It would be nice if our end-of-year round ups didn’t always have to start with ‘it’s been a challenging time’. Sadly, that’s the reality. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation found that across the UK, 7 million households went without the essentials in the past 6 months. 4.3 million households are also behind on at least one household bill or credit commitment. Recent Winter Fuel Payment cuts are an extra blow to people who are just above the Pension Credit threshold but not well off.

The same financial pressures impact VCSEs, which are left trying to meet rising demand despite growing costs. Employer National Insurance Contributions and National Minimum Wage increases will take effect in the spring. This will put further pressure on wage bills. And as Local Authorities are driven to cut back non-statutory services, the holes in our ‘social safety net’ continue to grow.

Will 2025 bring better times? Nationally, the government is due to set out a new Child Poverty Strategy. They have also promised a long-term plan to end homelessness. There is also a commitment to ‘reset’ the relationship between government and civil society. This will involve making more use of VCSEs’ insights and community links, and ending attacks on the right to speak out against harmful policies.

There is a push to ‘make work pay’, with new rights and protections for workers. This comes alongside reforms to get more people into work. Some Disabled People’s Organisations have flagged that pressure on people to work is already incredibly high. They have said that what is needed is more support and an end to suspicion and punishment in the benefits system.

How the VCSE organisations can work together

At NCAN, we recognise that we are a network of (mostly) relatively small local organisations. However, we believe that by speaking together with one voice we can influence policy and practice locally and nationally. As a group, we will continue to call for more funding of preventative and early-intervention services. Ultimately our goal is to help people avoid crisis.

We continue to make use of our expertise and ensure residents only need to tell their story once through our referral system. We will also bring together all the organisations and individuals who want to see an end to hardship through the Norfolk Anti-Poverty Alliance. There will be two official launch events – one in Norwich and one in King’s Lynn – in the spring.

By pooling our insights and expertise, we can help design and deliver more effective policies and higher-impact services to support people across Norfolk through these challenging times. To get involved in the Anti-Poverty Alliance, email ruth at campaigns@ncan.co.uk. To find out more about NCAN or join the referral system, email info@ncan.co.uk.