26 October 2017
Don’t forget Iain Duncan Smith this Christmas
UK Churches are encouraging people to add Iain DuncanSmith, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, to their Christmascard list and include a personal greeting asking the minister toensure that every family and child has enough thisChristmas.
Paul Morrison, Policy Adviser for the Methodist Church, said:"The One More Card Campaign is an initiative by the Baptist Union,the Methodist Church, United Reformed Church and the Church ofScotland. The campaign will show care both for the familiesaffected by the changes to the benefit system and also towardsthose who run the system reflecting the important job they do.
"No-one should grow up in a family that does not have enough toafford the basics of life. It is a message that has particularresonance at Christmas and I am sure shared by people in and out ofchurches."
A number of UK faiths and churches have joined together tohighlight the fact that measures contained within the WelfareReform and Work Bill will break the historic link between thesupport that is offered to a family by the benefit system and thefamily's actual needs.
The two child rule means that families with three or morechildren will receive the same support from Tax Credits orUniversal Credit as a family with two children. The needs of thefamily will increase but the support offered will not.
The ruling means the link between earnings and the benefit capwill be broken. The maximum level of benefits a family can receivewill not reflect the needs of the family.
Paul Morrison continued: "One More Card forms part of theEnough Campaign supported by many UK Churches. These campaigns havea simple message; a family's material needs, especially the needsof children, should be met were possible. This is a principlecentral to the benefit system and which the Welfare Reform and WorkBill currently before Parliament is proposing to change."
Editors Notes:
1 For more information on the One More Card Campaignvisit:
2 To read the joint faith briefing on the two child limitvisit:
3 The One More Card and Enough Campaigns have been createdby theJoint Public Issues Team (JPIT). The team combines theexpertise of the Baptist Union, the Methodist Church and the UnitedReformed Church in the area of public issues. In March 2015, theChurch of Scotland joined JPIT for a one year pilot partnership.The Team aims to enable our four Churches to work together inliving out the gospel of Christ in the Church and in wider society.We aim to promote equality and justice by influencing those inpower and by energising and supporting local congregations.
Further information on the Joint Pubic Issues Team can be foundhere:
4 Paul Morrison is available for interview - contact MikeIvatt via email ivattm@methodistchurch.org.uk or on 0207 467 5191or 07881783812.
For more information contact:
Michael Ivatt
Lead Media Officer
Methodist Church House
25 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5JR
T 0207 467 5191
M 07881 783812
F 020 7467 5229
E ivattm@methodistchurch.org.uk