Category: Press Releases

  • PRESS RELEASE : Ending the grain initiative would unleash an “unprecedented wave of hunger and destitution” [October 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Ending the grain initiative would unleash an “unprecedented wave of hunger and destitution” [October 2022]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 31 October 2022.

    Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the Security Council briefing on the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

    Thank you, President, and I thank Under-Secretary Griffiths and Secretary-General Grynspan for their briefings today.

    The Black Sea Grain initiative is vital to global food security. The UN estimates that it has indirectly prevented 100 million people from falling into extreme poverty.

    Over 60% of the wheat exported under the deal has gone to low and middle-income countries, including via the World Food Programme to Ethiopia, Yemen, and Afghanistan.

    Russia’s suspension of this initiative over the weekend has meant over 100 ships blocked from seeking permission to enter Ukrainian ports to load grain.

    An average of 100,000 tons of grain is exported each day under the initiative. This is enough to feed 5 million people for a month. The severe impact, should Russia’s suspension of the agreement continue, is clear.

    Recognising the global food crisis, the UK has not placed sanctions on food or fertiliser exports from Russia to third countries. We have worked hard, and continue to do so, to ensure there are mitigations in place to avoid indirect impacts of sanctions.

    And we note that there has been no decrease in Russian grain exports since the start of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
    President, Russia claims it suspended participation in the grain initiative due to an attack on its Black Sea Fleet, falsely claiming those vessels were involved in implementation of the deal.

    As we heard from Under-Secretary-General Griffiths, no military vessels or assets are involved in supporting this initiative.

    And what Russia neglects to mention is that Russia’s Black Sea fleet is illegally occupying Ukrainian waters and bombing Ukrainian towns.

    The global impact of Russia’s war on Ukraine has already been profound. Ending the grain initiative would unleash the “unprecedented wave of hunger and destitution”, of which the Secretary-General’s Global Crisis Response Group warned in June. We therefore urge Russia to renew its cooperation under the agreement so that shipments of grain can continue as before.

    We call on Russia to work with all parties to renew the Black Sea Grain Initiative this month.

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Over 19 million households have received their council tax rebate [October 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Over 19 million households have received their council tax rebate [October 2022]

    The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 31 October 2022.

    99% of eligible households have received £150 council tax rebate
    The government is extending the deadline for councils to ensure as many eligible households as possible receive the payment
    Council tax rebate forms part of £37 billion package rolled out across the year to help people with cost of living
    Over 99% of eligible households have received the government’s £150 core council tax rebate to help with the cost of living.

    Figures published today show more than 19 million households in England were handed payments by the end of September with many councils reporting that 100% of eligible households in their area have now received their payment.

    Today’s figures show a total of £2.87 billion of the core council tax rebate has gone to households under the scheme, an increase of £217 million from the previous month.

    To ensure as many eligible households as possible receive the payment, the government is today extending the deadline for claims, helping councils support the most hard to reach households such as those that moved and did not provide any payment information.

    Eligible households have until 30 November to claim the £150 payment, which does not have to be paid back. Anyone who is yet to receive their rebate is urged to check their local council for more information and make a claim.

    Councils are being urged to do everything they can to encourage the remaining households to claim their rebate and ensure as many eligible households as possible get the money that they are owed.

    Levelling Up Minister Dehenna Davison said:

    Thanks to the tireless work of councils, more than 99% of eligible households up and down the country have received their council tax rebate.

    We are now extending the deadline to claim the £150 payment to ensure as many eligible households as possible receive this payment – I urge everyone to check their eligibility and contact their local council if they have not already.

    The rebate is part of £37 billion of government support being targeted at those most in need to help with the cost of living. This includes at least £1,200 of extra support for millions of the most vulnerable households this year, with all domestic electricity customers receiving at least £400 towards their bills.

    The rebate is available to most households living in council tax bands A to D on 1 April. This includes those who receive Local Council Tax Support, even if their council tax bill for the year is less than £150.

    Since announcing the rebate in April, the government has provided £28 million for councils to set up software and recruit staff and will top this up as necessary to cover all reasonable delivery costs. Councils have been given a host of options to make payments quickly and securely including bank account transfers, council tax account credits or a voucher-based system.

    Local authorities must also make arrangements for those who cannot access the internet.

