- Big Futures campaign is calling for affordable housing, the end of in-work poverty and millions of green jobs
- An open letter has been sent to the Government demanding action be taken on the three asks
- Signatories include: Jack Monroe, Kwajo Tweneboa, Lord Jeffrey Archer, Lord David Blunkett, Marsha de Cordova MP, John McDonnell MP, Peter Aldous MP, the RSPB, the National Education Union and many more
Today (Monday, 31st October) Big Issue Group (BIG) has launched the Big Futures campaign, which is calling on the Government to break the cycle of poverty and create long-term solutions for future generations.
The Big Issue Group supports the crucial emergency measures being called for to ease the current cost-of-living crisis. However, Big Futures wants new decision-makers to go further and put in place a plan and policies to break this cycle of crises and poverty for good. The campaign is calling on the Government to deal with the root causes, to ensure that future generations don’t have to tackle the same issues we are facing today, or worse.
After a tumultuous past few years, which has seen a number of crises and with 14.5m people (more than one in five people) in the UK living in poverty[1] and with this number predicted to rise by 1.3m by 2023, the campaign is calling upon the Government to break this cycle.
Long term, prevention focused solutions are needed to meet the biggest issues faced in the UK today – the housing crisis, low wages and the climate crisis. Dealing with these issues will help the UK to protect the environmental, social, economic and cultural wellbeing of future generations.
Currently, almost two thirds of young people fear for their generation’s future[2]. The campaign’s immediate asks for the UK Government are to implement three policies, which BIG believes will begin to create the stability and opportunity needed for millions of people living in poverty in the UK:
- create decent and affordable homes for all
- end the low-wage economy and invest in young people
- build a greener economy and create millions of well-paid green jobs
The campaign asks are supported by several high profile individuals and organisations, who have also signed an open letter from the Big Futures campaign which has been sent to the new Prime Minister, demanding the Government take immediate action on Big Futures three asks.