Wider World of Anti Poverty Work
A wide range of government and non governmental organisations work toward the eradication of poverty in the UK and beyond. On these pages, we provide a brief description of some of the best of what is available on the WWW. Our review of poverty websites is organised into seven groupings. Although we have found these sites to be useful, SPIU is not responsible for the content on any of these pages.
Poverty related work in Scottish government
Scottish Government
The Scottish Government provides information on a number of poverty related issues including – education, health and community care, housing and regeneration, rural development, financial and social inclusion.
The Scottish Government (research)
This link provides social research used to provide evidence and advice for Ministers and officials to inform policy development, implementation and evaluation.
Communities Scotland
The Scottish Government’s former housing and regeneration agency whose role was to create affordable housing and support local authorities. Integrated within the Scottish Government in 2008.
Future Skills Scotland
Future skills Scotland is part of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands & Islands Enterprise, their main priority is to analyse Scottish labour markets, and provide quality and consistent labour market information.
Scottish Information Commissioner
The Commissioner is responsible for enforcing and promoting the right to access information held by public authorities, which gives anyone, anywhere in the world, the right to access information held by more than 10,000 public authorities in Scotland.
Poverty related work in UK government
Cabinet Office Social Exclusion Task Force
The role of the Task Force is to coordinate the Government's drive against social exclusion, to coordinate cross-departmental cooperation throughout the various government depatments.
Government Social Research Unit
GSRU is the Chief UK Government Social Researcher’s supporting office. Working across 20 government departments, agencies and devolved administrations the GSRU provides research publications across a wide variety of subject and policy areas.
Neighbourhood Renewal Unit
The NRU is responsible for overseeing the government’s neighbourhood renewal strategy, which aims to be sensitive to the needs of local circumstances. They provide a range of statistical information related to the national strategy for neighbourhood renewal, and commission independent evaluations to develop government understanding of the problems of deprived areas.
Department for Work and Pensions
DWP want children to have the best possible start in life, growing up in secure homes and developing skills for the future. One of our objectives is to end child poverty by 2020. They seek to promote work as the best form of welfare, helping more people into work and supporting those who can't work.
The Department of Health
The Department of Health (DH) exists to improve the health and wellbeing of people in England, and works to define policy and guidance for delivering a social care system. DH publications include statistical reports and surveys.
Improvement and Development Agency for Local Government
The IDeA works for local government improvement so councils can serve people and places better. They use experienced councilors and senior officers, known as peers, who support and challenge councils to improve themselves.
Poverty related work in Wales and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency
An agency within the Northern Ireland Assembly Government responsible for providing information on socio-economic conditions in Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland Anti Poverty Network
The NIAPN work a range of organisations from both the voluntary and public sectors. They campaign and lobby on poverty issues at a local national and European level. They also promote awareness to poverty through education, and attempt to involve local communities in working collectively to address poverty.
Welsh Assembly / Child Poverty
These pages consider the child poverty strategy (A fair Future for our Children, February 2005) of the Welsh Assembly
Children in Wales
Tackling child poverty in Wales is one of the areas of work undertaken by Children in Wales.
Poverty research
Joseph Rowntree Foundation
JRF provide extensive research and information relating to many aspect of poverty and poverty related issues in the UK. An independent organization, JFR produces strong evidence in a balanced unbiased format, and look for practical and realistic solutions to help improve the lives of the most disadvantaged people.
Social Policy Association
The professional association for Social Policy scholars, with an international membership. The SPA webpage includes links to the Social Policy Digest, which provides regular updates to developments in social welfare issues, a Directory listing the research specialism of every SPA member and also to the Scottish Social Policy Network (SSPN).
Scottish Centre for Research on Social Justice
Based at Glasgow University this team investigate how inequalities stem from peoples relationship to labour markets, income, status and power, and how this affects the life chances of individuals.
Centre for Research and Socially Inclusive Services
The Centre is based at the School of the Built Environment at Heriot-Watt University. Its work is particularly focused on areas of concentrated urban deprivation in Scotland. The work of the Centre has been mainly concentrated on Local public services, financial inclusion, retailing, education, children and young people and Asset building.
The Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion
CASE is part of the London School of Economics and focuses on research involving the ‘different dimensions’ of social disadvantage, particularly from longitudinal and neighbourhood perspectives, and examination of the impact of public policy.
The Personal Finance Research Centre
The Personal Finance Research Centre is an independent research centre that specialises in social research across all areas of personal finance, mainly from the consumer's perspective. Much of its work focuses on the following areas:
- Financial exclusion and inclusion.
