Church Action on Poverty in Sheffield 2023 AGM
7∶00pm, Thursday 27 April
Central URC
60 Norfolk Street, Sheffield S1 2JB
Our local group in Sheffield are pleased to invite you to their AGM – their first face -to-face meeting since the end of lockdown.
The doors will open at 6.30pm and we start promptly at 7pm. Refreshments will be available.
Maria Marshall from the Independent Food Aid Network (IFAN) will speak on:
The growing need for charitable food aid and a ‘cash first’ approach
Maria will tell us about the work of IFAN, the situation on the ground with the rising need for charitable food aid and IFAN’s advocacy for a ‘cash first ‘approach on a local and national level and how food banks have been supporting this.
Later in the meeting we will share our plans for future activities and we would value your input.
An introduction to Self-Reliant Groups for Churches
Us and our partner at Purple Shoots hosted an online introduction to how churches can help set up and support Self-Reliant Groups (SRGs)
On the 21 June, we met online to discuss how churches can create and support Self-reliant groups. Watch the recording below to learn what Self-reliant groups are, how to support them, and how they can become a force for good in your community.
Budget 2023: a precious chance to bridge the rich-poor divide
This week's Budget must bridge the rich-poor gulf, and start addressing the causes of poverty, say people with direct experience of UK poverty
This week’s Budget statement is a precious chance to bridge the rich-poor divide and to enable opportunities instead of barriers for people on low incomes, according to a national panel of people, who all draw on their own personal experience of struggling against poverty.
The Chancellor Jeremy Hunt should seize the moment to tackle the unjust systems that hold people and communities back, to ensure that incomes keep pace with soaring living costs, and to invest in the vital public systems that we all require.
The Speaking Truth to Power national panel includes people living on low incomes who have been involved in a variety of local projects to tackle and end poverty and strengthen community around the UK.
Members met ahead of Wednesday’s spring Budget statement, to discuss what it should include, and why, and to discuss how people’s lives could be enhanced if the Government committed to tackling the root causes of poverty.
Time for concerted action
The group says:
“The post-covid roadmap was meant to be for everyone. If we have a Budget – or a General Election campaign – that neglects poverty and the causes of poverty, then the wealthiest people will accelerate away with ease, while the rest of us are left at the side of the road.
“We’re a compassionate society and we believe in justice. But we won’t get there by wishing ourselves forward – we need concerted, national action from our political leaders.”
Polling has shown that more than 60% of people think the Government should act to reduce income inequality, and an overwhelming majority see the prospect of widening inequality as problematic.
Key messages group members would like to see in the Budget included:
- Extending support on energy bills, and doing more to prevent the crisis from recurring
- Making childcare more accessible and affordable, to support low-income parents
- Creating opportunities for young people
- Removing flaws and cliff-edge thresholds in systems such as the carer’s allowance, which can punish people instead of enabling them
- Committing to serious investment in new social housing
- Increasing the living wage, to help low-income workers
Budget 2023: Wayne's view
One of the panel members is Wayne Green, from Shoreham By Sea, who has been campaigning against the structural causes of poverty for more than 25 years.
He says:
“The money that people in poverty have is not enough to live on, and people need to be able to live. As a country we have the money to end poverty. We have the expertise. We have the technology. It is now a matter of political will.
“The will is there to pump as much money as they can into other things, yet they are withholding what it takes to address poverty, while millions sink further into debt and difficulty. It’s really problematic the way the decisions are made.
“People who are not in the situation do not understand what it’s like being poor or on social security. It falls below the bare minimum people need. There’s such a social distance now between parliament and professionals and those of us who have fallen into unemployment or hard times.
“I think the Budget needs to remove things like the cap on housing benefits, and to protect people from high energy bills and address the huge profits the energy companies make. Profits should be for a noble cause, not to make rich companies richer. The Budget should also guarantee everyone an income they can live on, like a citizens’ income.”