  • PRESS RELEASE : The actions of the Belarusian state endangered the safety and security of a commercial passenger aircraft and the lives of all those onboard [October 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : The actions of the Belarusian state endangered the safety and security of a commercial passenger aircraft and the lives of all those onboard [October 2022]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 31 October 2022.

    Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the Security Council briefing by the President of the ICAO Council on the event involving Ryanair flight FR4978 in Belarus Airspace on 23 May 2021.

    Thank you, President.

    When we discussed this issue immediately after the incident, many Council members emphasised the importance of an international independent investigation. We therefore thank Mr Sciacchitano, the President of the Council of ICAO, for attending the Security Council today to relate the findings of the Fact-Finding Investigation Team, and the subsequent decisions of the ICAO Council and Assembly.

    President, it is clear from the investigation that on 23 May 2021, the Belarus authorities deliberately communicated a false bomb threat to Ryanair flight FR4978, before manipulating circumstances to influence the aircraft to land at Minsk airport. That the threat was communicated to the aircraft before the so-called bomb threat email was even sent to Minsk airport, leaves little room for doubt.

    It appears the purpose of this brazen and dangerous operation was to arrest and detain a journalist, Mr Roman Protasevich, and his partner Sofia Sapega, who with their fellow passengers happened to be flying over Belarus on their way from Athens to Vilnius.

    As the ICAO Council and the Assembly made clear, the actions of the Belarusian state endangered the safety and security of a commercial passenger aircraft and the lives of all those on board. And they were a flagrant violation of the Chicago and Montreal Conventions.
    But not only this. As we said last year, the use of a spurious terrorist threat to divert an airliner also served to undermine measures put in place by the international community to counter real aviation terror threats, including those this Council addressed in resolution 2309 in 2016.

    So the Lukashenko regime has broken international law, created a major risk to the safety of innocent passengers, and undermined aviation safety more broadly – proving itself to be entirely irresponsible on the issue of international peace and security. And for what? All to silence an opposition journalist, further stifling any semblance of free speech left in Belarus.

    This has only been compounded further by its role as a staging-ground and facilitator of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, through which it continues to show reckless contempt for international law and the UN Charter.
    We call on Belarus to hold accountable those responsible for this incident, desist from any further such unlawful actions, and end its support for Russia’s illegal war on Ukraine.

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Six arrests after paint sprayed on buildings in central London [October 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Six arrests after paint sprayed on buildings in central London [October 2022]

    The press release issued by the Metropolitan Police on 31 October 2022.

    Six people have been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage following protest activity on Monday, 31 October.

    At around 08:20hrs, Thames House in Millbank was sprayed with paint. Officers responded and made one arrest for criminal damage at 08:45hrs.

    At around 08:29hrs, the News UK building in London Bridge Street was sprayed with paint. Officers responded and made one arrest for criminal damage at 08:46hrs.

    At around 08:39hrs, two people sprayed the Home Office in Marsham Street with paint. They were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage by Met officers at 08:41hrs.

    All those arrested have been taken into custody at a central London police station.

    City of London Police officers have arrested a further two people who sprayed the Bank of England in Threadneedle Street at around 08:30hrs.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Investigation ongoing following death of two men in Lambeth [October 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Investigation ongoing following death of two men in Lambeth [October 2022]

    The press release issued by the Met Police on 31 October 2022.

    Detectives are appealing for witnesses and information following an incident in Herne Hill which resulted in the deaths of two people.

    Police were called at about 19:50hrs on Sunday, 30 October to reports of gunshots heard on Railton Road, SE24.

    Officers, including firearms officers, attended along with the London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance.

    Two men were found injured at the location. Despite the efforts of emergency services, the men – both aged in their 20s – were pronounced dead at the scene.

    At this early stage, detectives believe two cars were driving in the Railton Road area when one of the cars was in collision with a moped before further colliding with parked vehicles.

    The rider of the moped died as a result of his injuries.

    A man from the car involved in the collision got out of the vehicle and was pursued by a male, armed with a firearm, from the second car. The fleeing male was shot and he died at the scene.

    The gunman returned to his car and left the scene.

    Work continues to identify and inform next of kin and formal identification awaits.

    Post-mortem examinations will be held in due course.

    A number of roads in the area remain closed and crime scenes are in place.

