Caritas Social Action Network, the Church’s social action body, has accused the Chancellor, George Osborne, of failing to support working families in his Autumn Statement on Wednesday.
CSAN Chief executive Helen O’Brien welcomed the Government’s pledge to build more affordable housing but regretted it made no commitment to support people suffering from “in-work” poverty because of low wages and zero-hour contracts.
“We welcome today’s commitment to build more affordable housing and fund dementia research, but wonder why the Government did not take this final chance to help working families.
"The increase in employment has masked the fact many ordinary families, locked in with poor wage growth and will continue to struggle to make ends meet. The lower than expected income tax receipts provide further evidence that more people are forced to accept low-paid work. It is important for people to work; the reward should be a just wage.
"It is a shame the Chancellor did not take this last opportunity to provide workable solutions that will reduce in-work poverty,” she said.
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