Budget 2023: Gemma's view
Another panel member, Gemma Athanasius-Coleman, from Cornwall, said:
“Young people want change and want to influence change, and they want opportunities. The Budget should do more to create opportunities for young people.
“I don’t like divisive politics that pits people against each other – we need to give all young people the opportunities they will need, especially if they have coke from a socially-deprived background.
“The Government could do so much more for people in regards to the cost of living. They know what’s happening, they can see it – but they are not doing enough. It’s not necessarily handing out money – they need to help bring down costs in the first place, by looking at the energy companies, as well as putting more money in people’s pockets.
“Another thing the Budget should look at is childcare. We need them to do more to ensure childcare is well-funded and available and affordable for parents, like in the rest of Europe. It’s so unaffordable that it keeps people out of work, as many parents are financially better off not working, due to what childcare would cost if they worked.”
Speaking Truth To Power
The Speaking Truth to Power programme is coordinated by the charity Church Action on Poverty, and works with people on low incomes to identify causes of poverty, work on potential solutions to end poverty, and advocate for change.
The group also discussed the vital values that should drive the Budget statement. There was consensus that it should be guided by a desire to create a just society, which truly listens to and heeds people in poverty and on the margins, and which works to support people being swept into deepest difficulty.
There was a strong desire among the group for sustainable solutions that create inclusive opportunities, not barriers, and for a commitment that recognises everyone’s right to housing and affordable good food.
Stef: What dignity, agency & power mean to me
Each year, the Dignity, Agency, Power calendar tells stories of people who bring those values to life. This page features STEF BENSTEAD.
In 2019, Stef wrote Second Class Citizens, looking at the shameful way the UK state has treated disabled people, and she has also taken part in Manchester Poverty Truth Commission.
At the recent launch of the Dignity, Agency, Power anthology, Stef told Church Action on Poverty supporters about her work:
Why I wrote Second Class Citizens
“Quite often a lot of the policies and decisions being made are made by people who don’t really have enough information – people who have expertise as professionals but not by experience. They’re often not listening to people with expertise by experience, and the result is a lot of policies are harmful rather than helping.
“The reason I ended up writing Second Class Citizens was that I had a background in disability through my own illness and had gone into research. It was very clear that the Government was causing a lot of harm, but I had a lot of friends from a more conservative evangelical Christian background. A lot of friends talked about poverty and sounded like they cared but they felt welfare reform act was good, and I was sitting there saying no, it’s not, it’s awful!”
Stef cites the example of Universal Credit, where some of the founding principle and ideas were good, but where many problems ensued because policy makers didn’t think about how much people really needed to live on, the effect of switching to monthly payments, the impact on couples being paid jointly, and many other practical scenarios.
My experience of Manchester Poverty Truth Commission
“The Poverty Truth Commission takes a similar approach on a more local level. What a lot of professionals don’t realise until they get into a commission is just how harmful some of their policies are.
“In the commission, you come together and have repeated conversations, to the point where you have relationships, and it’s really interesting.
“Within organisations, a lot of people really care and want to do right, so they’re really distressed when they hear they’re doing wrong – but they’re willing to change. You need people with experience in the room making decisions, because that’s the only way you get good policy.”
Stef: What dignity means to me
“Dignity is about having enough to live off – so you’re not scrambling for money, constantly wondering whether you can afford to have the heating on, the light on, to eat this food or not.
“It’s also a bit more than that – it’s having enough to participate in society, it’s about being able to have a friend come over and not feel ashamed that your house is cold, or having no milk to offer a cup of tea, or if you have children being able to buy them the latest thing and for them not to be excluded but to enjoy the same things their peers have.
“It’s being able to help friends and neighbours and have a reciprocity, so at least some of the time you have something to give to someone else. Also it’s about having long term security, and knowing you’ll be okay if something goes wrong. Dignity is partly about having that confidence to look to the future and say actually there are systems that will help me stay on my feet is something goes wrong.”
Stef: What agency means to me
“Agency is that control you have over your life, to be able to direct where it goes and to make choices, so if you apply for a job you’re not just stuck taking the first job no matter how awful it is. Or it’s being able to pick the subjects you do at school, or what school you go to – being able to control where your life goes.
