Daughters of Charity Services Responds To The Autumn Statement

Riana Rae Brown • November 23, 2023

Responding to the Autumn Statement, Mark Choonara, Chief Executive Officer at Daughters of Charity Services said:

“The Chancellor’s Autumn Statement contained a number of welcome announcements, but the absence of clear strategies to address the key issues of child poverty or the ongoing social care crisis leaves cause for concern. 

“The announcement of the unfreezing of housing benefit was a much needed, and widely welcomed intervention, necessary to help tackle the alarming rise in homelessness.

“The recent Joseph Rowntree Foundation Report on destitution in the UK highlighted how far we still have to go as a society to ensure that everybody is able to afford the basic essentials of life, most notably highlighting the enormous rise in children experiencing destitution. We are pleased the Chancellor has taken the long called for decision to increase Universal Credit in line with inflation, and committed to increase the National Living Wage to £11.44 an hour, but regret that a clear strategy for the prevention of child poverty appears lacking.

“The commitment of additional targeted resources to support those currently unable to work to find appropriate employment is to be welcomed. However, the threat of further sanctions on those who are unable to secure employment, most notably the threat to withdraw access to free prescriptions and legal aid, is a matter of significant concern.

“In addition, the absence of a focus on the desperately needed investment in social care to meet the growing demands of the sector reflects a missed opportunity, and an area which must be prioritised in next year’s Budget.”

Media contact
Riana Rae Brown
E: riana.brown@dcsvpservices.org
P: 079 2512 9049

A man with a suitcase and child in a yellow jacket walk down a sidewalk, holding hands.
August 5, 2025
New report exposes how the UK asylum system fuels poverty, hunger & homelessness. Calls for urgent reform to restore dignity & justice for seekers.
A wheelchair is parked in a hallway of a hospital.
July 25, 2025
Explore the “Searching for Consensus” report on England’s care crisis. Discover key reforms for recruitment, retention & funding in adult social care.
A group of people are putting their hands together on a wooden table.
July 25, 2025
Discover how six Vincentian charities lifted 1,333 families, invested £1.99 m in frontline care and advanced justice across Great Britain in 2023-24.
Woman in a suit, holding a red briefcase, stands outside a building with a dark façade.
By Riana Rae Brown June 12, 2025
Welcomes school meal expansion, housing & social care funding; urges universal FSM, end two-child limit, humane asylum with right to work and safe housing.
By Riana Rae Brown June 10, 2025
Ahead of the 11 June spending review, DCS urges £3.4bn for social care, fair pay & training, free school meals for primary pupils, and scrapping two-child limit.
Woman in orange blazer writes in a notebook while looking at papers at a desk.
By Riana Rae Brown May 26, 2025
Apply by 30 June 2025: Daughters of Charity Services seeks a Trustee with legal expertise. Join our Vincentian-values board across Britain.
Older man in bed with a fever, being cared for by his wife.
By Riana Rae Brown May 12, 2025
Daughters of Charity Services oppose the Assisted Dying Bills in Scotland and England, advocating for dignified care and investment in social care.
By Riana Rae Brown April 22, 2025
Daughters of Charity Services honor the life and legacy of Pope Francis, celebrating his dedication to the poor, compassion, and call to service.
An older Black man in a tan sweater working on a laptop at an outdoor cafe.
By Chae Kim January 27, 2025
Read the December 2024 Rosalie Rendu Newsletter from Daughters of Charity Province — issue 15 featuring community stories, updates, and inspiration.
Two sets of hands, one lighter-skinned, one darker, intertwined, wearing gold rings, set against a white fabric.
By Mark Choonara August 2, 2024
Join Vincentian Values Week, 23–27 Sept 2024, to explore asylum, homelessness, poverty, isolation & dignity in care—online events by Daughters of Charity.
Show More