    An investigation is underway by homicide detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command.

    Local residents will see an enhanced police presence in the area and are advised to speak with officers if they have any information.

    At this stage, there have been no arrests and enquiries continue.

    Chief Superintendent Colin Wingrove of the Central South Command Unit, responsible for policing Lambeth and Southwark, said:

    “I am shocked and saddened by this incident. Our thoughts are with the families and friends of the two young men who have tragically lost their lives. This incident will cause a great deal of concern throughout the local community and across London.

    “We are supporting Specialist Crime detectives, who are working at pace to confirm the specific sequence of events and identify and arrest those responsible.

    “Local officers are on the scene and patrolling the local area to speak to local residents, seek witnesses and provide visible reassurance. I would urge anyone with any information however small to come forward to help bring whoever is responsible to justice.”

    Anyone with information is asked to call police via 101 quoting reference CAD 6166/30Oct. To remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Avian influenza – Housing order to be introduced across England [October 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Avian influenza – Housing order to be introduced across England [October 2022]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 31 October 2022.

    Mandatory housing measures for all poultry and captive birds are to be introduced to all areas of England from 00:01 on Monday 7 November, following a decision by the United Kingdom’s Chief Veterinary Officer.

    The housing measures legally require all bird keepers to keep their birds indoors and to follow stringent biosecurity measures to help protect their flocks from the disease, regardless of type or size.

    The order will extend the mandatory housing measures already in force in the hot spot area of Suffolk, Norfolk and parts of Essex to the whole of England following an increase in the national risk of bird flu in wild birds to very high.

    Over the last year, the United Kingdom has faced its largest ever outbreak of avian influenza with over 200 cases confirmed since late October 2021. The introduction of the housing measures comes after the disease was detected at over 70 premises since the beginning of October, as well as multiple reports in wild birds.

    The Chief Veterinary Officer is now encouraging all bird keepers across England to use the week to prepare, including taking steps to safeguard animal welfare, consult their private vet and expand housing where necessary.

    The United Kingdom’s Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss said:

    We are now facing this year, the largest ever outbreak of bird flu and are seeing rapid escalation in the number of cases on commercial farms and in backyard birds across England. The risk of kept birds being exposed to disease has reached a point where it is now necessary for all birds to be housed until further notice.

    Scrupulous biosecurity and separating flocks in all ways, from wild birds remain the best form of defence. Whether you keep just a few birds or thousands, from Saturday 5 November onwards you must keep your indoors. This decision has not been taken lightly, but is the best way to protect your birds from this highly infectious disease.

    Evidence shows that housing birds reduces the risk of kept birds being infected with bird flu. However, housing alone will not protect birds and all keepers must still follow the other enhanced biosecurity measures mandated by the AIPZ at all times to protect their flocks and prevent the risk of future outbreaks which is circulating in wild birds. Housing combined with stringent biosecurity measures can provide even greater reduction in risk.

    The new housing measures build on the strengthened biosecurity measures that were brought in as part of the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) earlier this month. The AIPZ means that all bird keepers need to take extra precautions, such as restricting access for non-essential people on site, ensuring workers change clothing and footwear before entering bird enclosures and cleaning and disinfecting vehicles regularly to limit the risk of the disease spreading.
    The UK Health Security Agency continue to advise that the risk to public health from the virus is very low and the Food Standards Agency advice remains unchanged, that avian influenzas pose a very low food safety risk for UK consumers. Properly cooked poultry and poultry products, including eggs, are safe to eat.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Government launches new campaign to boost aviation recruitment [October 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government launches new campaign to boost aviation recruitment [October 2022]

    The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 31 October 2022.

    • new recruitment and engagement campaign will encourage the next generation into aviation
    • forms part of government strategy to create a more sustainable, open and diverse aviation sector
    • campaign will help deliver training, outreach schemes and opportunities for anybody looking for a career in the industry

    People across the country will be encouraged to kick-start a rewarding and exciting career in the aviation sector as the government launches a brand new recruitment campaign today (31 October 2022).

    Generation Aviation is part of the government’s 22-point plan to support aviation as it recovers from the pandemic and forms part of the wider aviation strategy ‘Flightpath to the future’. The recruitment campaign builds on £1.5 million announced by the government over the summer to boost recruitment into the sector.

    Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the air transport and aerospace sectors contributed at least £22 billion to gross domestic product (GDP) each year and provided at least 230,000 jobs across all regions of the country directly. However, there are several challenges ahead, from decarbonisation to changing travelling patterns following the pandemic.

    The new campaign will help to boost recruitment into the sector by:

    • raising awareness of aviation careers, such as through our £700,000 Reach for the Sky programme which will fund outreach programmes and events to educate young people from all backgrounds on the opportunities on offer in aviation
    • signposting training, careers and opportunities to people looking to enter or move up in the industry, including through the relaunched Aviation Skills Recruitment Platform (ASRP), which have already received £600,000 in funding
    • championing the sector to celebrate its successes and promote it to a wider audience, including through the incumbent and new aviation ambassadors inspiring representatives of the aviation sector and its breadth of opportunities
    • driving research and data to articulate the issues facing the sector and inform decision-making on its future resilience

    For the sector to successfully adapt, it requires new skills and a robust pool of talent across a wide range of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields and other critical roles. This campaign will see government and industry work together to build a workforce that is open, diverse and accessible.

    The campaign is being launched today at London’s Heathrow Employment & Skills Academy, where in an opening address Transport Minister Baroness Vere said:

    The aim of Generation Aviation is quite simply, to build an aviation workforce fit for the future – a future that can only be realised by a new generation of aviation workers, from all corners of the country, representing the rich diversity of modern Britain.

    This will be followed by several events over the coming days aimed at students, those already in other careers looking to make a future in aviation, and those already in the industry keen to progress or seek new skills and roles. Tuesday will see webinars and panels on how people can enter the industry through education pathways. Wednesday will look at early career opportunities. Thursday will look in more depth at life in the sector, and Friday will focus on accessibility, diversity and inclusion.

    Heathrow’s Learning and Inclusion Director Jason Knight said:

    A successful aviation sector connects countries and continents. It acts as the global gateway for leisure, commerce, and families and is a central pillar for local communities and the national economy.

    Generation Aviation is a timely celebration of everything this sector provides and the opportunities we can create through career opportunities here. To support this, Heathrow has set two major targets, creating 10,000 jobs and apprenticeships and 15,000 ‘experience of work days’ by 2030.

    Marcus O’Shea from Aerobility said:

    We change lives by providing anyone, with any disability with access to the magic and wonder of flight. We do this because taking the controls of an aircraft drives a focus on capability and encourages our flyers to ask the question ‘If I can fly an aeroplane, what else can I do?’

    It is our mission to ensure as many people as possible can access the benefits and opportunities provided by the aviation industry, which is why we are delighted to announce the Equal Skies Charter as part of the week’s activities. Equal Skies will work with the aviation industry to increase accessibility and deliver a more diverse workforce.

    The week will conclude with an interview with Mike Miller-Smith MBE, the CEO of Aerobility, a charity helping people with disabilities get into flying, led by DfT Director of Aviation, Ben Smith. The government is working with Aerobility to help ensure the industry is as accessible as possible, providing over £200,000 in funding for the Virtual Aerobility programme.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Mayor of London warns of rough sleeping ‘crisis’ as cost of living pressures bite [October 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Mayor of London warns of rough sleeping ‘crisis’ as cost of living pressures bite [October 2022]

    The press release issued by the Mayor of London on 30 October 2022.

    • New City Hall analysis shows the number of people seen sleeping rough in the capital has increased by 21 per cent year on year
    • Despite a record 13,500 people having been helped by City Hall rough sleeping services since 2016, when Sadiq became Mayor, London’s services are working at capacity
    • Unless Ministers act now, the progress City Hall made helping people off the streets during the COVID-19 pandemic could be reversed

    The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan is urging the government to take immediate action to tackle the cost of living as rising bills and housing costs force growing numbers of people to sleep rough on London’s streets. Alarming new statistics released by City Hall from the GLA-commissioned Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) show that despite record numbers being removed from sleeping rough in London, between April 2022 and the end of September 2022 5,712 people were seen sleeping rough in the capital, an increase of 21 per cent on the same period last year.

