4 million children now live in households on Universal Credit

  • New official data shows that the number of children in low-income families receiving universal credit has risen to four million. 
  • According to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), this is half a million more than this time last year.  
  • It is estimated that 800,000 children live in poverty but miss out on free school meals because their parents earn more than £7400 a year, excluding benefits. 
  • The Independent’s ‘Feed the Future’ campaign urges the government to help more children with free school meals by including those on Universal Credit, who are currently exempt from the scheme.  
  • For more on this story, please visit the Independent’s website. 

Awaab Ishak: Toddler’s mould death unacceptable

  • Housing secretary Michael Gove has said that the death of a toddler living with mould in his home is an “unacceptable tragedy”. 
  • Awaab Ishak was two years old when he died of a respiratory condition caused by the mould in his family home.  
  • Awaab’s father repeatedly raised this issue with Rochdale Boroughwide Housing but no action was taken.  
  • The minister said the government was bringing forward legislation to ensure housing associations responsible for providing social housing are “held to account”. 
  • For more on this story, please visit the BBC News website.  

Police launch investigation after sex abuse victims’ details appear online

  • An investigation has been launched after a police force accidentally published personal details about victims of sexual abuse on its website.  
  • The information published online is said to have contained names and addresses of victims of sexual assault and details of the alleged sexual offences committed against them. 
  • The breach was also thought to have contained information relating to the suspects. 
  • Police say the data was removed as soon as the security breach was discovered.  
  • For more on this story, please visit ITV’s website.  

Almost 30,000 young people facing homelessness in England this Winter

  • Centrepoint estimates that at least 29,500 people aged 16-14 will present to their local council as homeless or at risk of homelessness between October-December. 
  • This is up 8.5% from the number who approached their local authority last year. 
  • England footballers have joined together for a short film for Centrepoint’s #NotComingHome campaign, highlighting the struggle of young people who do not have a place to come home to.  
  • A Government spokesperson has said “We are investing £2 billion over 3 years so we can end rough sleeping and prevent homelessness”. 
  • For more on this story please visit the Evening Standard’s website.