1/🧵📣NEW STATEMENT Members of the Greater Manchester Asylum Hotels Group have shared a new statement responding to recent changes to the asylum system and how these plans make them feel as people who came to the UK seeking safety. Share on IG: www.instagram.com/p/DSXLsi3jZI...

Why economic insecurity – not immigration – should be Labour’s top electoral priority theconversation.com/why-economic...

Festive activities should be open to everyone. Schools could offer free or low-cost events, supported by PTA or community resources, so all pupils can take part. Learn more about making activities accessible here. https://neu.org.uk/latest/library/tackling-poverty-classroom #NoChildLeftBehind

'How the Scottish child payment has made a real difference – and not discouraged parents from working' op ed by @emmatominey.bsky.social @kittyjstewart.bsky.social @ruthpatrick0.bsky.social in @scotsman.com via www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...

Great to see our Family Finances findings covered in the papers - more detail & links to working papers here: bsky.app/profile/ilon...

'No evidence Scottish child payment really encourages worklessness, study finds' www.standard.co.uk/news/politic...

The most common type of children's home provider has been investment ownership. In the past 10 years, the number of for-profit homes has more than doubled and there has been a decrease or plateau in the number of third sector and publicly owned homes.

New paper out today in @thelancetph.bsky.social with François Schoenberger and @andersb-m.bsky.social : Do commercial markets deliver public services where we need them? www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

Fantastic to see @johnswinney.bsky.social cite our new analysis of the very real difference that the Scottish Child Payment is making in Scotland. Investment in social security is a good thing! By @kittyjstewart.bsky.social @emmatominey.bsky.social @ilonapin.bsky.social @katejandersen.bsky.social

New study from LSE, York & Glasgow universities shows the Scottish Child Payment is transforming lives. Without it, 70,000 more children would face deprivation and food insecurity. We will keep investing in families and lifting children out of poverty.

wow

2️⃣ excellent working papers on how Scottish Child Payment 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 is making a difference from our very own @ilonapin.bsky.social @ruthpatrick0.bsky.social & the University of York, CASE/LSE & @cpagscotland.bsky.social colleagues Kate Andersen, Suzanna Nesom, Kitty Stewart & Emma Tominey 💪 More detail 👇

Two new Working Papers from our mixed-methods study Family Finances out now📣 📰 Our first paper looks at the emerging qual & quant findings showing that Scottish Child Payment is making a significant difference to household resources & children's wellbeing 🧵

Stacey from @changingrealities.bsky.social has written such an honest blog about why, even with awful trolling, she won’t stop speaking up for people living in poverty www.changingrealities.org/blog/why-i-w...

Two new Working Papers from our mixed-methods study Family Finances out now📣 📰 Our first paper looks at the emerging qual & quant findings showing that Scottish Child Payment is making a significant difference to household resources & children's wellbeing 🧵

Our last in the series Social Exclusion seminar was given by @danieledmiston.bsky.social who spoke about changing hosuehold types, poverty riks and welfare effectiveness across Europe. If you missed it, the video & audio recording are available on our website sticerd.lse.ac.uk/case/_new/ev...

My reflections on last week's child poverty strategy; its significant strengths, and why it can't be the last word: www.actionforchildren.org.uk/blog/the-chi...

A white British father and son BOTH raped the same child and pled guilty to multiple counts of Sexual assault. This has been in the press for 2 days. The Mirror is the only National newspaper to report on it… And THAT’s why people have such a skewed perception of the links between race and SA🤷🏼‍♀️

New filings find hundreds of migrant children held in US custody far past the 20-day legal limit — some for over five months aje.io/caanlp

@ilonapin.bsky.social pointed out that children with foreign-born parents are more likely to experience poverty, including deep poverty, partly due to ‘no recourse to public funds’ restrictions. Extending settlement routes for more children risks leaving many without vital support and in poverty.

If you need deep pockets to be considered a “global talent,” are we really attracting "the brightest and the best"minds, or just the richest ones? Read more 👇 nandosigona.info/2025/12/08/w... #visa #immigration #globaltalent

Interesting and timely @resolutionfoundation.org research showing that redesigning Scottish disability benefits to give claimants a more dignified experience doesn't mean the system becomes more expensive or claims have to rise. www.resolutionfoundation.org/press-releas...

Some quick thoughts on the child poverty strategy as it relates to immigration & asylum policy (which is what my research focuses on): 1) great to see recognition of children affected by NRPF as part of 'our children, our future' strategy www.gov.uk/government/p...

My dad abhors any negative comments about immigrants. Asked him recently why he’s so strong on it: ‘Because we’re always happy to take the rich and clever ones. Which means it’s not about disliking immigrants. It’s about disliking the poor and vulnerable. And that’s a bad human instinct.’

Some quick thoughts on the child poverty strategy as it relates to immigration & asylum policy (which is what my research focuses on): 1) great to see recognition of children affected by NRPF as part of 'our children, our future' strategy www.gov.uk/government/p...

