28th March 2024

REACH Makes a TRIPLE PLEA 

Following the release of shameful national statistics regarding the continuing cost of living crisis, REACH Community Projects issues three urgent pleas - to those in need, to those in power and to those who continue to support. 


With suggestions arising from some circles that the Cost of Living Crisis is over, REACH Community Projects, based in Haverhill, Suffolk is to the fore in pointing out statistics which very strongly contradict this belief. 

While the official inflation rate this month has fallen, REACH reminds us that prices are still rising, a fact which brings difficult choices to an increasing number of people and especially families with children. 

REACH is not alone, however, in making this point which is supported by much respected bodies such as Citizens Advice, The Joseph Rowntree Foundation, The Institute for Fiscal Studies, The New Economics Foundation, The Child Poverty Action Group and The Food Foundation. 

Headlining in the media within the last few days has been the staggering and shameful “biggest rise in UK absolute poverty for 30 years” and “300,000 more UK children falling into absolute poverty”.  

Such headlines are backed up with official data. As one example, in 2022-23 there was a 600,000 rise in the numbers of people in absolute poverty bringing the total to 12 million nationally a current rate of 18%. Others show that the rate of food insecurity rose from 8% to 11% of individuals while the proportion unable to afford home heating shot up from 4% to 11%. 

Much of the impact of the increase in hardship has fallen upon children. Figures show that 69% of children in families experiencing poverty have one or more working parents, along with estimates of 2.9 million children in deep poverty. 

Reacting to the released figures and headlines, REACH’s CEO, Henry Wilson MBE said “These figures across the whole UK reflect pretty well exactly what we are currently seeing locally. The numbers of people, families, children, pensioners we are helping, with debt advice, welfare assistance, benefits claims and emergency food, is up alarmingly and we are having to respond across a broad front and in innovative ways.” 

An impassioned Henry continued “I make a Triple Plea today. Firstly to all those who are suffering financial hardship, at whatever level, to get in touch with REACH without delay and let us find ways through your crisis. My second plea is to those in power, of whichever political persuasion and as a matter of dire urgency, to bring about a well thought through approach to poverty, rather than just sticking plaster measures, because it’s a not over by any means and is a blot on what is supposed to be a civilised and leading nation.” 

REACH not only supports those in immediate need but also has a longer term approach to poverty and details of its 2024 programme, featuring ‘Prevention, Policy and Pounds in Pockets’, will shortly be released. 

“My third plea today” said Henry “is to our truly wonderful benefactors and donors who stick with us and enable us to deliver this much needed work in the community and I ask that you continue your kind and generous support at this crucial time – thank you so very much.” 

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13th March 2024

REACH has Mixed Feelings about The Budget 

While REACH celebrates a long fought campaign win, it has very serious concerns for the future needs of hard pressed families and individuals. 

When the Chancellor opened his Budget statement with his desire to see “higher wages and higher living standards”, Suffolk based charity Reach Community Projects, who are currently experiencing a record number of emergency food parcel requests, had high hopes. 

Some of the measures announced were welcomed for positive impact on people currently struggling with the high cost of living and, in particular, REACH is pleased to see the repayment period extended for those on Universal Credit who need to take household emergency loans. 

These loans, often used to cover basic necessities in critical situations for people who are already in financial hardship, many times leave families struggling longer-term as they repay. This extension from 12 to 24 months should ease that burden and, as a charity whose expertise lies in supporting individuals and families through and out of debt, the significance of this is not lost on REACH. 

The biggest success, however, is the extension of the Household Support Fund, for which REACH has been tirelessly campaigning locally but REACH is very disappointed indeed that this is for only the next 6 months with uncertainty over what will happen when it ends and with the government already suggesting that it wishes to cut back on welfare costs. 

In Suffolk, the County Council has used this fund to great effect for free school meals during holidays and the local welfare assistance scheme. It’s been a lifeline for many and recent successful application examples have meant, help for a man battling three cancers needing, electricity to keep his house warm, a young dad with custody of his daughter, having the means to pay his utility bills despite having to move, and a widow struggling to make ends meet after her husband died recently. 

While these changes are positive for people in financial crisis in the short-term, there is a real concern for the longer-term. REACH understands the relevance of “sticking plaster” remedies, such as emergency food aid for those who are already facing hardship but also states that solutions need to be at a national level and which prevent people from falling into poverty in the first place. 

Unfortunately, there are elements which will have the opposite effect and could eventually push more people into destitution. Analysis from The Institute for Fiscal Studies indicates a real concern for those in low income households who, despite a reduction in National Insurance contributions, will, in fact, be worse off, with the IFS noting that tax revenues will have risen by a record amount. Failure to raise the tax threshold for the very lowest paid will, with inflation, bring more people into tax while still struggling with the rising cost of living – a double whammy for sure. 

