Compassion Acts is giving its full backing to several anti-poverty campaigns this autumn based on the evidence we see every day here in Southport, Formby and surrounding areas.

As a grassroots local organisation, we see first-hand the way in which people struggle, either through the limitations of Universal Credit, low wages, increasing rents and for older people the real fear caused by the removal of the winter fuel allowance.

More and more people are coming directly to us, rather than via our Foodbanks for advice and support.

New data from a Trussell Trust/ You Gov survey further demonstrates the need for immediate support for people facing hardship. To do this, we will be urging the Government to prioritise the three following actions as we approach the Autumn Budget announcement on 30 October:

• Limiting the impact of deductions by introducing a minimum floor in Universal Credit – meaning payments cannot be pulled below a set level. This would be a first step towards an Essentials Guarantee.
• Extending support for private renters – this support, the Local Housing Allowance, was frozen for many years, before being raised again to match the lowest third of rents in each area. It’s vital this continues, otherwise we risk people having to choose between paying their rent or buying food because they’re unable to afford both.
• Stop plans to cut Universal Credit support for disabled people by tightening the Work Capability Assessment – from September 2025, fewer sick and disabled people will be eligible for the Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity element of Universal Credit, worth over £400 a month.
• Bring forward compensatory measures to lessen the impact of the removal of the Winter Fuel Allowance for those pensioners just above the means test.

“The extension of the Household Support Fund by the new government is welcome,” says Compassion Acts CEO Richard Owens, “That in itself shows that careful lobbying by organisations like ours can change things. We can hope that our impassioned representations about these other areas including housing and winter payments.  However realistically it is prudent to put most of our energies into helping as many people as possible claim what they are already entitled to. That is why we are running drop-in advice sessions to help people complete Pension Credit applications on 18^th September in Southport and 30^th September in Tarleton.”