- Credit use and over-indebtedness.
- Financial capability and financial decision-making.
- Money management and savings.
Townsend Centre for International Poverty Research
The TCIPR, part of the University of Bristol, produce research on poverty in both the industrialized and developing world. They cover a wide range of disciplines from social science and law, medicine and dentistry through to engineering and science.
Social Policy Research Unit, University of York
The SPRU’s work has been concerned with the development of policies and the delivery of services to support people made vulnerable by poverty, ageing, disability or chronic illness. There research covers a broad range of social issues, reflecting their policy commitments.
European Low Wage Employment Research Network
This network, based in The Netherlands, brings together more than twenty European researchers working on low pay, minimum wages, wage inequality and employment.
Institute for Research on Poverty
University-based centre for research into the causes and consequences of poverty and social inequality in the United States.
Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University
Northwestern University based in Chicago carry out research in a number of areas including – poverty, race and inequality.
Comparative Research Programme on Poverty
CROP is an international NGO initiated in 1992 by the International Social Science Council. Set up to consider how the social sciences can better contribute to the understanding of poverty in a global context.
Chronic Poverty Research Centre
The central aim of CPRC is to create knowledge that contributes to both the speed and quality of poverty reduction, with a focus on assisting those who are trapped in poverty, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
Institute for Development Policy and Management
The IDPM is part of The University of Manchester, and is the UKs largest university based international development studies department. IDPM's objective is to promote social and economic development, particularly within lower-income countries and for disadvantaged groups.
Compass
Compass is a left-of-centre ideas and action based pressure group in the UK. It describes itself as aiming to empower its members to make change happen, through developing the ideas for a more equal and democratic society, then campaigning to ensure they become reality.
Demos
Demos is a think tank covering a wide variety of subjects aimed at policy-makers, companies, public service providers and social entrepreneurs. All their publications can be downloaded for free.
Institute for Public Policy Research
Progressive think tank, producing innovative policy ideas for a just, fairer, democratic and sustainable world. Their research includes assets and wealth, children and families, housing and communities, tax, welfare and public finance.
The Adam Smith Institute
A belief in free-market economic and social policies they research practical ways to inject choice and competition into social policy, and aim to re-integrate people into the workforce and make them self-sufficient. That means tailoring work, housing, childcare and other support services round the individual.
New Policy Institute
The NPI an independent non-political organisation, who cover a diverse range of research areas, some of these include – poverty and social exclusion, inequality, work and low pay, central and local government, children and young adults, and housing.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies
Economic analysis independent of government, political party or any other vested interest. To promote effective economic and social policies by understanding better their impact on individuals, families, businesses and the government's finances.
National Centre for Social Research
NatCen has an international reputation for conducting high quality social surveys and is considered to provide high qualitative research on social issues in the UK. Their research covers areas of social policy, including health, crime, education, employment, travel, social attitudes and families.
UK Evaluation Society
Professional scholarly association which promotes the theory, practice, understanding and utilisation of evaluation and its contribution to public knowledge and policy reform.
Organisations focused on tackling poverty and serving people living in poverty in the UK
The Poverty Alliance
Based in Scotland the Poverty Alliance aim to provide support for people in disadvantaged communities who are working for change. They provide a wide range of services and information, including – training programmes, web design, room hire and publications on a variety of topics.
Child Poverty Action Group
CPAG seek to raise awareness as to the extent of child poverty in Scotland, and through the media, publications, and education, hope to promote solutions to child poverty through policy and campaigning activity. CPAG also offer an extensive range of training courses relating to many poverty related issues.
End Child Poverty
An amalgam of more than 100 children’s charities, child welfare organisations, social justice groups, and others concerned about the unacceptably high levels of child poverty in the UK. Primarily a campaigning organisation ECP hope to ensure the Government keeps its promise to reach its targets of halving child poverty by 2010 and eradicating it by 2020.
Energy Action Scotland
Energy Action Scotland is the national charity which aims to eliminate fuel poverty by raising awareness of fuel poverty, particularly as it affects low income households.
UK Coalition Against Poverty
The UK coalition against poverty exists to enable people who experience poverty in the UK to play an active part in developing national policies for the eradication of poverty. They aim to achieve this by developing opportunities for communication and joint activities between local, regional and national anti-poverty groups and by working with Government to open up their policy-making processes to greater participation
European Anti Poverty Network
EAPN is a representative network of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and groups involved in the fight against poverty and social exclusion in the Member States of the European Union.
