Our priorities for government

We are parents and carers living on a low income across the UK.

Listen to our lived experiences. Work in partnership with us to develop policies that work for children and families. We are experts in how universal credit works (and doesn’t work). We know what matters to ensure people are treated with respect and dignity. We know what is needed to tackle child poverty.

Poverty is preventable. Investing in reducing poverty will have knock on effects on our children’s education, health and outcomes. It will make things better for all of us.

We need the government to increase support for families on a low income. This means supporting people to find and sustain good work through a decent minimum wage, meaningful employment support, and appropriate expectations of parents and carers without the threat of sanctions. And recognition that not everyone can work.

This means helping reduce the costs of things like transport, and expanding free school meals. And it means more support from our social security system.

Our social security system was set up to support everyone. Like our NHS, it should be there for us all, especially when we need it most. We need a system that works right now, and that’s ready for future challenges. These steps will lead us towards a decent social security system:

1. ▶︎▶︎▶︎ 1 – Scrap the two-child limit.
2. ▶︎▶︎▶︎ 2 – Scrap the benefit cap.
3. ▶︎▶︎▶︎ 3 – Increase the rates of universal credit and child benefit.
4. ▶︎▶︎▶︎ 4 – Expand the reach and increase the value of carer’s allowance.
5. ▶︎▶︎▶︎ 5 – Reform disability benefits.
6. ▶︎▶︎▶︎ 6 – Ensure support for families of different make ups, families across the UK and for refugee, asylum seeker and migrant families.
7. ▶︎▶︎▶︎ 7 – Reform eligibility rules in universal credit, including when a child does an apprenticeship and who can get advances.
8. ▶︎▶︎▶︎ 8 – Change systems so that everyone is treated with dignity and respect.

Principles of our social security system

Our social security system should be understanding and compassionate, treat people with dignity and respect, and offer meaningful opportunities and support.

• ▶︎▶︎▶︎ Security – social security should provide security and stability
• ▶︎▶︎▶︎ Adequacy – the amount provided should be enough to live decently
• ▶︎▶︎▶︎ Rights and respect – social security should promote dignity not stigma
• ▶︎▶︎▶︎ Transparency and accountability – the system should be easy to understand, use and challenge
• ▶︎▶︎▶︎ Empowerment and opportunity – social security should offer people real and meaningful choices and support, giving people control over their money and choices
• ▶︎▶︎▶︎ Inclusive and user-led – social security should reflect and be rooted in local communities, and developed in collaboration with the people who use it
• ▶︎▶︎▶︎ Compassionate – social security should be flexible and person-centred, adapting to individual needs and circumstances

Ensure holistic support for families

Addressing incomes is vital to supporting families. To tackle child poverty, and improve the life chances of families like ours, the government must invest in social security as a force for

good.

We then also need to see action on:

▶︎▶︎▶︎ 1 – Children’s mental health

▶︎▶︎▶︎ 2 – Support for children with special educational needs, ADHD and autism

▶︎▶︎▶︎ 3 – Social care and the NHS

▶︎▶︎▶︎ 4 – Housing and homelessness

▶︎▶︎▶︎ 5 – Community-based initiatives such as Sure Start

▶︎▶︎▶︎ 6 – Childcare

About Changing Realities

Changing Realities is a participatory online project working with more than 100 parents and carers living on a low income across the UK.

Our project is a close collaboration between parents and carers, academics at the University of York and Child Poverty Action Group, supported by artists and creatives. By sharing experiences of life on a low income across a range of platforms, we aim to engage the public, media and government to drive much-needed change. We are funded by the Robertson Trust.

Contact us

changing-realities-project@york.ac.uk