In the past five months, REACH have opened 109 new debt cases, which is double that of the same months the previous year, when they opened 53, showing an alarming trend of people falling into debt, even though many are in work, and indicative of the depth of crisis currently being faced. 

Henry Wilson, CEO of REACH, said “Naturally we welcome the short-term actions and there is no doubt these will make a difference to some people but we desperately hope to see a long-term crisis strategy put into place to support local communities and will continue to campaign for the changes that are so urgently needed, as well as pursuing other prevention projects such as the teaching of budgeting in schools, alongside our debt and benefit support. 

“One day I dream that we won’t have to use these ‘sticking plaster remedies’ but, until then, we will continue to provide emergency aid for people who fall into hardship and I fear that number may rise further and very significantly.”

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28th March 2024

REACH Examines the Chancellor’s Budget  

Reach Community Projects, based in Haverhill, Suffolk, has immediately set about examining the Chancellor’s Budget as soon as it was announced in the House of Commons today.  


Today the Chancellor of the Exchequer has delivered his Budget and the well known Haverhill charity, Reach Community Projects (REACH), has been one of the first in the local community to examine its contents and to try to understand what it means for those families and individuals for whom REACH has much concern. 

REACH is no stranger to the difficulties of balancing a budget, as an increasing number of people in hardship find themselves with little room for manoeuvre and nowhere to go in making more savings in order to pay for essentials. 

Although the Chancellor’s long term wishes are for a lower tax economy, short term personal tax reductions have little impact on those on the lowest incomes and it is therefore towards the provision of services that REACH makes its focus in assessing the impact of the Budget on those most in need. 

For those in low paid or no employment the benefits system provides a vital safety net preventing the further fall into destitution in its various guises of hunger, homelessness, illness (both physical and mental) and despair. Such benefits are provided through both central and local government and, as has been reported widely recently, the latter is also experiencing great strains in its ability to balance the books. 

One key example of how benefits have meant survival for many, for whom budgeting is no longer meaningful, is the Household Support Fund (HSF) which is granted by central government to local authorities to fight crisis and emergency hardship situations. But the HSF, which in this current financial year is running at a total of £1 billion, was set to end on 31st March. REACH is therefore relieved to hear that it will be extended for another 6 months, and are very keen to discover if this will continue into the latter part of the year or be replaced with some other form of vital support. 

Speaking as the Chancellor sat down in the House of Commons following his Budget speech, Henry Wilson MBE, REACH’s CEO said “I have always maintained that the mark of a civilised nation is the extent to which it takes care of its most vulnerable and hardest pressed citizens both in good times and in bad. We have certainly been through some very difficult times in recent years and the cost of living crisis is far from over. I really do hope, therefore, that there are things within this Budget and public expenditure details to come that can give more than just a dream to so many, who REACH witnesses on a daily basis to be in dire financial crisis”. 

As part of its ongoing Prevention Programme, REACH is very active in the community teaching and explaining the household budgeting process from school age upwards. The degree of success of this will be determined in the future but, right now, REACH is engaging with politicians, both central and local, to demonstrate how prevention and benefits are two sides of the same coin. 

Henry Wilson MBE continued “While we all wish for a thriving economy, I very much hope that those now in power, as well as those seeking power in this election year, do realise the necessity and value of provision of essentials for the most needy and, in fact, I hold out an open invitation to the current Chancellor, as well as to those aspiring to be Chancellor, to come along to REACH for first hand experience of budgeting at its most basic level”.

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5th February 2024

REACH Campaigns for Continued Support for Low Income Households 

Reach Community Projects, based in Haverhill, Suffolk, marks “Who Uses a Food Bank? – Awareness Week” by launching its campaign for the continuation of the Household Support Scheme along with the call to “Guarantee Our Essentials”  


According to REACH’s own findings, one of most effective government initiatives in recent years has been the Household Support Fund whereby local councils are funded by central government, to the tune of £842 million in this current financial year, to support vulnerable households with the cost of essentials. 

In Suffolk, this has enabled the county council to continue with the provision of Free School Meal Vouchers and the Local Welfare Assistance Scheme while housing support is delivered through district councils and there is extra support for food banks. 

However, there has been no formal confirmation that the Household Support Fund (HSF) will be carried forward after 31st March 2024, despite the Chancellor’s indication in parliamentary questions following the 2023 Autumn Statement. 

Speaking at the launch this week of REACH’s campaign for the continuation of the HSF, their Engagement & Advocacy Lead, Saffron Carter, said “This type of local crisis support, delivered by the council, has been a lifeline in Haverhill for people facing hardship, hunger, and unexpected costs.”  

