The social justice network of the Catholic bishops of England and Wales has expressed disappointment in today’s Budget, criticising further cuts in welfare spending and a failure to focus on the country’s poorest households.
George Osborne, the Chancellor, announced a plan for £12 billion in further welfare cuts in the next Parliament if the Conservatives form the next government after May’s election, in a Budget seen as being aimed at middle-class home-owners and savers.
Responding to the Budget, the Chief Executive of the Caritas Social Action Network (CSAN), Helen O’Brien, said that “significant further cuts" for welfare and public spending in the Budget "will fail to stop the squeeze on the most vulnerable".
"Recent tax and welfare changes – changes CSAN has questioned for some time – have hit the poorest households hard," Ms O'Brien said.
"For the CSAN member-charities working on the ground, the impact of these changes on the people they support has been very real and very damaging. We hoped this Budget would be focused on helping the poorest people who have found it increasingly difficult to make ends meet.”
Last year Cardinal Vincent Nichols attacked government welfare cuts and changes as “a disgrace”.
Meanwhile a church conservation trust welcomed Mr Osborne’s announcement that £40 million is to allocated for church and cathedral roofs across the UK.
During his Budget speech in the House of Commons, the Chancellor said that the £15 million Church Roof Fund that he announced in last year’s Autumn Statement had been “heavily oversubscribed.”
Mr Osborne quoted a variation on the Conservatives’ economic slogan, saying: “Apparently we’re not the only people who want to fix the roof when the sun is shining.”
Claire Walker, Chief Executive of the National Churches Trust said the extra £40 million “is further welcome recognition by Government of the importance to society of church buildings.”
“Making sure roofs are wind and watertight is a vital necessity for churches – if water penetrates inside a church, much greater damage can occur resulting in further expensive repairs.”
“Church buildings continue to play a vital role for society by providing a space for community activities, such as playgroups, cultural and social events,” she said.
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