JRF’s work on paternity leave (drawing on modelling from the @centrepropolicy.bsky.social) shows that there could be gains of £2.68billion as more women work and work more hours. Better paternity leave is good for families and the economy. www.jrf.org.uk/work/improvi...
Great to see the Committee has recommended 6 weeks of paternity leave at 90% pay, to introduce support for self-employed fathers/partners for the first time and to offer paid leave fathers/partners who’ve just started a new job. All policy asks @jrf-uk.bsky.social made in our evidence.
Powerful message to Government from the Women and Equalities Committee in their new report on parental leave published today – paternity leave in the UK is outdated and unequal. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
'Taxpayers are currently paying £32 billion a year for a broken system.'
We count too often the cost of acting rather than the cost of not acting. This is good from DHSC committee.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
📣Six weeks’ paternity leave at 90% of average earnings could deliver a net economic gain of £2.68bn per year
@tanyasingh99.bsky.socials fabulous economic analysis with @jrf-uk.bsky.social featured in @financialtimes.com yesterday and in a new blog on the CPP site today 👏
www.ft.com/content/5c4a...
🚨 Britain’s paternity leave system is failing families - and the economy.
New analysis from The Centre for Progressive Policy and @jrf-uk.bsky.social shows that offering 6 weeks of paternity leave at 90% pay could deliver a £2.68bn net economic boost each year👇
🧵1/3
"The UK has the worst paternity leave offer in Europe. Making Statutory Paternity Leave more generous will deliver on financial security for families and economic growth." Louise Woodruff, Senior Policy Adviser at JRF.
UK’s paternity leave entitlement is worst in Europe – just 2 weeks on low pay
A more generous offer will support families financially and help them make more equal choices around who cares
For the first time @centrepropolicy.bsky.social modelling for JRF establishes the economic benefits too 🔽 1/2
NEW analysis from @jrf-uk.bsky.social & @centrepropolicy.bsky.social shows how improving paternity leave can boost UK growth
Data from countries with more generous leave shows it tackles gender norms & helps women into work, with an economy-wide benefit of £2.8bn
www.ft.com/content/5c4a...
The UK's paternity leave offer is pitiful and low income dads are locked out of enhanced support because their employers don't offer it or they're not entitled.
Self employed dads fare worst.
Map showing proportion of working age population in receipt of health related social security, coloured by quintile of constituency. In some coastal areas, south Wales, the North West and Yorkshire and North East, rates are between 15-20%
Where will the cuts to sickness & disability benefits hit hardest?
New @jrf-uk.bsky.social constituency analysis shows the % of working age people receiving these benefits in England & Wales.
Some MP inboxes are likely to be brimming, as concern about these plans is widespread
At the Budget, we called for the Government to unfreeze LHA so that it was tied to local rents. This didn't happen.
The result? Just 2.5% of private rentals in England are affordable for people on housing benefit.
Read more in this report from @healthequals.bsky.social and @crisis-uk.bsky.social 👇
I'm hiring!
Looking for a smart policy and/or influencing person for a 9 month post, working across a number of our policy areas incl work & housing.
It's a pivotal time to be working on social policy!
Come join us - applications close on 10th April.
www.jrf.org.uk/careers
As our Policy Adviser you will work across a number of policy areas, including work, care, housing and more.
Location: Hybrid - York or London
Salary: £37,546.60 (+ London weighting)
9 Months Fixed Term Contract
📝 Apply here: jrf.octo-firstclass.co.uk/candidates/c... 2/2
NEW: Analysis from @jrf-uk.bsky.social ahead of the Chancellor’s spring statement this week shows families worse off by £1400 by 2030.
This would mean missing the PM’s living standards milestone and could be the first government since 1955 to see a fall in living standards across a parliament.
📢 GREAT JOB ALERT 📢
Help us at @jrf-uk.bsky.social ensure that every single pound of our endowment supports rather than undermines our mission www.linkedin.com/posts/sophia...