Continuing with specific examples Saffron explained that “While we can support with emergency food, debt and welfare support, there is often a complex number of issues people are facing and where there may be gaps, the HSF provides critical support.  In particular, the Local Welfare Assistance Scheme, which provides cash grants and white goods; approximately 90% of our clients are signposted to complete an application to help access further support.  

“The Free School Meal vouchers during school holidays have also provided vital support for many families, with many telling us that the vouchers have helped buy food for the whole family, not just the children. Having the choice of where to shop and what to buy is also a far more dignified experience than a food parcel. It is therefore imperative that this campaign gets central and local government to see the sense in its continuation.” 

REACH is not alone in calling for the extension of the HSF but is teamed with the Trussell Trust and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation in the “Guarantee Our Essentials” campaign which seeks to have an Essentials Guarantee enshrined into UK law. This would mean that for all those receiving Universal Credit there would be a solid guarantee that they would be able to afford life’s essentials – food, heating and other fundamental costs. 

As part of this campaign, REACH is asking its supporters to sign the Trussell Trust petition, www.trusselltrust.org/get-involved/campaigns/guarantee-our-essentials , calling on UK political party leaders to support the introduction of an Essentials Guarantee within Universal Credit to ensure that the basic rate at least covers life’s essentials, such as food and bills. 

Saffron continued “With the persistence of the cost of living crisis and finances further being squeezed we are seeing many people in our community needing to access emergency food and this is not right. At REACH in 2023, we fed 2037 people, compared to 1580 in 2020, before the cost of living crisis began, this represents an increase of 29%. Behind those numbers are families and individuals who do not have enough money to afford life’s essentials”.  

Launch of this special campaign is timed to coincide with “Who Uses a Food Bank? - Awareness Week” in which REACH will be contacting local organisations and councillors to gather support. 

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31st January 2024

REACH Hardship Findings Mirrored in Major Report Just Released 

The last major report, before the general election, on hardship with the UK, resonates with the findings of REACH Community Projects, both in the very sad state of affairs and in what can be done to tackle it.   


Just now, one of the most important things in the minds of the team of staff and volunteers at REACH Community Projects, based in Haverhill, Suffolk, is the extent of the hardship problems within the local community and how these might change into the future. 

The publication last week of “UK Poverty 2024 – The Essential Guide to Understanding Poverty in the UK” by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF),  www.jrf.org.uk , provides a substantial core of data and narrative which will considerably help REACH, and other like minded charities, to address these needs which continue to increase. 

The experience and findings of REACH, in the local communities of Haverhill and surrounding areas, has very much mirrored the current situation described by JRF, some of which is truly shocking especially as many of the statistics quoted have continually worsened over the decades since the Second World War. 

In just one of the sentences in this 178 page report some facts are recorded that would leave most reasonable people feeling very uncomfortable. This is that more than one in five people (22%) of people in the UK were in poverty in 2021/22, that’s 14.4 million people of whom 8.1 million were working adults, 2.1 million pensioners and, very sadly, 4.2 million children. Its figures like these that the Joseph Rowntree Foundation describes as “a story of moral and fiscal irresponsibility and a story we must change”. 

Other heartbreaking data includes the 148% increase in destitution to nearly four million in just five years, a figure which encompasses one million children, three times as many as in 2017. JFR finds that children in the UK have consistently had the highest poverty rates and this is one of the major targets of REACH in its campaign to not only deliver essential support to needy families but also to put in place measures aimed squarely at prevention. 

But one very concerning finding of the JRF report is the extent to which hardship is deepening, with, in 2021-22, the poorest families having an average income almost 60% below the Poverty Line and the average gap upwards, to just reach the poverty line, was equivalent, for a family with two primary-school-aged children, to a staggering £12,800 per year. 

JRF not only lists the needs but proposes solutions within its very comprehensive report and these include helping people accrue modest savings, access affordable credit, gain relief from problem debt and hold assets (especially those people without access to family wealth). 

REACH too is driving forcefully in this direction with the budgeting, money skills and cooking education now being provided through schools and other groups. Speaking just after the JRF report was published, REACH CEO Henry Wilson said “We, at REACH, have been anticipating this report but absolutely not looking forward to reading what is contained within. It makes awful and tear-jerking reading and is a pretty damming indictment of the social failure in the UK over many, many decades. It’s the job of REACH to tackle this situation with all the energy we can muster.” 

REACH Community Projects responds positively to family and individual hardship by providing debt counselling, welfare support and emergency food but also seeks to prevent the causes of so many falling to such levels of need. REACH is active, from its original base in Haverhill, throughout West Suffolk, South Cambridgeshire and North Essex. 

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