Ahead of our end of year Data Insights session (sign up here! Featuring special guest @anooshc.bsky.social from the New Statesman www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/turning-th...) I wrote something very short on the 2 child limit, living standards and political ambition medium.com/p/9e10a39f80cf

Not well understood that 6 in 10 families impacted by the two-child limit are in work, and that the vast majority have 3 or 4 children.

"Scrapping the two-child limit and addressing high energy bills will prevent hundreds of thousands of children from growing up in poverty and help households across the country keep the lights on." Our CEO responds to today's Autumn Budget ⤵️ https://bit.ly/4pDEOzb

Scrapping the two-child limit is a brilliant step forward. Reversing this cruel policy will not only pull hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty altogether (and lift many more out of very deep poverty); it will also stop over 100 additional children from being pulled into poverty every day

As the #AutumnBudget approaches, we're calling on the Chancellor to unfreeze Local Housing Allowance (LHA) to support people on low incomes as private rents continue to soar. Read more in our blog ⤵️ https://t.co/xTGMQRoFsk https://t.co/ijj5LHQyVC

Proper good news today - the Renters' Rights Act gets Royal Assent. Citizens Advice see 200 people a day with problems in private rented housing. The act shifts the balance towards tenants, but it's just the start, as @tessthompsonca.bsky.social says here wearecitizensadvice.org.uk/the-renters-...

You deserve fair pay at work! 💸 On sick leave? You’re still protected 💊 Got a worry at work? We’re partnering with Citizens Advice Southwark and Southwark Law Centre to help you access free advice Find help and support www.southwark.gov.uk/about-counci...

“No family should have to borrow money just to eat while waiting for support they’re entitled to.” We're calling on the government to take action on one of Universal Credit's longest-standing problems: the 5 week wait. Read more ➡️ https://bit.ly/4odsGnL

Please please stop calling it the “two child benefit cap”. There is no such thing : www.linkedin.com/posts/laura-...

Excellent briefing and thread from @jagnaolejniczak.bsky.social 👇 We looked into how our clients really experience the transition to work from the Universal Credit system, suggesting work incentives are helpful but not adequate, and wider barriers to employment are being overlooked

The challenge of energy affordability is very real, but rising block tariffs aren’t the answer. People on low incomes with poorly insulated homes or who need more energy for health reasons could see rising bills, while those with multiple homes or can install solar panels avoid paying a fair share

The most cost-effective way to reduce child poverty is to abolish the two-child limit, which would cost £7,480 per child lifted out of poverty. If it is not scrapped then one-in-three children will be in poverty by 2029-39, including half of children in large families 👉 buff.ly/oiV5Re2

New paper from Citizens Advice on how to deliver tangible growth - which puts money in people’s pockets - in consumer markets. TLDR: Consumer confidence is key & slashing hard won consumer protections without adequate safeguards isn’t the answer.

The Universal Credit (UC) and Personal Independence Payment bill has its third reading on Wednesday. Cuts to UC health look to be going ahead. Here’s 3 reasons why that’s a bad idea ⤵️

The cuts to Universal Credit for ill & disabled people that remain in this bill will be deeply harmful, but campaigners & MPs have forced a climbdown on huge swathes of the wider cuts that were originally proposed. You cannot deliver principled welfare reform to a predetermined savings target

6/15 The best summary of the UCPIP Bill and what it means that I have seen in the past 24 hours is from @lauralhutch.bsky.social & @tommacinnes.bsky.social of @citizensadvice.bsky.social wearecitizensadvice.org.uk/these-are-no... They call out the awful euphemism underpinning the entire exercise.

Anti poverty organisations all unanimously urging MPs to vote against the UCPIP Bill this afternoon, and calling on the government to carry out proper reviews and consultation before legislating. This is too important to vote through on an act of faith. www.ucpipbill.co.uk/wp-content/u...

If the UCPIP Bill becomes law it will cut PIP for over 400k disabled people & UC for over 700k people who are disabled or have a long-term health condition by 2030. Government’s own impact assessment says the cuts will plunge 150k people into poverty by the end of this Parliament

A long thread on why the concessions in and around the UCPIP Bill (ie the disability benefits cuts) are illusory, disingenuous and potentially makes things worse 🧵 There are 5 big myths to bust -fifth is the most difficult to untangle, but the most significant in my view, so please do bear with 🙂

If the UCPIP Bill passes, the arbitrary 4 point rule will be enshrined in law. It will prevent the Timms Review from being genuine co-production with disabled people. Citizens Advice is urging MPs to vote for their constituents & against the Bill tday. wearecitizensadvice.org.uk/these-are-no...

Strongly recommended reading on planned "reforms" to (primarily disability-related) UK social security. This Medium post by @lauralhutch.bsky.social & @tommacinnes.bsky.social of @citizensadvice.bsky.social . 10/10 for a cogent, pithy title. wearecitizensadvice.org.uk/these-are-no...

Exempting current claimants from harmful cuts does not mean profound harm will not be inflicted as result of UCPIP bill. Citizens Advice is urging MPs to vote against the bill. These are not reforms. They are cuts to people who can least afford it. wearecitizensadvice.org.uk/these-are-no...

