Poverty can only be tackled through opening up opportunities for left behind communities
No government will be able to tackle the issue of poverty meaningfully through just headline grabbing announcements.
While Labour’s decision to lift the two-child benefit cap has been welcomed by anti-poverty campaigners, the latest research from Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) highlights that it won’t be enough.
It points to the fact that according to Office for Budget Responsibility projections, the headline poverty rate “will remain broadly unchanged”, at 21.3 per cent in 2026 and 21.1 per cent in 2029.
Labour backbenches may have been pleased to have forced the Government into announcing the changes to the two-child benefit cap at the recent autumn budget but there are questions as to how effective it will be in lifting people out of poverty.
As the research by the JRF shows, it is not a simple dichotomy of stick and carrot. Politicians on both sides of the divide need to come to terms with the fact that around two-thirds of working-age adults who are deemed to be in poverty (5.4 million) are living in households where someone is in work.
For many, work is simply not paying. Poverty is a trap that ensnares some families for generations.
What these people need more than immediate state handouts is the opportunity to break this vicious cycle. Those in work but still suffering from poverty are not shirkers but rather people who have been dealt an unlucky hand. This seeds resentment in left behind communities and ultimately leads to a rise in populism.
Ultimately, the bill for poverty is picked up by taxpayers. The potential that exists amongst poverty-stricken communities lies untapped. Unlocking opportunities for these communities won’t just benefit individuals on the breadline but also wider society.
What is needed is a long-term strategy that shifts thinking away from state handouts.