Church Action on Poverty
Church Action on Poverty is a national ecumenical Christian social justice charity, committed to tackling poverty in the UK. It works in partnership with churches and with people in poverty themselves to find solutions to poverty, locally, nationally and globally. CAP has three aims: (i) to enable people in poverty to develop ; (ii) to help give a voice to people experiencing poverty; and (iii) to mobilise churches to work with others to overcome poverty. CAP is leading the Get Fair campiagn
Get Fair Campaign
Get Fair is a national coalition campaign calling for an end to poverty in the UK. Get Fair believe that everyone has a right to decent, adequate incomes, fair access to services, affordable homes and decent neighbourhoods.
YEP (Youth End Poverty) Dundee
Youth End Poverty is a global organisation of young people committed to ending poverty. Its projects are currently based in Dundee, Scotland and in Cape Town, South Africa; but it also connects to networks of young people and national representatives in over 100 countries from America to Zambia. Yep is a registered member of CIVICUS - the Worldwide Alliance for Citizen Participation.
Transact
Transact is the national forum for financial inclusion, a movement of over 1000 organisations and individuals dedicated to practising and promoting financial inclusion for the benefit of people experiencing hardship and poverty as a result of financial exclusion.
Debt on our Doorstep
A coalition of organisations campaigning to end extortionate and irresponsible lending, and to ensure universal access to affordable credit and fair financial services.
Organisations promoting welfare, education and equality in the UK.
Citizens Advice
The Citizens Advice service helps people resolve their legal, money and other problems by providing free information and advice from over 3,000 locations in the UK, and by influencing policymakers.
Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations
SCVO seeks to advance the values and shared interests of the voluntary sector and build the voluntary sectors capacity to strengthen governance. SCVO provide a wide range of services ranging from advice relevant to the voluntary sector through to extensive databases covering a wide variety of topics.
Community Enterprise in Strathclyde
CEiS work primarily in west central Scotland and aim to assist communities and individuals who are economically disadvantaged. This is done primarily through a focus on the promotion of business and development projects as a way of achieving social objectives.
Low Pay Commission
LPC was established as a result of the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 to advise the Government about the National Minimum Wage. The LPC has an on-going Terms of Reference to monitor the impact of the minimum wage.
Scottish Trade Union Congress
Trade unions in Scotland won over £25,000,000 in compensation for members who were treated unjustly or injured at work. The STUC seek ensure their members are paid more, get more holidays, work less hours, are able to access more training, and progress and gain promotion within their area of work.
Scottish Development Centre for Mental Health
SDC believes that poverty, deprivation, discrimination and inequality are major contributing factors to individual and community mental health. SDC aim is to tackle the sources and effects of mental heath inequality, removing the barriers to enable people with mental health problems to "flourish".
Age Concern Scotland
ACG provide information and publications to meet the needs of older people living in the community and to disseminate best practice for those working with older people, to publicize issues relevant to older people.
Help the Aged
HTA research the needs of older people in the UK and overseas and campaign for changes in policy. They provide community services and publish information on finance, how to stay healthy as well as guidance on choosing a care home.
The Children’s Society
CS is a Christian charity working in Britain. They offer a number of services including mentoring, training and consultancy, as well as campaigning for children with disabilities as well as calling on the government and Local Authorities to ensure that young runaways receive the assistance and support they need.
Bright Tomorrows
Bright tomorrows is a UK based charity working to bring lasting change to the lives of children who are at risk, particularly those who have been disadvantaged through extreme poverty and or homelessness.
Oxfam
Possibly the highest profile charity tackling poverty in both the UK and internationally. Oxfam is responsible for many high profile campaigns, emergency responses to disasters, and developmental work across the globe.
Save the Children
A worldwide organisation STC not only attempt to provide immediate responses to disasters affecting children, but seek to affect the long term wellbeing of children through education, free health care, and adequate protection against exploitation, malnutrition and marginalisation.
Barnardos
Barnardos have a number of projects in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, aimed at providing opportunities for the most vulnerable children and young people over the long term.
One Parent Families Scotland
An organisation that seeks to promote supportive policies and services for lone parents and their children. OPFS provide a telephone helpline, offer information on the rights of lone parents, and give training and provide a specialist library for both adults and children.
Engender
Engender seek to promote information relating to women’s inequality through collecting and publicising information. Training organisations on gender equality issues. Training local women to make a difference on issues that affect them.
Fawcett Society
FS campaign on women’s issues relating too representation in politics and public life; pay, pensions and poverty; valuing caring work; and the treatment of women in the justice system.
