Alarming levels of poverty are hitting families across Manchester, according to new research.
As the cost of living crisis bites, Greater Manchester Poverty Action (GMPA) has issued a report this week outlining how the government's “levelling up” agenda is failing the city.
The research outlines that more than one in four children are living in poverty across the region, with the number of food banks and other low-income support providers meeting people's basic food needs doubling over the last five years.
Some boroughs are seeing child poverty rates above 30 per cent while nearly all boroughs have more than one in ten households struggling with food security.
Caritas Salford and Shrewsbury are principal partners of GMPA. Patrick O’Dowd of Caritas Salford told The Tablet: “With rising prices for food, fuel and basic essentials, we are seeing further increased demand for support to help those struggling across Greater Manchester and Lancashire.”
Families with low incomes, already badly affected by the pandemic, and those with disabilities, are impacted most, he said, causing fear, anxiety and a feeling of helplessness and this has a lasting legacy on mental as well as physical health.
In Salford Diocese, the Caritas bishop’s fund was set up to provide one-off help to those in need. In recent months it has seen increased demand for crisis support and referrals from schools, asking on behalf of families in need, where social security benefits are inadequate to provide safety and stability.
O’Dowd said that urgent action is needed to support people with low incomes to reduce the impact of the cost of living crisis.
Ben Gilchrist of Caritas Shrewsbury told The Tablet: “Experience in our community groups and food banks echoes this evidence showing just how seriously the cost of living crisis is hitting the poorest people and families. We are seeing the impact of the government’s cut to the universal credit uplift and failure to respond to rising fuel prices.”
“We support GMPA’s calls for action with a national anti-poverty strategy urgently needed and adoption of the real living wage across the city region by local authorities, the NHS and businesses.”
Niall Cooper of the ecumenical group Church Action on Poverty, which is based in Salford, said: “This research highlights both the need for urgent action to tackle the terrible impact the cost of living crisis is already having on families, and the need for a sustained and long term strategy backed up by major investment, to reduce levels of child poverty in Greater Manchester and nationally over the next five to ten years.”
He hoped that action to end child poverty “is founded on the views and priorities of families who are struggling against poverty”.
Meanwhile, last weekend, Manchester Cathedral’s bells tolled to mark the fifth anniversary of the Manchester Arena terror attack in the city.