World’s poorest ‘going hungry because we are not signing off cheques’, furious MPs tell Dominic Raab

Dominic Raab clashed with MPs today as he defended the UK’s decision to slash aid for the world’s poorest by £4billion because of the pandemic.  The Foreign Secretary was told that delays to signing off cash for aid agencies – which should have been done almost a month ago – had left them in a … Read more

Majority of Britons believe Covid pandemic has widened gap between richest and poorest 

Fears over rising inequality as majority of Britons believe Covid pandemic has widened gap between richest and poorest 56 per cent of Brits believe that national lockdowns have increased inequality Over half the population believe mental health is biggest casualty of pandemic The data comes from a new study conducted by the Social Mobility Commission … Read more

SIMON WALTERS: Proof that the poorest are bearing the brunt of this crisis

The devastating way that pupils’ attainment levels and ability to study have plummeted because of school closures is laid bare today. One in three parents say that their children’s sense of educational fulfilment has been damaged, with the poorest being worst affected. Approximately half say their ability to concentrate has suffered in lockdown while more … Read more

Labour warns Sunak the poorest ‘will be devastated’ if he fails to extend £20-a-week benefit boost

Labour warns Rishi Sunak the poorest Britons ‘will be devastated’ if he fails to extend £20-a-week Universal Credit boost as Chancellor draws up plan for £500 one-off gift to replace it Sunak wants to avoid making the Universal Credit increase a permanent feature  Labour claims uplift introduced in the spring has become a lifeline for poorest … Read more

Coronavirus has hit the poorest in the pocket harder than the richest

The coronavirus pandemic has continued to eat away at the finances of Britain’s poorest families, an economic think tank has warned. Families from lower-income groups have been left bearing the brunt of the struggling economy, with their outgoing costs outstripping any savings brought about by the current restrictions and leaving them with increasing debts.  In comparison … Read more

ANDREW PIERCE: Is Robert Jenrick a developer’s darling… or a pal to the poorest? 

During a Commons debate earlier this year, Robert Jenrick singled out one vital planning policy that helps deprived communities. The Housing Secretary argued it was right that developers making huge sums from major housing schemes should pay the so-called Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) to local councils, which can then spend the cash on schools, health … Read more

Universities told to lower A-level offers to help poorest students

Universities are told to lower their A-level offers even further to help the country’s poorest students Suggestion was made by Lee Elliot Major, a professor of social mobility He called for a review of teacher-assessed GCSE and A-level results this summer Professor is worried teachers will ‘unintentionally’ undersestimate poorer pupils Students who left their revision to … Read more

Foreign aid farce: We send more money to rich countries than world’s poorest nations 

Foreign aid farce: We send more money to rich countries such as China and India than we hand out to the world’s poorest nations MPs have revealed how much of Britain’s foreign aid budget is being spent  There are concerns it is going to China and India rather than poorer nations   Proportion to ‘middle income’ … Read more

Wealthiest 10 percent of the world consume 187 times more fossil fuels than poorest 10 percent 

Emissions Carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide (CO2) is one of the biggest contributors to global warming. After the gas is released into the atmosphere it stays there, making it difficult for heat to escape – and warming up the planet in the process.  It is primarily released from burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and … Read more