    Reports from those within the sector suggest this rise is in part due to cost of living pressures. The rate of consumer price inflation (CPI) rose rapidly in the first half of 2022 to 10 per cent in July. The cost of renting has also risen dramatically – analysis from Hometrack suggests that annual London rental inflation had risen to almost 18 per cent by July. Households are also likely to face further financial challenges in the coming months from higher energy bills and borrowing costs.

    Today Sadiq is sounding the alarm on this growing homelessness crisis which risks reversing the progress made since 2016 and particularly during the pandemic when more than 10,000 people were helped off the streets and into hotels by City Hall and London boroughs.

    The Mayor is calling on Government to:

    • Immediately freeze private sector rents
    • Reinstate the social security safety net which prevents people from becoming homeless. This must include lifting the benefit cap, unfreezing Local Housing Allowance rates and suspending the habitual residence test, which can restrict access to benefits for European Economic Area (EEA) nationals with rights to live in the UK.
    • Give local authorities the funding needed to meet their duties under the Homelessness Reduction Act and properly providing local support services which are vital to preventing and ending homelessness, such as drug and alcohol treatment.
    • Deliver the promised reforms to the Private Rented Sector, including ending Section 21 evictions.
    • Take measures to stop refugees and asylum seekers being pushed into homelessness. This includes extending the move-on period for newly recognised refugees from 28 days to 56 days, in line with local authorities’ duties under the Homelessness Reduction Act.
    • Suspend the No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) condition, which puts many people with NRPF status at serious risk of destitution and homelessness.

    Throughout his mayoralty, Sadiq has made addressing London’s homelessness crisis a personal priority. Pioneering services set up by the Mayor include his Rapid Response outreach team and his pan-London trigger for emergency accommodation when temperatures fall below freezing, as well as City Hall’s country-leading response to accommodating rough sleepers in the face of COVID-19.

    Sadiq is doing all he can to offer support to Londoners and is spending more than £80m this year to help those struggling with the rising cost of living. That includes more than £50m to tackle fuel poverty through the Mayor’s Warmer Homes programme and energy advice services, more than £20m to improve security for private renters and house Londoners who are rough sleeping or homeless, more than £5m to connect Londoners with welfare advice, and £400,000 to tackle food insecurity.

    The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “Since I was elected Mayor, around 13,500 people have been helped off our capital’s streets with eight in ten staying off the streets for good. Our outreach workers, charity teams, healthcare professionals and council staff are not only vital partners in this work but unsung heroes and deserve our heartfelt gratitude.

    “Despite this progress, extraordinary financial pressures are putting the poorest Londoners at growing risk of homelessness with the number of people sleeping rough already up by a fifth year on year. We continue to see a revolving door of people ending up homeless as a result of this escalating cost of living crisis.

    This cannot be allowed to continue, this new Government must act now to prevent the circumstances that lead to people sleeping rough before thousands more are forced to face a winter on the streets.”

    St Mungo’s Interim Chief Executive Rebecca Sycamore, said: “As a leading homelessness charity whose teams are trying to get people off the streets every day, St Mungo’s sees the very real and very harsh reality of this financial crisis all of the time. And with more price increases it is very likely many of those currently just scraping by will no longer be able to manage, and could be at real risk of losing their homes and experiencing a very harsh winter.

    Action is needed now. We want to see the government uplift benefits in line with inflation, increase the benefit cap and unfreeze Local Housing Allowance rates. We urge the Prime Minister and his ministers to act as a matter of urgency to prevent more people ending up homeless this winter.”

    Rick Henderson, CEO at Homeless Link, the national membership charity for frontline homelessness organisations in England, said:  “Everyone deserves a safe place to live and the support they need to keep it. But the rising cost-of-living is exacerbating the long-term drivers of homelessness in London, such as a lack of genuinely affordable housing and a poorly funded welfare system.

    “In light of these statistics, the Government must uplift homeless services’ funding in line with inflation to help them respond to the rising demand, as well as tackling the immediate root causes of homelessness such as reforming the private rental sector and uplifting benefits. In the long-term we also need to see action on creating many more genuinely affordable homes, otherwise this crisis will continue to spiral.”

  • PRESS RELEASE : Government to take no further action under the National Security and Investment Act (2021) on Royal Mail share acquisition [October 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government to take no further action under the National Security and Investment Act (2021) on Royal Mail share acquisition [October 2022]

    The press release issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 31 October 2022.

