On Thursday, January 25, 2024, the Chief Executive of a UK homelessness charity responded to the latest report on poverty released by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
The report, titled UK Poverty, revealed concerning statistics about the number of individuals living in poverty in the UK and the increasing difficulty for families to escape poverty.
According to the report, around 6 million people were in deep poverty in the year 2021/22. This included 1.5 million children, 3.8 million working-age adults, and 600,000 pensioners.
The International Network of Street Papers (INSP), a UK charity representing The Big Issue and other newspapers and magazines worldwide, is working to address poverty and homelessness. The charity operates in 35 different countries and provides individuals in poverty with opportunities to earn a dignified income.
Mike Findlay-Agnew, Chief Executive of INSP, emphasized the urgency of addressing public perceptions about homelessness and poverty as part of the solution to the UK’s growing poverty crisis.
“The latest picture of poverty in the UK is stark,” Findlay-Agnew said. “With deep poverty worsening, rising to 3.8 million, the real casualties of the crisis are some of the country’s most vulnerable people including, minority ethnic groups, people with disabilities, and lone parent families.”
Findlay-Agnew also highlighted the need to change the narrative and language surrounding homelessness and poverty. He urged for a shift away from simplistic views and labels, such as “benefits scroungers,” and a focus on the real experts of poverty: those who have lived through it.
He also emphasized the importance of political consensus and commitment to addressing the issues associated with poverty in the UK, especially with the upcoming general election.
To further address the global poverty crisis, the INSP has announced that the Global Street Paper Summit will be hosted in Liverpool, UK, from September 9-13, 2024. The summit will bring together international delegates to discuss and debate solutions to the poverty crisis.
This news was distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/.