“What a lot of people face is not having that agency. If you’re on unemployment benefits, you’re always being told how many hours you have to do, what jobs to apply for. There’s no trust on you to make your own life better.”
Stef: What power means to me
“Power, I think, is about having an impact on the world around you. Agency is partly about having impact on your own life, but power is going: ‘actually I can make changes in society as well’.
“Maybe that means being a governor of a local primary school, it might be in a residents’ association, it might mean being part of political or religious association, or maybe it’s just knowing I’m someone who, if you go to police or social care and say there’s an issue, they’ll take me seriously and involve me in the decision making process.
“We tend to have professionals who make decisions, then people who are affected, and there’s a lack of power. In general, the more money you have the more power you have and that doesn’t generally lead to a country that works for everybody.”
Stef: My hopes are for the Dignity, Agency, Power anthology
“Because I’m from evangelical background, I want to see church groupings reading this, and I would like to see Christians take seriously the command of God that we all pursue justice for the poor and oppressed and to have their hearts moved by the stories.”
Be part of a movement that’s reclaiming dignity, agency and power
News release: Poor communities hit hardest by church closures, study finds
Low-income communities are being disproportionately affected by church closures, pioneering new research has revealed.
- Pioneering new research shows church closures are disproportionately high in low-income neighbourhoods
- Study looked at closures over a 10-year period
- In-depth discussions bring new insight into church life at the margins
- Church Action on Poverty calls for radical review of priorities by leading denominations
Church Action on Poverty launched its Church On The Margins work in 2020, and has spent three years studying closures across Greater Manchester over the past decade, and talking in depth with people in low-income areas.
Today, ahead of Church Action on Poverty Sunday this weekend, the charity publishes two reports into its work, and calls on some of the country’s biggest denominations to address the issue.
Niall Cooper, director of Church Action on Poverty, says: “Churches, at their best, are thriving hubs at the heart of their communities – open and inclusive to all believers and everyone else. Churches at their best connect with and support the local area through local collaborations, shared spaces and resources, and genuine community. This new research shows that low-income communities are being disproportionately affected by church closures, and that has ramifications for Christians and entire neighbourhoods – but if national church leaders reinvest instead of retreating, then churches can help whole communities to thrive and build better futures.”
The research was inspired by the Church of Scotland’s ‘Priority Areas’ approach which has committed substantial additional resources to mission and ministry in the deprived communities for the past 15 years.
The first report is entitled Is the Church losing faith in low-income communities in Greater Manchester? The researchers mapped closures in Greater Manchester over the past decade in relation to the indices of deprivation, across five denominations (Church of England, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist and United Reformed Churches).
The key finding was that significantly more churches have closed in low-income areas than in more affluent areas. Of the denominations, only the United Reformed Church had more closures in affluent areas. Reasons cited for closures included declining attendance; buildings falling into disrepair and unaffordable upkeep; and a lack of clergy, but these do not explain the imbalance between areas.
Church Action on Poverty commends the Methodist Church’s own ‘Church at the Margins’ programme, which commits over £6 million into missional activities led by people and churches on the margins over five years. While the Church of England has committed substantial funding via its ‘Low Income Areas Fund’, we call for greater transparency on how Dioceses spend the funds, and the extent to which funding decisions are accountable to the communities it is intended to benefit.
Mr Cooper says: “We call on other denominations to make substantial long-term resource commitments to churches and communities on the margins, as the Gospel priority for the church over the next decade.”
The second new report is called: What does it mean to be a church on the margins? It is based on in-depth conversations with people and congregations ‘on the margins.’ It documents frustrations with barriers around disability, literacy, class, language, leadership and power within mainstream churches.
The voices and stories shared were powerful and insightful, and combined faith and a desire for action.
Both reports point to wider questions about denominational priorities and structures, and the allocation of resources. People leading denominational work are often distant from people with experience of living on the margins of society.