    The government has today (Monday 31 October) decided to take no further action under its national security powers on the proposed increase in shareholdings by Vesa Equity Investment in Royal Mail.

    The proposed acquisition of increased shareholdings in Royal Mail by Vesa Equity Investment was called in for a full national security assessment by the previous Business Secretary on 25 August 2022.

    The government has powers under the National Security and Investment Act (2021) to scrutinise and, if necessary, intervene in qualifying acquisitions on national security grounds.

    Following careful consideration, the government will take no further action on the acquisition of increased shareholdings by Vesa Equity Investment in Royal Mail and a Final Notification has been issued to parties.

    The government will not hesitate to act to prevent risks to the UK’s national security where we judge action is necessary.  Under the National Security and Investment Act (2021) acquisitions are assessed on a case-by-case basis, so any future acquisition could be subject to a separate assessment under the Act if deemed necessary.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Trussell Trust Top Priorities for New Prime Minister [October 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Trussell Trust Top Priorities for New Prime Minister [October 2022]

    The press release issued by the Trussell Trust on 27 October 2022.

    Over recent weeks, opinion polls about the popularity or otherwise of our political leaders have animated debate, shaped decisions and filled many pages and screens of media content.

    As Rishi Sunak takes up the role of Prime Minister, we are calling on him to turn his attention to the public’s opinion on a different matter, and one which is of critical importance at this time.

    Eighty-five percent of adults in the UK agree that ensuring everyone has enough money for basic needs should be a high priority for the UK Government.1

    And in a period when the cost of essentials including food and fuel are spiralling, only 20% of UK adults believe our benefits system is doing a good job of protecting people from poverty.

    We urge the new Prime Minister to take action on this. Protecting people from destitution, which means not being able to afford the essentials we all need to stay warm, fed and dry, clearly matters to the UK public, and we know this is a concern for MPs across all parties too.

    Sadly, this isn’t just a matter of opinion. Our data on food bank use over recent months give us reason to expect this will be our network’s busiest ever winter, worse even than the levels of need we saw during the pandemic. Food bank use data is a barometer, and what it tells us is that hundreds of thousands of households across the UK are already struggling or unable to afford the essentials, often going without meals in order to make ends meet, and that many more will fall deeper into poverty this winter if further action is not taken.

    “I want to build a country where ideally nobody needs to use a food bank”

    Rishi Sunak, speaking to the media during the summer leadership contest.

    As Chancellor he remarked that it was his job to ensure that people didn’t need to turn to food banks for support. As Prime Minister he now has the opportunity to make this aspiration a reality.

    Measures introduced during Sunak’s time as Chancellor, including the £20 uplift to Universal Credit and the Cost of Living payments being made to people who are entitled to certain benefits or tax credits, have had an important impact for people on the lowest incomes. But with 40% of people on Universal Credit reporting in August that they had skipped meals during the previous three months to keep up with other essential costs, much more support is needed to protect people from destitution this winter and beyond.

    The circumstances are undoubtedly extremely challenging, globally and domestically. But in the face of very difficult choices, this government must place a high priority on protecting people most at risk of harm in this crisis: namely people on the lowest incomes who are at risk of being unable – or indeed are already unable – to afford the essentials.

    Three areas we urge the new Prime Minister to take action on as a priority are:

    1. Guarantee that the promise to uprate benefits in line with inflation in April will be kept.
    2. Act to limit deductions from benefits, to ensure that the repayment of debts to the Department for Work and Pensions does not leave people unable to afford the essentials.
    3. Make the Household Support Fund a long-term commitment, and work with local government to ensure that this is effectively meeting the needs of individuals and families facing financial hardship.

    We stand ready to work with the Prime Minister and his government, and with politicians of all political parties, to make our vision of a UK where nobody needs to use a food bank a reality.

    As the Prime Minster himself said, in September last year:

    “Everyone should be able to afford the essentials and we’re committed to ensuring that’s the case.”

    He must honour this commitment.

    1This survey was conducted by YouGov Plc UK. The survey was completed online. The total sample size for this survey was 12,338 UK adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 24th August and 13th September 2022. The figures have been weighted by age, gender, social grade, ethnicity and UK region, and are therefore representative of all UK adults (aged 18+).