’. These include:

* Protecting the safety net of the welfare system, by making sure no further cuts are introduced that disproportionately affect the poorest
* Reducing cuts to public services and increasing progressive taxation instead
* Protecting people living in poverty from high energy prices
* Introducing a maximum level of interest lenders can charge to protect people in debt.
* Investing in universal childcare and affordable housing and extending the right to flexible working to all workers

Oxfam believes the additional cost of these measures could be met through a crack down on tax avoidance and evasion.

For a copy of the press release and link to the report, click here Work no longer pays for Britons caught in “perfect storm” of falling incomes and rising costs

Unfortunately the Government arent going to take any notice of this report. Ian Duncan Smith is of the opinion that people in poverty are responsible for it themselves-so tough! Those in Government are largely from privileged backgrounds and they have never struggled in their lives and to be honest they really dont care.

Many years ago a senior member of the Tory party said that “we” come from privilege.  “The role of the Tory party is to defend that privilege”.  Plus ca change.