The reports are also being sent to church leaders, to invite responses, and the charity will soon begin a new phase of the programme, to try to address some of the issues and divisions identified.
Researchers did find positive examples where local churches have adapted, such as by moving to a new community location or developing a new image and approach, and found reflection and flexibility are crucial in the long-term sustainability of churches in low-income areas.
Churches are often seen as White, middle-class spaces. To reach more people, churches need to reflect the diversity of the UK, including working-class people, communities facing racial injustice, people with disabilities, LBGT+ communities and many more. Churches also need to welcome more trainees from working-class and Global Majority Heritage backgrounds, and include training around issues affecting low-income communities, including inequality, poverty, social and racial justice.
Cost of living scandal: 7 truly useful church responses
How can churches respond to the UK's cost of living scandal?
That’s what many church-goers are still asking. Household bills have soared, incomes have been squeezed, and the inadequacy of the UK’s social security system has been exposed and rightly challenged.
Many people have been going perilously cold or hungry, and are becoming isolated and destitute.
In a compassionate, rich country, this should be unthinkable. So, what should churches we do?
We have updated this blog for 2023/24, with six ways that your church can respond positively and effectively. These suggestions will go a little way to easing the crisis for people in your community in the short-term, and/or shortening the crisis for everyone in the medium to long term.
1: Join the national campaign
Almost in ten Brits say more should be done to tackle poverty in the UK – a remarkable level of consensus.
Yet while the public will for action is vast, national political leadership is sorely missing – Politicians keep ignoring the issue of poverty.
The Let’s End Poverty campaign is bringing together a diverse movement of people and communities who have lived in poverty or witnessed its effects and who all want change. It’s a powerful campaign that can make a big difference in 2024.
Are you a church leader or a church-goer? Sign up to the campaign today, find out more, and discuss how your church could get involved.
2: Listen. Truly listen.
Are you truly hearing from people in poverty in your community? Can you create ways to ensure that open conversations take place. Mistakes are often made (and resources misdirected) when people or organisations assume what is needed, rather than listening to people with lived experience of complex issues.
Forming real relationships and having meaningful conversations are essential.
What is your church doing beyond the Sunday services to meet and hear from local people? Perhaps collaborate with other churches, to increase your reach.
Perhaps you could host a Neighbourhood Voices event, to get started?
3: Repair dignity, hope and choice
The Your Local Pantry network now spans all four UK nations, from Edinburgh to Ebbw Vale, Portadown to Portsmouth. About half of the 100 Pantries are church-based. Bringing people together around food strengthens communities, increases dignity, and eases the impact of high living costs. Pantry members report incredible benefits. It’s a positive outcome for all concerned.
Could your church set up a Pantry, or team up with an existing one in your area?
4: Sign to guarantee the essentials
Despite living in one of the world’s richest countries, around 90% of low-income households receiving Universal Credit are having to go without essentials. People are being swept into poverty.
The basic level of Universal Credit should always cover the bare essentials. Trussell Trust is running this petition to push for change. Why not share it with your church leaders and congregation?
5: Know who else can help
People in acute financial crisis will often need specialist support and advice. No church team can ever know everything – so ensure instead that you know where people can go in your community for expertise. Speak to local organisations like citizens’ advice, your local CVS, your local authority and other charities. Gather contact details and information leaflets, so you can be a useful pointer to people who turn to you.
6: Connect with grassroots experts
The UK has some fantastic networks of groups led by people with first-hand experience of poverty – people who best understand the causes of poverty, and whose wisdom is crucial to truly tackling it. There may well be active organisations in your region – check out the links below.
7: Build on what has worked - and be there!
Communities rallied in an incredibly positive and proactive way when the pandemic began. Many groups of neighbours set up WhatsApp groups, and perhaps your church found new ways to keep in touch with local people.
Don’t let that go.
Churches, at their best, are thriving hubs at the heart of their communities – open and inclusive to all believers and everyone else. Churches at their best connect with and support the local area through local collaborations, shared spaces and resources, and genuine community.
