Donate
Search_Gold
Donate Search_Gold
  • Study
    • Study at Blackfriars
      • Study at Blackfriars
      • Why Choose Blackfriars?
      • Oxford University degrees
      • Visiting Students
    • Research
      • Research at Blackfriars
      • Aquinas Institute
      • Las Casas Institute
      • Visiting Scholars
    • Library
    • Online Resources
    • New Blackfriars Journal
    • Student Area
      • New Students
      • Blackfriars Hall Student Information
      • Blackfriars Studium Student Information
      • Lectures and Classes
  • Community Life
    • Community Life
    • Mass & Service Times
      • Mass & Service Times
      • Request a Mass
    • Latest News
      • Latest News
      • Get Email News from the Priory
      • Get Alumni Email News
    • Events Calendar
    • Groups
      • Groups
      • Aquinas Group
      • BOAT – Overseas Aid
      • Lay Dominicans
      • Poverty in Britain Group
      • Thomistic Institute
    • Vacancies
  • Discover
    • About Blackfriars
      • What is Blackfriars?
      • Blackfriars: Oxford University Hall
      • The Studium: Training Priests
      • The Priory Community
    • People
    • History
    • Visual Tour
  • Supporters & Alumni
    • Video: Friars in Lockdown
    • 800th Anniversary Campaign
    • Supporting Blackfriars
    • Donate Now
      • Donate Now – Options
      • Donate to the Priory
      • Request a Mass
    • Other Ways to Donate
    • Alumni Area
  • Contact
    • Offices & General Contact
    • People
  • Livestream
Blackfriars > Study at Blackfriars > Research at Blackfriars > Las Casas Institute > Research Programmes > Poverty in the UK

Poverty in the UK

Growing Inequalities

Recent decades have seen increasing inequalities in wealth and quality of life between different parts of the United Kingdom, and different areas of our cities. Austerity has not been suffered equally by all, but has hit hardest those already vulnerable as a result of government changes to the welfare tax and benefit system and as local councils have been unable to fund previous levels of welfare support. Increasing use of foodbanks notably by working families this summer testifies to the reality of hunger for working families and children.

Close links exist between poverty, mental illness, addiction, and crime. The roll-out of Universal Credit is already reducing family incomes and further planned roll-outs in major cities this autumn will have a further impact on the lives of many.  The advent of Brexit will also impact on poverty in ways that are at present difficult to predict.

How to respond?

How are these issues to be addressed, so that the fair distribution of wealth advances the common good, the weak are protected, and the deprived are no longer humiliated?

Many in Churches are actively assisting at food banks and collecting emergency food and clothing contributions but there is a danger that the basic work of questioning real causes and developing strategies to tackle poverty locally and nationally is neglected or awaits future political initiatives.

Events

In December 2017 the Institute held a one-day conference on Christians and the Care Economy co-sponsored with CEME (the Centre for Enterprise, Markets and Ethics) which looked at the North-South divide, but also at the spiritual resources offered by the Evangelical Anglican and the Catholic traditions. Click here for a report and list of speakers.

In 2019 the Institute will host a series of seminars of invited specialists and practitioners by to focus on how we connect immediate supportive responses with the need for longer-term fairer policies to tackle poverty. Held at an inner city community centre (New Wortley) in Leeds, recognised as actively engaged on these issues, the four seminars will focus on:

  1. The role of charitable community support.
  2. The impact of current policies in practice
  3. Developing credible and fairer policies
  4. Developing a new partnership culture of tackling poverty together locally and nationally.

Las Casas Institute

  • Las Casas Institute
  • About the Las Casas Institute
    • About the Las Casas Institute
    • Bartolomé de Las Casas
    • People
  • Latest News
  • Online Resources
  • Engaging Others
    • Engaging Others
    • Associate Members Programme
    • Partner Organisations
    • Schools Outreach
    • Visiting Scholars – Las Casas Institute
  • Research Programmes
    • Research Programmes
    • Human Dignity
    • Re-thinking Economics
    • Migration
    • Poverty in the UK
  • Join Las Casas Mailing List
  • Donate to the Las Casas Institute
  • Study
    • Study at Blackfriars
      • Study at Blackfriars
      • Why Choose Blackfriars?
      • Oxford University degrees
      • Visiting Students
    • Research
      • Research at Blackfriars
      • Aquinas Institute
      • Las Casas Institute
      • Visiting Scholars
    • Library
    • Online Resources
    • New Blackfriars Journal
    • Student Area
      • New Students
      • Blackfriars Hall Student Information
      • Blackfriars Studium Student Information
      • Lectures and Classes
  • Community Life
    • Community Life
    • Mass & Service Times
      • Mass & Service Times
      • Request a Mass
    • Latest News
      • Latest News
      • Get Email News from the Priory
      • Get Alumni Email News
    • Events Calendar
    • Groups
      • Groups
      • Aquinas Group
      • BOAT – Overseas Aid
      • Lay Dominicans
      • Poverty in Britain Group
      • Thomistic Institute
    • Vacancies
  • Discover
    • About Blackfriars
      • What is Blackfriars?
      • Blackfriars: Oxford University Hall
      • The Studium: Training Priests
      • The Priory Community
    • People
    • History
    • Visual Tour
  • Supporters & Alumni
    • Video: Friars in Lockdown
    • 800th Anniversary Campaign
    • Supporting Blackfriars
    • Donate Now
      • Donate Now – Options
      • Donate to the Priory
      • Request a Mass
    • Other Ways to Donate
    • Alumni Area
  • Contact
    • Offices & General Contact
    • People
  • Livestream
Follow us

Blackfriars, St Giles
Oxford OX1 3LY

01865 278400

  • Policies and Codes of Practice
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Notice

© 2021 Blackfriars, UK Registered Charity No. 231192 (England & Wales), SC039062 (Scotland)

Site by Franks and Franks