Great @mirror.co.uk piece today on the shocking finding from new @trusselluk.bsky.social research - people from ethnic minority groups almost twice as likely to face hunger. Buckle up for the full research out next week. www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

What an enormous backward step from the Government. This will result in destitution and homelessness - both things that they committed to address. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

The Bill passes with big changes. We applaud the power of disabled people, MPs, and community organisations like @TrussellUK food banks who’ve stood up for future of disabled people. They’ve achieved major improvements incl incl. last minute scrapping of 4 point rule. 1/3

From The Times today - the Government talking up “return hubs” again. Calling them return hubs really isn’t accurate, as they’re not about returning people to where they’re from or even where they’ve been. Much more like rich European countries dumping people they don’t want to have to deal with

Great turnout in Parliament Sq of people representing a collective of over 150+ organisations calling for urgent action to make sure the Government creates a youth-chapter in their upcoming strategy to end homelessness. Let’s make sure homeless young people are included #YouthHomelessChapter

A comprehensive comms success.

This is a fantastic opportunity to be Centrepoint’s next Policy and Research Manager? It’s a great role at a critical time, working with a dedicated team. Come and join us in influencing policy to further our mission to end youth homelessness. jobs.centrepoint.org.uk/job/704531

Exciting times! Let’s hope this playoff adventure is one step better than 2014 🤞🤞 #LOFC

New London rough sleeping figures show 4,427 people slept rough in the English capital between January and March but more than 700 people are now deemed to be on the streets for long periods. ⬇️ www.bigissue.com/news/housi...

Homelessness crisis ‘forcing councils in England to pay 60% above market rent’

Detention is a hidden corner of the UK's immigration system, where thousands of people each year are held in prison-like conditions, without a time limit. That's why we've put together this explainer, part of a series about the harm caused by immigration detention and what can be done about it. 1/10

British meanings of “I'm fine” 1. I am actually fine, don’t worry 2. I’ll be fine in a minute, but please go away because you’re not helping 3. I've never been so cross 4. I think I’ve just broken my leg 5. My whole life has collapsed

On the pitch, you need that hunger…

‼️ Bills are set to rise more than £350 this year, while Universal Credit will only rise by around £80. People turn to food banks when they can’t cover the cost of essentials. Rising bills and failing social security risk pushing more people to food banks. #AwfulApril

We’re not going to believe how light it is later.

DWP is using a sleight of hand in its disability benefit cuts impact assessment: Actual increase in poverty is closer to 400,000, not the 250,000 in the impact assessment. Quick thread explaining why. 🧵1/7

Government’s own impact assessment finds welfare cuts would drive 250,000 more people, including 50,000 children, into poverty. 800,000 current and future claimants will lose PIP. 150,000 lose carers allowance as a knock-on effect.

So @hmtreasury is forcing @DWPgovuk to find more savings, in part by cutting the Universal Credit Standard Allowance (after raising it a bit). Here's what the Green Paper said about the current position & why UC needs to rise: it's been cut so low it's driving destitution.

Life costs MORE if you’re disabled: - Extra energy costs for medical equipment - Accessible transport or car adaptations - Specialist services and therapies - Paying more to get the weekly shop delivered - Having to pay for a carer - Higher heating bills

Yesterday, a Government press release claimed the number of people “considered too sick to work” had "quadrupled" since the pandemic (a "383% rise"). This is incorrect. In fact, it’s not even close. It's more like 40%. This thread explains why 🧵1/7

As I said to BBCBreakfast government *isn’t* proposing reform. It’s cuts. The DWP has a genuine plan for reform to help more people get support, healthcare & work when they can. Treasury is driving the opposite. Cruel & counterproductive cuts for short term savings.

🚨BREAKING: Almost 1 in 5 people claiming Universal Credit and disability benefits have used a food bank in the last month. This shouldn't be the case in one of the richest countries in the world.

Key thing to focus on: ✅Persuading OBR to score better employment support as delivering welfare savings: great. ❌Welfare savings from slashing benefits, hitting people already struggling to get by, unable to afford essentials: deeply damaging & counter productive. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

🚨📢BREAKING: Awaab's Law will now apply to temporary accommodation. We welcome this development, as it ensures the most vulnerable among us can look forward to improved living conditions when they most need it—this is truly positive news. www.insidehousing.co.uk/home/awaabs-...

