Making Universal Credit Even Harsher Is Not the Answer
Universal Credit is already a disaster – and while millions worry about putting food on the table, the government has decided now’s the time to make the cruel system even crueller.
10 Articles by:
Alex Collinson
Alex Collinson is TUC analysis and research policy officer.
How the Tories Built Food Bank Britain
In 2010, 60,000 food bank packages were handed out in Britain. Last year, it was 2.5 million. This is the result of political choices – and the cost of living crisis will see millions more fall into food poverty.
This Cost of Living Crisis Was Years in the Making
The cost of living crisis isn’t new. From a record pay freeze to a shredded social safety net, it’s been building for years – and workers can’t take another hit.
The Tories’ Latest Crackdown on Trade Unions
Later today, a committee will vote on new anti-union measures including levies and severe fines – it’s part of the government’s campaign to deter workers from organising amid the cost of living crisis.
Fighting the Pandemic Means Fixing Sick Pay
Britain’s shamefully low sick pay forces workers to choose between self-isolation and paying the bills – if the government is serious about tackling Omicron, it needs to raise it.
Don’t Throw Away Furlough – Build On It
Ending furlough next week means pulling the rug out from under workers across the country – six days before the Universal Credit cut pushes 500,000 more people into poverty.
The Furlough Scheme Was Not Enough
One year ago today, under pressure from trade unions, the government introduced the furlough scheme. It was a good start – but it was never enough, and the failure to build on it guaranteed a pandemic of inequality.
The Government’s Furlough Scheme Extension Is Too Little – And Too Late
The crisis Britain faces this winter required an ambitious package of support – from an evictions ban to liveable sick pay and Universal Credit reform. Instead, we got half measures at the last minute.
Instead of Rewarding Key Workers, Britain Is Putting Them on Zero-Hours
For the first time on record more than a million people in the UK are on zero-hour contracts. And the biggest growth sectors? Social care and retail – key worker industries that the government claims to champion.
What a Real Jobs Guarantee Would Look Like
The government’s Kickstart programme is nowhere near enough – the only way to avoid widespread unemployment and a race to the bottom is by guaranteeing public investment in living wage jobs.