Feeling the pinch: the impact of benefit changes on families and young people

Author : Nicola Smith (March 2015)

Price : Free

This report draws on this experience to provide a first-hand account from Barnardo's services on the impact changes to benefits have had on vulnerable families across England and Wales. It uses the results of a recent survey of 138 Barnardo's services to paint a detailed picture of how families have been impacted by a variety of changes to benefits, and the difficult choices many of our families and young people have faced.

As the report will show, many of our services are concerned that the net impact of a succession of welfare changes is that the system no longer provides an adequate safety net for working-age families. This leads to those who rely upon it, (whether because they are currently unable to work, or because they need welfare payments to supplement very low wages), struggling. Services reported that they are increasingly seeing families getting into arrears with their rent, fearing eviction, or needing to rely on food banks.

Associated subjects and types

Policy and research documents, Family support

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