Looking back on 2018: top five blog posts

As we start a new year, we revisit the posts on our blog that had the biggest impact in 2018.

One step at a time

Church Action on Poverty in Sheffield held their 10th annual Pilgrimage event on 20 October 2018, visiting the Wybourn area and The Manor estate. Sara Millard reports on the day.

Different light: a sermon for Church Action on Poverty Sunday

Our Director Niall Cooper recently shared this sermon on a visit to a church in Birmingham. We invite you to draw from it if you are preaching on Church Action on Poverty Sunday, 3 March 2019.

Universal Credit claimants take national petition to Downing Street, as thousands more go hungry

Read the text of the press release we have sent out ahead of the hand-in of the End Hunger national petition calling on the UK government to Fix Universal Credit, at 10 Downing Street on Wednesday. 

“We have failed ….” Reflections on food banks and Universal Credit

Nick Waterfield, chair of our local group in Sheffield, shares some reflections as he prepares for their annual Pilgrimage event.

Extreme poverty and human rights

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights is visiting the UK in November 2018. Church Action on Poverty is doing what we can to ensure that during his visit, he hears the stories of the real experts – people with lived experience of poverty.

Anxiety and hunger: We show the reality of Universal Credit in Yorkshire

We’ve been helping to show why Universal Credit needs to be fixed.

“Constant suspicion and scrutiny.” Time to rethink benefit sanctions

Church Action on Poverty joined with several churches recently to make a submission to an MPs’ inquiry into benefit sanctions. Lucy Zwolinska of the Joint Public Issues Team explains what we’re asking for.

Local welfare schemes are failing people in crisis

Crisis support schemes run by local authorities are failing to operate effectively with increasing numbers of destitute people turning instead to food banks and other voluntary agencies for help, according to a new report published by The Children’s Society and the Church of England. Tom Sefton from the Church of England, one of the report’s co-authors, writes more.

Universal Credit – how will it affect Sheffield?

David Price of our local group in Sheffield summarises some of the concerns about the change to Universal Credit.