Our social security system is there to protect people whenever their circumstances or needs change and prevent them from falling into poverty. But we’re a long way from that right now.
The current system of social security simply doesn’t provide enough to cover the basics of living in London.
Even worse, it actively pushes people deeper into poverty through features like the two-child limit, the benefits cap, the bedroom tax, sanctions and unreasonable conditionality.
We want to see a social security system that guarantees Londoners, including children, never have to go without essentials such as housing, food, clothing, or heating, and we'll fund work towards this goal.
What we'll fund
We want to fund campaigns, research and policy work focused on improving our social security system so that it better meets the needs of Londoners.
Examples could include:
- User-led campaigns and community organising approaches to build the power and influence of Londoners with direct experience of the social security system. The focus could be on decision making by local authorities or DWP, tackling barriers to accessing financial support, improving local welfare assistance schemes, promoting cash first approaches or making the case for ensuring benefit levels meet needs.
- High-quality research from user-led groups, academics, think-tanks or civil society organisations that highlight the impact on Londoners of punitive measures such as the two-child limit, the benefit cap, conditionality or sanctions.
- Trialling new ways of delivering social security that have scope to influence and change wider practice.
- Specialist and infrastructure organisations working to build the capacity of user-led and frontline organisations to campaign on and influence social security. .
- Strategic legal and policy work. Work focusing on changing laws and practices, beyond individual cases. This may involve strategic litigation or connecting casework to broader influencing efforts for long-term change. We’ll fund pre-litigation research, expert opinions or third-party interventions, but we can't cover legal or court costs.
What we can't fund
- Individual benefits advice and casework that is not connected with strategic legal or policy work.
- Service delivery projects, such as food banks.
Examples of our funding
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Disability Policy Centre
Research into the needs of DIsabled people around welfare reform, to influence national discussion and policymaking.
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Greater London Forum for Older People
Building a user-led group’s capacity to campaign for wider change to tackle pension poverty.
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Policy in Practice
Exploring innovative approaches to ensure more low-income households benefit from council tax support.
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Changing Realities
A collaboration between low-income parents, researchers and charities, documenting life in poverty and pushing for change.