Bevan Foundation expresses concerns at latest destitution data

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s latest research on destitution shows concerning growth across the UK

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has published its latest report on destitution in the UK. Concerningly the report finds that destitution was on the rise in the UK, both in terms of its scale and its intensity even bore the Covid 19 pandemic. Whilst the report mainly focuses on destitution across the UK as a whole it does provide some more local data.

On the positive side the report does suggest that the destitution rate in Wales is lower than the destitution rate across the island of Great Britain as a whole. This will be of little comfort however to the thousands of families who can’t afford the essentials of life in Wales.

The report also highlights that destitution rates vary across Wales itself, with destitution being a more prevalent problem in the south East of Wales, in particular around our major cities.

Reacting the the report, the Bevan Foundation’s Director, Dr Victoria Winckler said:

“The JRF’s report makes for sobering reading. It highlights clearly that destitution is a problem in all our communities and raises serious concerns that the Covid 19 pandemic will pull even more families into real hardship”

The Bevan Foundation’s recently published report Transforming Wales sets out some of our ideas about what we believe the Welsh Government should be doing to solve poverty. The JRF’s latest work makes the case for action even more pressing.