The UK is at risk of sliding back into the Victorian-era divide between mainstream society and the poor underclass, a report has warned.
About 13.4 million people live lives marred by family fragility, stagnant wages, poor housing, chronic ill health and crime, according to the Center for Social Justice.
The CSJ report – Two Nations: The State of Poverty in the UK – says the most deprived people in Britain are no better off than they were 15 years ago, at the time of the financial collapse, and cites evidence that switching from welfare to work is not easy. It’s not worth it for them.
It also found that coronavirus restrictions have had a “catastrophic impact” on the country’s social fabric, especially for the less well-off – and during lockdown:
• Calls to the domestic violence helpline increased by 700%
• The rate of severe absence from school jumped to 134%
• Another 1.2 million people received working-age benefits
• 86% of people sought help because of addiction
• Prisoners were confined for 22.5 hours a day
“There is a growing gap between those who can get by and those stuck at the bottom,” the authors warn.
Six in 10 members of the general public say their area has a good quality of life, but this drops to less than two in five among the most deprived people.
Twenty years ago, just one in nine children was assessed as having a clinically identifiable mental health problem, and that figure is now one in five – rising to nearly one in four for those aged 17 to 19 years.
After the higher benefits, the more Deprived He cited improved mental and physical health as pivotal to a better life.
The report found that 40% of the most deprived report had Psychological health Compared to 13% of the general population.
CSJ wrote: “Britain is sick but sickness pays the price.
“The total number of UC caseloads has increased by 106% since March 2020 and the number of claimants without work requirements has increased by 186%.
“More than 2.6 million people are economically inactive due to long-term illness, an increase of about 500,000 since the beginning of the crisis.” Covid-19 pandemic.
“More than half of those who signed up (53%) reported depression, bad moods or anxiety.
“The most disadvantaged view mental ill health as the biggest factor holding them back, which is only fifth among the general population.”
Andy Cook, chief executive of the High Court, said: “The lockdown policy has added fuel to an already existing fire in the lives of the most disadvantaged people, and so far no one has come forward with a plan that matches the scale of the problems.
“What this report shows is that we need much more than discussions about redistributing finance. We need a strategy to address the root causes of poverty, education, work, debt, addiction and family.”
The report includes a survey of 6,000 people conducted by JL Partners, including 3,000 from the general public and 3,000 from those with lower incomes.
The report also heard from more than 350 small charities, social enterprises and policy experts, and the panel traveled to three UK nations and more than 20 towns and cities.
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Crime, erosion of trust in the justice system, dilapidated housing and drug addiction are major obstacles.
Both the common people and the disadvantaged point to crime as the worst thing about living in their area.
CSJ says the most disadvantaged people are twice as concerned as the mainstream about the quality of their housing and communities being “torn apart” by addiction.