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Leading Catholic charities say UK 'cannot afford poverty'


Thirteen leading Catholic charities have voiced their concerns that recent changes to the benefit system, which aim to reduce welfare expenditure, will actually incur significant costs to the public purse as domestic poverty levels rise.

In an open letter to the Chair of the House of Common’s Public Accounts Committee, the Chief Executives of the thirteen charities have called upon the cross-party parliamentary committee to investigate the impact of the Government’s welfare reforms upon public expenditure.

The letter from CSAN (Caritas Social Action Network), the social action arm of the Catholic Church in England and Wales has been signed by the Cardinal Hume Centre, St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP), Nugent Care, Caritas Diocese of Westminster, Catholic Children’s Society (Westminster), Brentwood Catholic Children’s Society, Housing Justice, Vincentians in Partnership, The Irish Chaplaincy in Britain, Women@theWell, Pact and Catholics for AIDS Prevention and Support.

The charities, who work to support some of the poorest children, families and individuals throughout the UK fear that changes to the benefit system are likely to put increased financial pressure on health and education budgets as well as creating costs for the wider economy as poverty levels rise. In their letter, the charities voiced their concerns that increased overcrowding and rising child poverty levels would offset any short-term savings.

Calling on the parliamentary committee to investigate the Welfare Changes, CSAN’s Chief Executive, Helen O’Brien said:

“We have real concerns that trying to make short-term cost savings on welfare, will actually generate greater costs to society in the long run”

“It is important that the economic impact of rising poverty, particularly amongst children, is properly scrutinised.”

“We are particularly concerned that changes to household benefit may lead to more families living in overcrowded properties as they struggle to afford rent on their current homes. Our recent estimates suggest that in London alone over 21,000 families are in a situation where children are forced to share a room with their parents. Overcrowding has a detrimental effect on health, mental wellbeing as well as a child’s educational attainment.”

“It is therefore extremely troubling that the costs to the NHS, education system as well as to the wider economy do not appear to have been quantified in any way. As well as the clear human cost, the long-term price of poverty is likely to have significant financial implications for the taxpayer”.

The letter to the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee reads:

“Dear Ms Hodge,

We are writing as Catholic charities working to support the poorest families and individuals throughout the UK, regarding the public costs incurred by rising poverty levels.

This issue is particularly relevant to child poverty, due to the well documented impact upon children’s health and education, which potentially generates significant financial implications for the taxpayer, in addition to the immediate human consequences. It is concerning that despite the projected impact upon families of recent changes to the benefit system, very little consideration has been given to the respective public costs.

For example, whilst the DWP acknowledged that restrictions to housing benefit may result in overcrowding, adversely affecting health, mental wellbeing and children’s educational attainment, the resultant long-term impact upon public finances has not been quantified. With thousands of children now living in overcrowded accommodation and sharing bedrooms with their parents, this factor alone has the potential for considerable exported costs to the NHS, the education system and the wider economy.

We hope that this is something the Public Accounts Committee may be willing to examine in the near future and would of course be more than happy to discuss our concerns further at your convenience.

With thanks for your time and consideration,

Yours sincerely,

Helen O’Brien, Chief Executive, CSAN (Caritas Social Action Network)

Cathy Corcoran OBE, Chief Executive, Cardinal Hume Centre

Kate Nightingale, Chief Executive, St. Vincent De Paul Society (England and Wales)

Kathleen Pitt, Chief Executive, Nugent Care

John Coleby, Director, Caritas Diocese of Westminster

Dr. Rosemary Keenan, Chief Executive, Catholic Children’s Society (Westminster)

Steven Webb, Director, Brentwood Catholic Children’s Society

Alison Gelder, Director, Housing Justice

Paul Southgate, Director, Vincentians in Partnership

Eugene Dugan, Director, the Irish Chaplaincy in Britain

Sr. Lynda Dearlove, Chief Executive, Women@thewell

Andy Keen-Downs, Chief Executive, Pact

Vincent Manning, Chairperson, Catholics for AIDS Prevention and Support

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