'What UK immigration reforms mean for vulnerable migrant communities' eureports.com/2025/12/what...

'What UK immigration reforms mean for vulnerable migrant communities' eureports.com/2025/12/what...

'UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea argues overseas care staff are being subject to racism in their communities, exploitation in their workplace and damaging immigration reforms from government' www.communitycare.co.uk/2025/11/28/m...

The 'earned settlement' proposals are not yet policy but already doing damage to children in poverty because of the penalties involved

Another point is how are local authorities or welfare advisers meant to advise families. Getting families to apply for CoC is a key way that LAs get families off s17 children act support. Will they do this now with the potential for 5+/10+ yr penalties? Or will they keep supporting them?

The 'earned settlement' proposals are not yet policy but already doing damage to children in poverty because of the penalties involved

"A low-paid carer from Ghana has cancelled all the benefits she is legally entitled to, including the disability allowance one of her children receives, owing to fears about her immigration status after the policy changes announced by the home secretary." www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Important new blog by @lucyleon.bsky.social on @uk.theconversation.com 'To truly tackle child poverty, the UK needs to look again at migration policy' theconversation.com/to-truly-tac...

For a family of 5 (couple with 3 kids) this was >£45k which would now be £91k or £380/mnth for over 20yrs settlement. Eye watering amounts of money. And money that could be better invested in children's needs like food, stable housing, learning & development, healthy living etc.

Yes: we'd calculated that a single parent with 2 kids who started their settlement journey in 2017 would pay >£27k in fees & IHS over 10yrs to settle (w/o citizenship & pre-2025⬆️). Now >£54k for 20yrs if they'd ever claimed benefits for >12mnths - £225/month extra in essential HH costs over 20yrs.

Kim speaking to BBC World at One right now, about the impact of the two-child limit lifting on her family. She says she hopes it'll give her some breathing space. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b...

Yes: we'd calculated that a single parent with 2 kids who started their settlement journey in 2017 would pay >£27k in fees & IHS over 10yrs to settle (w/o citizenship & pre-2025⬆️). Now >£54k for 20yrs if they'd ever claimed benefits for >12mnths - £225/month extra in essential HH costs over 20yrs.

Scrapping the two-child limit will be transformational for children. This is a much-needed fresh start in our country’s efforts to eradicate child poverty and while there is more to do it gives us strong foundations to build on. 1/2

The two-child limit will be consigned to history. Incredible moment and one to welcome before we push on with the fight for ambitious action to drive child poverty down obr.uk/docs/dlm_upl...

Scrapping the two-child limit in full is a monumental decision. Well done to all involved in the Child Poverty Strategy, and everyone who has made the case against the policy. OBR says scrapping costs £3 billion in 2029-30 and will lift 450,000 out of poverty

Really good explainer on the 'earned settlement' implications published last week. This is a full consultation though so open for responses till 12th Feb. Especially important that children and families on a low income & therefore most likely to be detrimentally affected are able to feed in.

"every child in the UK should have a fair start in life, regardless of where their parents were born"

Danish foreign minister and ex-PM Lars Løkke Rasmussen warns of need for balance & nuance on immigration & asylum "Danish model". Regrets some of harsher measures and signals of his government. NYT report notes the politics for centre-left now more contested too www.nytimes.com/2025/11/23/w...

With the Chancellor’s Budget tomorrow and the Child Poverty Strategy to follow, this is a pivotal moment. A credible plan to cut child poverty must account for the challenges facing migrant families. Every child in the UK deserves a fair start in life, regardless of where their parents were born.

4.45 million children in the UK live in poverty, and nearly 4 in 10 are in families where both parents were born abroad. My blog sets out why this must be recognised in the upcoming Child Poverty Strategy. 🔗https://tinyurl.com/yc8mp55p

The whole problem with current Labour is encapsulated right here in this paragraph. One hand tries to ameliorate child poverty while the other hand makes it worse. Some of us think immigrants and their children count. That they, too, are people. Some of us don’t.

Horrendous & punishing for thousands of people including c.25,000 children seeking protection with their families who got status in the last five years (luckily children in care and care leavers are out of scope of the settlement changes)

At least 160,000 people have been granted refugee status over the past five years. It now seems they are intended to be caught by the Government’s plans to make refugees wait up to 20 years for settlement - even for those just months away from ILR www.thetimes.com/article/6f83...

Important to note the 20yrs individuals & families will now need to wait to settle after getting refugee status will be ON TOP of waiting many yrs already. At yr end 2022, families w/ children on s95 support were receiving this for >3yrs on ave & 20% for +5yrs sticerd.lse.ac.uk/case/_new/pu...

which values immigration - all of which requires public confidence in the border control system. Rhetoric, and harsh and expensive distractions like temporary refugee status, won't impact dangerous crossings. A relentless focus on workable solutions will. Check out my interview in The Guardian.