Read on to find out about pensioners getting a big boost to their bank balance from April, why George Clooney was a “transformative presence” for a homelessness charity in Edinburgh, and why thousands of kids from deprived areas are getting musical instruments.
Good morning. Isabella here. This morning’s newsletter is dedicated to all the brilliant mums out there who are managing to survive the cost of living crisis alongside caring for their costly children.
That’s not to forget the incredible dads and grandparents and carers and everyone else who looks after kids (and there are many of you) – but it’s well evidenced that it’s typically women who bear the brunt of childcare responsibilities and food costs.
More than four out of five people getting loans from supermarket Iceland to cover food costs are women, the majority of whom are aged between 25 and 45.
Earlier this week, I spoke to a single mother of two young children who feels “penalised” and “scrutinised” because she cannot find a job to fit around her childcare responsibilities.
“It feels now like I have to jump through a lot more hoops to get the support I need,” Rachel said. “I’m unemployed but really actively trying to look for work, and universal credit doesn’t even cover my rent. It just feels very hard.”
And The Big Issue’s housing reporter Liam spoke to a mum who received a no-fault eviction notice on Christmas Eve – she has been left homeless with her three children ever since.
“I didn’t anticipate how impossible this journey would be. It has actually been the worst year of my life,” Lucy said. “I was frightened, had no safety net and nobody to turn to.”
Lucy had lived at her home for eight years, alongside her three children, and never missed a rent payment. She loved the garden and her 15-year-old daughter, who has Asperger’s syndrome, had her own bedroom, allowing her to deal with her triggers and look after her wellbeing.
It’s vital to protect people like Lucy and Rachel. The Big Issue is calling on Rishi Sunak to protect nine million low-income private renters like Lucy through the End Housing Insecurity Now campaign.
The campaign is urging the prime minister to unfreeze local housing allowance, reform universal credit and bring the Renters Reform Bill into law.
I’ll be taking next week off for some annual leave, but Survival Guide will be back with a bang in a couple of weeks and we’re making some changes – so stay tuned.
If you have thoughts on what you’d like to see from the newsletter in the future, let me know by dropping me an email at isabella.mcrae@bigissue.com
Need to know basis
👵 Millionaire grannies. One in four pensioners are classed as millionaires (meaning they live in a household with more than a million pounds) – and now they are going to get another boost to their bank balances as pensions are likely to rise in line with wage growth in April. But campaigners fear this will mean those on the lowest incomes are left behind.
💰 Wages catch up. The pace of wage growth has caught up with rocketing prices for the first time in nearly two years, but experts are calling for benefits to catch up. The Big Issue’s employment reporter Evie reports. It comes after reports that the government is considering changing the way benefits are uprated this autumn, meaning a real-terms cut.
🚫 Fines slashed. The government has handed billions to disability benefits companies. But it has the power to claw some of that back for poor performance – and has historically fined companies millions. Recently, however, they have faced far fewer deductions. Is it because they have got better at assessing the needs of disabled people? I investigated.
🪧 Blind left behind. A woman who is severely visually impaired and registered blind was “shocked” when she was refused half of her disability benefits. She felt that her disability had been invalidated, and this was experienced by others who have tried to navigate the system.
🛒 Iceland expands. More than 23,000 families have taken out interest-free loans since Iceland Food Club went nationwide last August. Now the scheme is receiving £2m to help more people during the cost of living crisis. Here’s what you need to know.
⭐ Clooney effect. George Clooney “had no airs and graces” when visited Social Bite cafe, a homelessness charity and social enterprise in Edinburgh – but according to its founder, his presence there was “transformative”. Read about it here.
🏠 Misused spaces. Are empty office spaces the answer to the UK’s housing crisis? A social enterprise is identifying housing solutions by searching for our forgotten buildings. The Big Issue’s housing reporter Liam writes about the remarkable venture. Another solution? Modular homes, which have been key to helping people off the streets.
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