The Scottish Episcopal Church and the Church of Scotland have warned that the UK Government\u2019s Welfare Reform and Work Bill will fail to get people into work and will instead increase poverty.<\/p>\n
In a report published today, the Churches highlight how the Bill threatens to undermine the founding principle of the welfare state, namely that the amount people receive in benefits should be sufficient to meet their basic needs.\u00a0 It argues that the Bill will break the link between what a family needs and the amount of support they can receive.<\/p>\n
The Rt Rev Dr John Armes, Bishop of Edinburgh says \u201cThis report makes very clear that UK Government benefit cuts are not working. \u00a0Far from encouraging adults back to work they threaten instead the health and well-being of families with children. \u00a0This is a moral issue and it undermines the principle on which the Welfare State was founded, namely that people should have sufficient benefits to meet their basic needs. \u00a0I would appeal to the UK government to pay attention to this report and to reconsider its policies in the light of the evidence that their cuts are causing the weakest and poorest in our nation undue suffering.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Rev Sally Foster-Fulton, Convener of the Church of Scotland\u2019s Church and Society Council said: \u201cScotland\u2019s Poverty Truth Commission works on the principle of involving people who have direct experience of living with the daily struggle against poverty in contributing to the policy-making process.\u00a0 The UK Government need to hear from the people who will be affected, such as the 46% of families who have been affected by the Benefit Cap who have found themselves in rent arrears.\u201d<\/p>\n
The report, \u2018Enough: Our responsibility to meet families\u2019 needs<\/em>\u2019, was published today as a partnership between a number of UK Churches.\u00a0 As well as the Church of Scotland and Scottish Episcopal Church, the report is backed by the Methodist Church, Quakers in Britain, the United Reformed Church and charity Church Action on Poverty.<\/p>\n Dr Paul Morrison, Public Issues Policy Adviser for the Methodist Church and author of the report said: \u201cAs Christians we believe all people are made in God\u2019s image. We do not believe that we should ever deliberately deprive a person, a family, a child of enough to survive, to thrive or to fulfil their God-given potential.\u00a0 We are asking that the welfare state holds to its founding principles, and seeks to provide enough so that every child can have the best chance in life.\u201d<\/p>\n NOTES<\/u><\/p>\n People can find out how different groups will be affected by the Welfare Reform and Work Bill online here<\/a>. The Churches are asking people to pray, to read and share the report and write to their MPs and MSPs.<\/p>\n