Destitution in the UK 2023

About this event

This seminar focuses on the findings from the recently published 'Destitution in the UK' report, the fourth in a series of studies stretching back to 2015, revealed that approximately 3.8 million people experienced destitution in 2022, including around one million children. This is almost two-and-a-half times the number of people in 2017 and nearly treble the number of children. Destitution is not only increasing in scale, it is also spreading out to affect a broader range of people and places. While single working-age people face by far the highest risks of destitution, the numbers of families affected is rising. Disabled people face highly disproportionate risks of destitution, as do Black people and migrant communities. Nearly three-quarters of people experiencing destitution are in receipt of social security payments ? evidence of benefit inadequacy. Ad-hoc support from the Government, first during the Covid-19 pandemic and now to help with the cost of living, has not halted this escalation in of destitution. In this seminar we will hear from the two lead authors of the report, Suzanne Fitzpatrick and Glen Bramley, both based at the Institute for Social Policy, Housing and Equalities Research (I-SPHERE) at Heriot-Watt University. As well as discussing the key quantitative and qualitative findings of the study, Suzanne and Glen will highlight the key policy actions required to stem this rising tide of destitution in the UK.