JRF Chief Executive Paul Kissack said: "No truly moral choice would leave disabled people without the very support that is designed to allow them to lead a dignified life, nor would it leave them facing hardship. These would be unprecedented disability benefits cuts. “Ideas like the Right to Try Guarantee help to remove the barriers that prevent people from working but enormous cuts mean the Government risks undermining these positives. Making it harder for people to qualify for support, or cutting their support, puts more pressure on people who are already struggling to cope. "Ministers should boost the basic rate of Universal Credit without taking the extra support from the pockets of disabled people receiving UC health. It should be funded by those with the broadest shoulders. "A government that came to office pledging to end the moral scar of food bank use clearly should not be taking steps that could leave disabled people at greater risk of needing to use one."
Big picture today is Government chose to cut unprecedented £5bn of income from disabled people at highest risk of hardship. This drive for cost savings undermines any positive changes contained in the disability benefits green paper.
Here are some other big problems:🧵1/11
Read the full @jrf-uk.bsky.social response here www.jrf.org.uk/news/governm...
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Liz Kendall's speech today laid out plans to cut disability and sickness benefits by billions.
❌ No truly moral choice would leave disabled people without support designed to allow them to lead a dignified life, or facing hardship. 1/4
88% of low-income households who receive disability benefits were going without the essentials in the 6 months to Oct 📢
59% had to take out a loan to cover the cost of essentials. 53% were in arrears.
Our COL tracker: www.jrf.org.uk/cost-of-livi...
Anushka Asthana on @itvpeston.bsky.social
Luke Charters MP at PMQs today raising improving paternity leave and sharing new @jrf-uk.bsky.social and @centrepropolicy.bsky.social modelling which shows increasing statutory paternity leave to 6 weeks (with pay at 90% of earnings) could result in economic gains of £2.6bn in the near term.
At PMQs today, I’ll be outlining the economic opportunities we can create by improving paternity leave.
This is about ensuring dads across the UK can play a meaningful part in their children’s lives while delivering an extra £2.6bn annually of economic growth.
Growth alone won't tackle poverty but poverty reduction measures generate growth - like a paternity pay system which helps mums care less and work more.
With @centrepropolicy.bsky.social we've estimated the growth impacts could be big. Government should be acting now.
Great article in @thehousemag.bsky.social and thanks to our partners at @centrepropolicy.bsky.social @dadshiftuk.bsky.social
The UK has the worst paternity leave offer in Europe. Glad that Luke Charters MP is raising this issue in the Commons today. We found increasing statutory paternity leave to a better paid 6 weeks offer could boost the UK Economy by over £2bn in the near term. www.politicshome.com/news/article...
New JRF poverty statistics show that tackling child poverty demands action through social security. Growth alone won’t stop children and families going without.
4.3 million children are in poverty
UK govt won’t see progress on child poverty by 2029 even with high economic growth 📢
Our analysis shows under our central scenario only Scotland will see child poverty rates fall by 2029 in part due to social security policies 1/5
"Our social system is not only failing to do its job but, worse, actively pushing some people into deeper poverty, through cruel limits and caps. The good news is that change is possible and can be achieved quickly." Paul Kissack, Chief Executive
This year the UK Govt say they will publish an 'ambitious' cross-government child poverty strategy
Any respectable child poverty strategy must include action on social security including to abolish the two-child limit and introduce a protected minimum amount of support to UC 5/5
Our latest UK Poverty report find 4.3m children are living in poverty.
How do we reduce it? My amazing colleagues investigate..
youtu.be/O-x0STrQnkg
Promotional poster for 'UK Poverty 2025' webinar, featuring an image of four individuals seated around a table within a large design that includes a tree and the silhouette of the sun. Event details include the date of the webinar, which is Thursday, January 30th 2025, and time: 10:30am - 12 pm.
📅 SAVE THE DATE!
On Thursday 30th January at 10:30am, we'll be discussing our annual UK Poverty report out next week, and how policies that address drivers of poverty can make a real difference to the lives of those most affected.
Don't miss out, sign up here: events.zoom.us/ev/AlxlUn_TR...
