The Crisis and Resilience Fund could support the government’s ambition to end mass dependence on emergency food parcels.

Introduction - In the Autumn of 2024, the Chancellor announced a year-long extension to the semi-permanent Household Support Fund (HSF) in England from March 2025. For years, local authorities have en...

A Report of the Independent Food Aid Network, published May 2025

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Labour laid out plans to spend £1bn a year replacing the household support fund with a new crisis and resilience fund at the spending review.

Redistributing food waste through the charitable food aid sector cannot prevent poverty or stop hunger from happening, says Jessica Sinclair Taylor, deputy director at Feedback and Sabine Goodwin, director at Independent Food Aid Network

New entitlement to free school meals for all children in household on Universal Credit.

Exclusive: Flagship policy put back until at least autumn amid fears cost of removing two-child benefit cap will outweigh political benefit

Food bank volunteers are having to face facts, writes Sabine Goodwin, director of the Independent Food Aid Network.

Looking after children is important and vital work; and it’s imperative that parents and carers have access to high quality and affordable childcare, both in order to support their children’s development and also to support them in their other forms of work: be it education, training, caring, or participation in the formal labour market. Recent years have seen a growing focus on the importance of improving the UK’s childcare offer, and we have seen a range of policy changes to try and improve what is provided and on what basis. This briefing sets out the experiences of parents and carers on a low income, and makes clear the distance that still needs to be travelled if we are to move to a situation in which all parents can access affordable and decent childcare provision. We share evidence of parents’ experiences and challenges around finding childcare that fits with working hours; systemic issues with affordability; and the pressing need to improve support for childcare through Universal Credit. There is also a need to improve childcare for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), and to rethink how childcare support is made available during school holidays.

IntroductionIn the Autumn of 2024, the Chancellor announced a year-long extension to the semi-permanent Household Support Fund (HSF) in England from March 2025. For years, local authorities have endur...