Leading charities and academics call on all parties to commit to a Fairness Test when tackling the deficit

PRESS RELEASE

Leading charities and academics call on all parties to commit to a Fairness Test when tackling the deficit.

A group of leading charities today asked for the main party leaders' commitment that tax rises and spending cuts will not hit the poorest hardest.

In a letter, groups including Child Poverty Action Group, Barnardo's, the TUC, and the Equality Trust called on the leaders to commit to a 'Fairness Test' on any tax rises or spending cuts needed to reduce the deficit.

The test, undertaken by government, would measure the likely impact of any policy to ensure it did not increase income inequality. It would be developed by the Treasury with input from other departments. As well as better informing government decisions, it would allow greater scrutiny by independent bodies.

Professor Richard Wilkinson, co-director of the Equality Trust said:

"We're asking all party leaders to assess the impact that their policies will have on income inequality and ensure that the rich, rather than the poor, shoulder the main burden of reducing the deficit.

Reducing the deficit could be the perfect opportunity to narrow the record gap between rich and poor in the UK.  But if the wrong policies are chosen, inequalities will widen still further, damaging peoples lives and the social fabric of our society."

Shan Nicholas, Interim Chief Executive of Child Poverty Action Group, said:

"Whoever is in government to make the tough decision on cutting the deficit, they must put fairness at the heart of the process for families on low incomes. If tax rises or spending cuts lead to greater inequality, the promise all parties have made to end child poverty by 2020 will not be met."

Martin Narey, Chief Executive of Barnardo's said: 

"It is shameful that in this, one of the richest nations in the industrialised world, a child born into a poor family is more likely than ever to start accumulating disadvantage at birth. Whoever is in Government must seize the opportunity to reverse the growth in inequality and tackle child poverty so that every baby born in the UK has a more equal chance to contribute to the future wealth and prosperity of our society."

For more information and to arrange interviews please contact Kathryn Busby, 020 7922 7927 or Will Horwitz, will.horwitz@gmail.com or 07966 344506

Notes for editors:

The letters are signed by:

    • Shan Nicholas, Interim Chief Executive, Child Poverty Action Group

    • Martin Narey, Chief Executive, Barnardo's

    • Brendan Barber, General Secretary, TUC

    • Professors Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett, Universities of Nottingham and York, co-founders of The Equality Trust

    • Fergus Drake, UK Programmes Director, Save the Children

    • Helen Dent, Chief Executive, Family Action

    • Geraldine Blake, CEO, Community Links

    • Malcolm Clark, Director, One Society

    • Dr Ute Navidi, Chief Executive, London Play

    • Fiona Weir, Chief Executive, Gingerbread

    • Niall Cooper, Chief Executive, Church Action on Poverty

    • Ruth Lister, Professor of social Policy, Loughborough University

    • Prof Diane Elson, Chair, Women's Budget Group

  • The Fairness Test would be a "an inequality impact assessment to ensure that tax rises and spending cuts necessary to cut the deficit do not lead to an increase in inequality of incomes, assets or access to services."