The Trussell Trust, alongside the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, has launched a new campaign, calling on the UK government to Guarantee our Essentials. When people are going without, it's time to guarantee our essentials. We are proud to be supporting this campaign at The Robertson Trust.
In a letter to all UK political party leaders, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), the Trussell Trust and other NGOs, charities and professional bodies say that, despite living in one of the wealthiest countries in the world, nine in ten low-income households on Universal Credit are currently going without essentials.
Signatories of the letter highlight the the alarming shortfall between support levels and living costs, which is forcing people to go without the essentials and pushing people to food banks.
An essentials guarantee in Universal Credit would mean:
1. An independent process to regularly determine the Essentials Guarantee level, based on the cost of essentials, such as food, utilities and vital household goods;
2. That the basic rate of Universal Credit (its standard allowance) must at least meet this level; and
3. That deductions can never pull support below this level.
The UK government must make sure the basic rate of Universal Credit at least covers life’s essentials and that support can never be pulled below that level.
>> Read the full letter, alongside the list of signatories, here.
Join the campaign
- For more information, you can read the 'Guarantee Our Essentials' report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and The Trussell Trust, here.
- Watch this short video to understand more and join the campaign at www.trusselltrust.org/essentials