The latest Household Below Average Income (HBAI) statistics show that poverty continues to affect millions of children in the UK, with 4.5 million affected by poverty during 2023-2024, an increase of 100,00 on the year before. These figures should shame us all, and must be examined alongside the UK Government’s proposals to take £4.8 billion in social security support from some of the most vulnerable, and indeed poorest, among us. The Government’s own Impact Assessment suggests that 50,000 more children will be pulled into relative poverty as a direct result of these changes. But another way is possible. For the past five years, almost 200 parents and carers living on a low-income from all four nations of the UK have been working alongside researchers at the University of York and Child Poverty Action Group to document everyday life in poverty and to push for change. The project started life as Covid Realities in the pandemic and became Changing Realities in a cost-of-living crisis that has never gone away. In our work together, we have contributed real-time evidence to policymakers, challenged harmful media narratives, and developed co-produced recommendations for change.

The latest Household Below Average Income (HBAI) statistics show that poverty continues to affect millions of children in the UK, with 4.5 million affected by poverty during 2023-2024, an increase of 100,00 on the year before. These figures should shame us all, and must be examined alongside the UK Government’s proposals to take £4.8 billion in social security support from some of the most vulnerable, and indeed poorest, among us. The Government’s own Impact Assessment suggests that 50,000 more children will be pulled into relative poverty as a direct result of these changes. But another way is possible. For the past five years, almost 200 parents and carers living on a low-income from all four nations of the UK have been working alongside researchers at the University of York and Child Poverty Action Group to document everyday life in poverty and to push for change. The project started life as Covid Realities in the pandemic and became Changing Realities in a cost-of-living crisis that has never gone away. In our work together, we have contributed real-time evidence to policymakers, challenged harmful media narratives, and developed co-produced recommendations for change.

This project will explore the extent of the devolution of social security within the UK and the realities, risks, and opportunities this poses for families with dependent children.

New analysis shows 700,000 children could be lifted out of poverty overnight by following Scotland

Dear Liz,

How to tell the nation’s more vulnerable that you have no clue about the realities of their situation? Answer: By making life infinitely more difficult for them with one simple administrative change. Having to score four points in one category to qualify for personal independence payment (PIP) – even though each category is so subjective, variable and open to biased interpretations – is offensively insensitive.

I live in the North of England and am a disabled single mother of two children. Both of my children have special educational needs. I am on Universal Credit and PIP.

Actors including Stephen Fry and Brian Cox criticise plan that will remove support for more than 1 million people

Experts say planned cuts will deliver series of ‘painful income shocks’ for many

“As a Disabled writer, let me be clear: disability payments shouldn’t be understood as a replacement for income. Rather, they help to make up for the roughly £1,000 extra a month that Disabled househo...