Equality and Human Rights Commission
The commission works to eliminate discrimination, reduce inequality, and protect human rights to ensuring that everyone has a fair chance to participate in society. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has extensive legal powers and a dedicated directorate of expert lawyers who are specialists in equality law. Scottish Refugee Council
The SRC is an independent charity providing advice, information and assistance to asylum seekers and refugees living in Scotland. They also provide specialist services in areas such as housing, education and employment amongst others.
Asylum Aid
Asylum aid provides legal representation to asylum-seekers. By combining expert legal advice work with campaigning activities, Asylum Aid responds to asylum-seekers' immediate legal needs and addresses the underlying causes of the difficulties they encounter during the asylum process.
Disability Alliance
Disability Alliance is a national registered charity with the principal aim of relieving the poverty and improving the living standards of disabled people. They provide information on social security benefits and tax credits to disabled people, their families, carers and professional advisors.
Equality in Care
EIC is an e-library provided by the Scottish National Health Service. It provides a wide variety of information relating to health care, for a diverse range of people.
Glasgow Homelessness Network
GHN seeks to promote the involvement of people affected by homelessness in the development of policy, provision and practice.
Shelter
Shelter provide trained advisers through their housing aid centres, helplines, email advice services and their housing support projects give free, confidential, expert advice. Shelter also campaigns for long-term solution to the UK housing crisis, producing research, policy advice, and publications, and provides support for local authorities, landlords and housing professionals in implementing radical solutions to tackle homelessness.
Energy Efficiency Partnership for Homes
The EEPH, aim is to achieve energy efficiency in homes and alleviate fuel poverty. The partnership brings together over 480 organisations across the public, private, and voluntary sectors.
The Church of Scotland
The church of Scotland provides a range of social care initiatives, including care for older people, help with alcoholism, drug and mental health problems and assistance for homeless people and those with special learning needs.
Poverty work beyond the UK
United Nations Development Program
UNDP advocates for nationally-owned solutions to reduce poverty and promote human development. They sponsor pilot projects to connect countries to global good practices and resources; promote the role of women in development and bring governments, civil society and outside funders together to coordinate their efforts.
The United Nations Children’s Fund
UNICEF aims to protect the rights of children across the globe. Specialising in the developing world UNICEF works with governments, NGOs, private sector partners and united nations agencies in providing services and supplies, and in helping shape policy agendas and budgets in the best interests of children.
The World Bank
The world bank has its headquarters in Washington America, though has 185 member countries involved in projects offering financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world.
Department for International Development
DFID is the part of the UK Government that manages Britain's aid to poor countries and works to get rid of extreme poverty.
Engineers Against Poverty
EAP works with industry, government and civil society to fight poverty and promote sustainable development. The EAP seek ways with which to work with the private sector and believe that, it is possible to secure social improvements through mechanisms that also deliver commercial advantages to the companies involved.
Action Aid
Action aid seek to work in partnership with a range of people from small community support groups to national alliances and international networks seeking education for all, trade justice and action against HIV/AIDS. Action aid doesn’t seek work with communities over many years to strengthen their own efforts to throw off poverty.
War on Want
WOW are a political organisation primarily focused on campaigning internationally to deliver real and lasting changes for the poorest people in the world.
Christian Aid
Christian Aid is an international organization involved in projects across the globe; they work with the people at the frontline of change and have many overseas partner organizations tackling poverty and its causes.
The Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund
The SCIAF works in over twenty countries across Asia, Africa and Latin America, to help some of the poorest people in the world, and attempt to provide both emergency aid and long term support, for the poorest people in the world.
Make Poverty History
The high profile campaign backed by celebrities. Among their concerns are, trade justice, and the cancellation of crippling debts in developing countries.
Trade Justice Movement
TJM campaign for a fundamental change in the rules and institutions governing international trade.
Fairtrade Foundation
The fair trade foundation seek to tackle poverty and injustice related to unfair international trading practices, through identifying sound products through the fair-trade mark.
World Food Programme
The WFP is the United Nations frontline agency in the fight against global hunger. They give direct aid to people involved in refugee crisis and other emergencies, and aim to improve nutrition and quality of life for the world’s most vulnerable people.
The National Center for Children in Poverty
(NCCP) an American organisation in association with Columbia University, seeks to promote economic security, health, and well-being for America’s low-income families and children. It provides a wide range of resources from data tools to state profiles as well as publications.
The Grameen Foundation
The Grameen Foundation’s mission is to enable the poorest, to create a world without poverty. With tiny loans, financial services and technology, they help the poor, mostly women, start self-sustaining businesses to escape poverty.