Caritas Salford has launched a drive to gather input from local Catholics and supporters as it prepares a letter to the newly appointed Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, urging immediate action on issues affecting people experiencing poverty, homelessness and isolation across Greater Manchester and Lancashire.
Urgent local concerns highlighted
The charity says the need is pressing: within the area where Caritas Salford operates, almost one in three children are currently living in poverty. It also points to thousands of people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, and many more experiencing discrimination or social isolation.
Caritas Salford told InfoRadar that it wants the new prime minister to prioritise a set of practical policy changes that could transform lives locally. The organisation said the era of discussion must give way to action to address long-standing structural problems.
What the charity is asking for
- Increase the supply of social-rented housing
- Local Housing Allowance rates to be unfrozen and aligned with local rents
- An end to the benefit cap
- A protected legal minimum amount of Universal Credit to cover essentials
- Expansion of free school meals to all primary school children
- Extension of the move-on period from asylum support and accommodation
“Working alongside local people, we regularly talk to them about what's most important. We talk about the challenges they are facing. We help them by walking alongside them as they take actions and transform their lives. And we adapt our services to meet their changing needs too.”
The charity said it will use local feedback to shape the letter and to remind the prime minister of measures it regards as essential for protecting the most vulnerable.
Local impact and practical context
Caritas Salford runs services that support people experiencing poverty and homelessness across Salford and neighbouring parts of Greater Manchester and Lancashire. While the organisation did not provide further operational details in its statement to InfoRadar, its priorities reflect long-standing areas of concern for frontline services: affordable long-term housing, adequacy of welfare payments relative to living costs, food insecurity among children and additional pressures faced by people leaving asylum support.
| Area of concern | Policy requested |
|---|---|
| Housing | More social-rented homes; higher Local Housing Allowance |
| Benefits | End benefit cap; protected minimum Universal Credit |
| Children | Free school meals for all primary pupils |
| Asylum support | Longer move-on period |
Caritas Salford has signalled it wants to include the views of local people and parish communities in the letter to the new prime minister. The organisation’s appeal is also a reminder of the continuing local pressures on charities and public services as they try to meet demand.
As the new national administration begins its work, the charity’s intervention sets out clear, policy-focused asks aimed at reducing immediate hardship and addressing drivers of poverty that affect thousands in this region.