How are the cost of essentials affecting low-to-middle-income families across Britain? On Monday, join our discussion with @claremoriarty.bsky.social @peterlevell.bsky.social and @lalithatry.bsky.social chaired by @mikebrewerecon.bsky.social Sign up here ➡️ buff.ly/3NYLh0r

Just spoke to @timesradio with a bit of myth busting on PIP and response to rebel deal. Yes, big concessions from govt for current claimants but this is a political fix that creates unequal policy. All it takes is illness or life event for any of us to need PIP. People will have less.

Changes to UCPIP bill are result of campaigners & disabled people speaking out about the profound harm the govt was about to inflict. However, the bill remains illogical & inherently unfair. The govt should pause & come back with meaningful reform if serious about “fixing the foundations”.

How will the proposed disability benefit cuts impact disabled people? Today we’re sharing the story of one of the people we’ve helped: Anita*. The cuts could mean she loses over £8k per year (43% of her income)❗ New blog out now: medium.com/p/1ab8959922a1

UC & PIP bill proposes the biggest cuts to disability benefits since OBR was created. It would: ✂️cut benefits for 3.2m disabled ppl 📈Push 300,000-400,000 into poverty, including 50,000 children 📈 Drive 440,000 into severe hardship New joint briefing: www.ucpipbill.co.uk

7m families are affected by these benefit reforms; 3.2m will lose support. Under a best-case scenario, we find that 105,000 more people would be in work by the end of the Parliament. It is clear that any increases in employment will be far too small to fully offset the hit to family incomes.

Today, the government laid its Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill before parliament. But what's actually in the bill and what happens next? New blog out now: wearecitizensadvice.org.uk/why-were-ask...

A blog by @lauralhutch.bsky.social & me, pulling together some of the strands from recent work by our colleagues @craigpberry.bsky.social @julia-rt.bsky.social and @maddyirose.bsky.social. Link here - it’s an 8 minute read apparently wearecitizensadvice.org.uk/short-sighte... (1/6)

Why do successive (including current) government “reforms” to welfare often sow the seeds for next crisis? Myself and @tommacinnes.bsky.social have a stab at explaining here. wearecitizensadvice.org.uk/short-sighted-policy-making-why-does-history-keep-repeating-itself-a096aed4eb4d

Spot on from Polly Toynbee. For more on the @citizensadvice.bsky.social analysis cited, check out Maddy's thread bsky.app/profile/madd...

The cuts to disability benefits will have devastating consequences. But the government is not committing to undertaking a proper impact assessment and is not asking the questions it doesn't want answers to. So we've outlined the impact here anyway www.citizensadvice.org.uk/policy/publi...

This would be an extremely welcome move by the government. One that would immediately improve the life chances of hundreds of thousands of children and their families. 🤞🤞🤞 observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

It’s true that the substance of strategy is more important than the timing. But govt can make welfare spend outside of a Budget and what could be more urgent than lifting children out of poverty? The longer we wait, the more expensive problem becomes to fix www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

We are disappointed at the delay to the child poverty strategy which the UK Government promised to publish in spring. Pushing this important work back will mean 20,000 more children will be dragged into poverty. 1/2

This is so sad. No exaggeration to say that Epstein likely would not have been convicted had it not been for her courage and conviction in coming forward and being so vocal. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

The government is inconsistent on living standards. They pledge to end mass reliance on foodbanks and reduce child poverty, and then make plans to cut benefits for many ill and disabled people. @citizensadvice.bsky.social will continue to oppose these cuts www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Just over a year ago my PIP review was launched. By the time I got the letter in the post, I realised I had just 3 days left to prove my entitlement. Otherwise, my PIP might be stopped. That just isn’t enough time! New blog below ⬇️ wearecitizensadvice.org.uk/race-against...

📣 Citizens Advice joined Scope to urge the Chancellor to reconsider potential cuts to disability benefits. Cuts would have a catastrophic impact on disabled people, pushing even more disabled households into poverty. Read our open letter to the Chancellor ⬇️ www.scope.org.uk/campaigns/op...

Citizens Advice has been leading on looking at how to reduce essential household costs, as part of the Govt's Child Poverty Taskforce. Our findings have been published & message is clear: A strategy that fails to invest will not seriously reduce child poverty assets.ctfassets.net/mfz4nbgura3g...

Excited to share our new @citizensadvice.bsky.social report on work coach relationships with claimants. A lack of resources and too much focus on claimant compliance means that even the best work coaches struggle to provide effective employment support. Urgent reform is needed 👇 tiny.cc/3or6001

Boxing Day 🌊

Any good podcasts for Christmas break ? 🙏 Ones I liked listening to this year include: ◦ In The Dark S1, 2 & 3 ◦ Teacher’s Pet ◦ The people vs Harvey Proctor ◦ West Cork ◦ The Secret History of Antarctica

Pleased to hear Prime Minister commit to put more money into people's pockets. This will not be achieved by trickle down growth alone. Our data shows food bank use, homelessness & energy meter disconnection hit record levels in 2023/24. Households are in crisis. Govt investment is need.

Throughout the general election @citizensadvice.bsky.social repeatedly said the number 1 issue was living standards. Pleased this is now recognised in govt milestones. In June 2019, our average debt client had £20 left after essentials. Now, on average, they're in the red every month.

Winter

Travelling back from a very sobering trip to Stockton to hear about the inspirational work being done by Citizens Advice Stockton and local primary schools on child poverty. Too many children having life chances ruined due to extreme poverty - caused and exacerbated by bad policy!