On Wednesday 13 January the Joseph Rowntree Foundation released its UK Poverty 2020-2021 report. In response Becky Saunders, Home-Start UK Head of Policy, said:

“We know the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on families. Local Home-Starts have been offering emotional and practical support to families throughout the pandemic. They have been helping families with emergency deliveries of essential goods, helping them access foodbanks, or providing support for those facing fuel or data poverty.

The new report from the Joseph Roundtree Foundation published this week highlights clearly the challenges that families were facing even before the pandemic, and how this has been exacerbated over the past year.

It is especially concerning to see the impact on lone parents, who are more reliant on local jobs, and are more likely to have struggled with childcare during lockdown.

This report shows clearly why families must be at the heart of decision making when choices are being made about restrictions, support and recovery.”