Day 11 - Guarantee our essentials.

Despite living in one of the wealthiest countries in the world, around 90% of low-income households receiving Universal Credit are going without essentials, driving more and more people into hardship and through the doors of food banks.

Do you agree this isn’t right?

Everyone’s circumstances can change. Losing your job, needing to care for a sick family member, breaking up with your partner – these are things that can happen to any of us.

Our social security system should offer adequate support to anyone in need of help, but right now it’s not based on an objective assessment of what things cost and isn’t even providing enough to cover life’s essentials.

Ian Oulton is a Trustee at West Cheshire Foodbank and shares,

“The current amount of Universal Credit people are receiving has no bearing on basic human needs. It is meant to be a safety net, but this net is full of very big holes, which people are falling through thick and fast and ending up in crisis.”

That’s why ahead of the next general election, we’re partnering with  the Joseph Rowntree Foundation to call on UK political party leaders to make sure Universal Credit protects people from going without the essentials.

Food banks will not stand by as people are going without in their communities.

Food banks in our network are seeing record numbers of people on the lowest incomes pushed to their doors. 1.5 million emergency food parcels were provided by the Trussell Trust network between April – September this year.  This is the highest number of parcels ever distributed in this six-month period. Food banks are doing all they can to help people facing hardship, but they’re determined to create change in their communities so no one needs a food bank again in the future.

That’s why we need your help.

You can help today by standing alongside food banks and people facing hardship by signing our petition which calls on UK political party leaders to support the introduction of an Essentials Guarantee within Universal Credit.

An Essentials Guarantee would ensure that everyone has a protected minimum amount of support to be able to afford the essentials, like food and bills.

Will you take action to help 8.8 million low-income families?

Add your name now. Together, we’re supporting thousands of people to take a stand and urge party leaders to commit to ensuring everyone can afford the essentials we all need to get by.

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