Inflation is up by 3%, but private rents are up by 8.7% across the UK and 11%(!!!) in London. Across GB, it means paying ~£100 more per month on average since Jan 24, or ~£200 more per month since Jan 23. In London, £220 more per month since Jan 24, or ~£400(!) more per month since Jan 23.

Today the annual report on youth homelessness is published by @centrepointuk.bsky.social. This shows a 10% increase in young people approaching their local authorities for support. Of these 118,000 young people, only 67% were assessed by their local authority even though they are obliged to do so.

Feel privileged to have been at Brisbane Road to witness this. Amazing atmosphere and a wonderful performance. We now set our sights on Tuesday night against Mansfield Town… #LOFC

From crisis club to ‘doing a Brentford’: Leyton Orient upbeat before City test

❗ Finally getting onto Bluesky to share brand new report making the case for a better system of local crisis support in England. www.trussell.org.uk/news-and-res... Trying to survive on a low-income makes it near impossible to weather a financial shock.

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 part due to social security policies 1/5

I can’t stay silent anymore. The Triple Lock is an uprating mechanism. You can’t means test it. - You could introduce means-testing of the state pension. - You could freeze or reduce state pension uprating. But ‘means test the triple lock’ is just policy free word salad.

This is brilliant, and for an excellent cause. I recommend you search the hashtag, or follow @rhodri.biz for re-posts to see some extraordinary sleeping arrangements tonight.

The obsession with protecting our borders (no matter how far away) and those with power only seeing "asylum seekers" rather than "people" leads to this kind of situation. Shameful and appalling treatment of people seeking safety. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024...

Any extension to the move in period for new refugees is massively welcome. Let’s hope the trial becomes permanent as it’ll help protect many people from homelessness and hunger at the point they should be starting to put down roots and rebuild their lives.

Where you are born should not affect your life chances. 🗣️ Good housing, secure employment and being able to afford the essentials are the building blocks of health for everyone. 3/3

Older women don't appreciate sexist jokes and young ones quietly like the sexist attention is a curious strategy for proving you're not a misogynist

Putting up the Christmas decorations in the staff room.

On #WorldAIDSDay (and beyond!) I urge you all to support the important work of @nationalaidstrust.bsky.social who do so much to protect and improve the rights of people living with HIV, and work to make end new cases of HIV in England by 2030 a reality.

GOOD NEWS: For the first time in nearly 30 years, legal aid rates are set to increase. With over 50% of people seeking asylum unable to get access to legal support, this investment is a desperately needed win. www.bigissue.com/news/social-...

Heidi Alexander’s appointment as transport secretary means the cabinet is now 100% state-educated for the first time in history - great stat from @georgeeaton.bsky.social

We have an announcement 🦋 orkneylibrary.bsky.social

Some positive proposals in this White Paper, but in order to really support people into work, this should also be accompanied by minimising sanctions and ensuring social security payments cover the essentials. People will always struggle to work if they can't afford to eat or pay for the bus fare.

Two sets of stats are due for release on Thursday that will tell us more about the asylum system Labour inherited & the impacts of the last government's policies. The immigration stats are likely to show very few decisions made in July & August, with maybe the start of an increase in September.

📰 Read all about it! Our community of food banks provided over 1.4 million food parcels in 6 months. But here’s the headline – it doesn’t have to be this way. With food banks and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, we’re delivering the news to the UK government that it’s time to act on hunger.

Inflation ticking back up again today driven by cost of energy - an essential cost that hits low income households harder. This is why the basic rate of benefits needs to be linked to the real world cost of essentials. £91 per week falls well short www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

New @trusselluk.bsky.social stats out today show food banks in the Trussell community gave out 1.42 million emergency food parcels in 6 months. These figures show a 69% increase from 5 years ago, and show extremely worrying levels of hunger and hardship in the UK. www.bigissue.com/news/social-...

As temperatures drop to freezing, the @mayorofldn.bsky.social and London Councils have activated the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP), which means that London boroughs and City Hall will be opening up emergency accomodation for rough sleepers.

The erosion of the value of social security rates is a key reason why the UK has seen such a dramatic rise in the need for food banks. Universal Credit levels are not currently based on an objective calculation of the cost of essentials leading to hunger and hardship.