Government must do more to protect poorest during crisis, urges JRF

The government must do more to protect people on low incomes from the impact of coronavirus, says the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF).

The call comes following the publication of data by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) that shows that the country entered the pandemic period with 14.5 million people already living in poverty, including 8.1 million people in working families. The data also shows average incomes of the poorest fifth of people have been falling since 2016/17.

To help improve the safety net for people in difficult financial circumstances, JRF has published a policy briefing with three recommendations for government.

• Provide people with the security of staying in work by extending the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to workers taking time off work for childcare or to self-isolate, and extending the Scheme to those reducing working hours as well as those who are being granted a leave of absence (‘furloughed’).

• Get more money into people’s pockets by increasing the level of Statutory Sick Pay to align with the Job Retention Scheme and extending eligibility to low earners. Provide urgent support to the self-employed on a par with the Job Retention Scheme, and strengthen the social security system by increasing Universal Credit payments and suspending benefit deductions.

• Make sure people can meet their housing costs and stay in their homes by offering renters real protection from eviction, and temporarily increasing the Local Housing Allowance to cover median rents.

Helen Barnard, deputy director of Policy & Partnerships at JRF said: ‘The government has rightly recognised that we all want to support each other through these very difficult times, with a significant package of support for workers and some boosts to social security.

‘But many people living in poverty, who are already struggling against a tide of low wages, high costs and inadequate social security, will not be feeling the impact of these measures. Our government can act now to provide more targeted support that will get money in the pockets of people who are really feeling the pressure.

‘This pandemic is a time of fear and anxiety for all of us, but we can take comfort from our shared values – now more than ever, we want to pull together as a country and show compassion to those who need help.’