Dig deep and reflect on what it means to be a church on the margins.
And now? Over to you...
SPARK newsletter winter 2022-23
Click on the right to download the winter 2022-23 issue of SPARK, our newsletter for supporters of Church Action on Poverty.
Pilgrimage on the Margins in Sheffield
A report from the conference and pilgrimage organised by our local group in Sheffield in October 2022
The event combined the group’s annual Pilgrimage with a conference and other activities to mark Church Action on Poverty’s 40th anniversary.
Budget 2023: Speaking Truth To Power reaction
The 2023 Budget was a divisive 'us and them' one, our panel members feel.
Members of the Speaking Truth To Power national panel met on Wednesday to watch the 2023 Budget and to discuss what it means.
Afterwards, the panel’s response to the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s statement was, overall, one of disappointment.
Some positives, much upset, and many missing messages
Some announcements were received positively, most notably the extension of free childcare, the removal of the excess charges for people on pre-payment utility meters.
But there was great concern and upset at news that:
- the unemployment support system will become even more punishing and inflexible
- the charity sector will have to plug even more gaps in vital public services
- pension reforms are likely to benefit the already wealthy rather than wider society
Here is a selection of what people said:
“They are reinforcing a political ideology on to poor people. It’s a harsher world, to get you into any form of work at all. I’m over 50 and am on Jobseeker’s Allowance, but I am threatened with sanctions for 11 different conditions. I get one month to find work in my profession, then am told to search for 35 hours a week for any work locally.”
“The assumption behind a lot of the benefit system is that people are lazy or not willing to seek a job, so must be coerced – it is just so unacceptable.”
“I have a disability, and it’s bad enough, but to then have this real scapegoating of people who cannot contribute more is just something else.”
“It’s a bit cheeky to claim that uprating benefits with inflation is a good-enough action when they have repeatedly refused to uprate benefits at all in a number of the last 13 years.”
“There are more disabled people in work because people in work became disabled and stayed in work. That’s not the same as people too sick/disabled to work moving into work.”
“Argh, no, there is no-one for whom sanctions need to be applied more harshly”…. “Sanctions mean cruelty as a general rule…and cost more to administer than they save.”
“The childcare change is good news. Childcare costs are such a barrier to going back to work, and even when working you can end up out of pocket. It’s women who are predominantly penalised – and the people making the changes are men, who do not understand the issue as well.”
“It still overall feels like an ‘us and them’ budget. The people who are poor are clearly seen as ‘them’ by the politicians.”
“Nothing was said about housing issues, about the rental sector, or young people.”
There was a lot of anger and concern that disabled people would be treated even worse than at present, with renewed pressure to force people who are unable to work to do so, while removing vital support systems.
Panel member Stef Benstead, whose book Second Class Citizens forensically charts successive Government’s mistreatment of disabled people, spoke about her own experiences and said she was anxious that disabled people could face further cuts to support, and more assessments that do not recognise the reality of people’s lives and situations.
Speaking Truth To Power
We had wanted the Chancellor to seize the moment to tackle the unjust systems that hold people and communities back, to ensure that incomes keep pace with soaring living costs, and to invest in the vital public systems that we all require.
The group wanted a Budget driven by a desire to create a just society, which truly listens to and heeds people in poverty and on the margins, and which works to support people being swept into deepest difficulty.
Key messages the Speaking Truth To Power panellists had hoped to see in the Budget included:
- Extending support on energy bills, and doing more to prevent the crisis from recurring
- Making childcare more accessible and affordable, to support low-income parents
- Creating opportunities for young people
- Removing flaws and cliff-edge thresholds in systems such as the carer’s allowance, which can punish people instead of enabling them
- Committing to serious investment in new social housing
- Increasing the living wage, to help low-income workers
On Wednesday, many of us gathered on Zoom to watch the Chancellor’s address to the House of Commons together, then to discuss it at length afterwards. We were also joined by a national newspaper journalist, who we have worked with over the years, to discuss the issues.