ANNUAL REPORT 2019/2020 Over the past 12 months the CSJ has produced 24 reports and made 109 recommendations. Four in ten of our recommendations have been fully adopted by Government. During lockdown, which followed the outbreak of COVID-19, nine in ten of our recommendations made during this period were fully adopted by Government. CONTENTS
Understanding Impact 31 the frontline 8
The CSJ Awards 10
Policy overview 12
Foreword from Tracking our impact 32 our Chairman and CEO 2 Financial update 34
Partnering with us 35 Family 14 Work and welfare 16 Our influence 36 Addiction 18 Education 20 Criminal justice 22 Debt 24 Modern slavery 26 Our mission and values 5 …and so much more 28
How we work 6 Looking forward 30
Annual Report 2019/20 • 1 FOREWORD FROM OUR CHAIRMAN & CEO
Welcome to the Centre for As ever, this was all achieved regional offices to be introduced Social Justice’s Annual Report through working in partnership over the next 12 months. You can for 2019/20. The past year has with our Alliance of poverty- read more about our work with the been a tumultuous time for our fighting grassroot charities from Alliance on pages 8–9. country. Ongoing disagreements around the country. They are the about Britain’s relationship with beating heart of this organisation A founding objective of the CSJ the European Union, a general and are our eyes and ears on the is to provide financial support election and a global pandemic ground. They truly understand to the best poverty-fighting have provided a challenging the nature of poverty and, more charities. Whilst we have always environment for ensuring that importantly, the ways in which achieved this objective through the political focus remains on to tackle it. the CSJ Awards, we are pleased the most disadvantaged. Yet to announce this year that we through the determination and The CSJ has the track-record, established Smith Square Trading, perseverance of our team we have dedication, and ability to achieve a subsidiary company of the CSJ been able to achieve more impact significant impact. This year, we that will house charitable grant than ever before, delivering on our are pleased to report that we making programmes which give aim of putting social justice at the have again gone from strength to the very best charities. This heart of British politics, seeing to strength to achieve even more completes the picture, as we communities transformed and for the people we exist to serve. listen and learn from charities, lives changed. award them for their work and Last year the CSJ: help them increase their impact Despite the challenging by funding scalable programmes circumstances, we are proud and initiatives. of the impact that the CSJ PUT THE ALLIANCE has achieved: AT THE HEART OF ALL WE DO. ENHANCED AND • 55 of our policy INVESTED IN OUR recommendations were Our team travelled tens POLICY UNITS. included in the major parties’ of thousands of miles to discover general election manifestos the best approaches to fighting The CSJ has led the way in showing • Nine in ten of the poverty from around the UK. that those trapped in poverty are recommendations that we Over 450 small charities affected by more than just the made in direct response engaged with us through our lack of household income through to the needs of the most poverty‑fighting Alliance and examining the five pathways to disadvantaged during the 18 charities joined our ‘Partnership poverty: debt, family breakdown, COVID-19 pandemic were Programme’, a new initiative addiction, educational failure adopted by Government bringing outstanding CSJ Award and worklessness. The CSJ will • We secured nearly £7 winning charities into the very continue to drive the Government billion of Government heart of our research. We also to go after these five pathways investment for the people opened our first regional office and look beyond a simple poverty and communities that need in the East Midlands and have metric that is exclusively defined it most begun developing plans for further by income.
2 • Centre for Social Justice The creation of specific policy awarded us with the Social Policy the headlines, there are growing units focused on each of our Think Tank of the Year’ award. problems in addiction, debt, family pathways has brought so much to breakdown, criminal justice and the CSJ. Our units have provided Beyond this award and the poor education. focus and paid dividends in terms exceptional impact we have of the impact we have been achieved over the last year, we were To face the challenges that lie able to achieve. Thanks to the especially proud to act as a voice ahead the CSJ needs to have generosity of our supporters and for small charities throughout an even higher profile. We have partners, we are delighted to report the COVID-19 pandemic. This therefore taken the following steps: that we now have all policy units culminated in the Government for each of the five pathways up releasing £370m to specifically • Set up two of the four regional and running, as well as additional support small charities as part offices we have planned to make policy units for both Criminal of a major bailout of the charitable sure we are working for the Justice and Modern Slavery. You sector. These small charities were whole country can find out more about each of the unsung heroes of the hour, as • Enhanced our 450-strong our policy units on pages 12–30. they continued to meet the needs charity army to feed us of their communities as the world life-changing ideas shut down around them. It was an • Supported different Trusts, DELIVERED honour to advocate on their behalf foundations and philanthropists SIGNIFICANT IMPACT. and see them receive the financial via Smith Square Trading, to relief they so desperately needed. help direct millions of pounds Over the past 12 months, the into the front-line charities that CSJ produced 24 reports and We could not have achieved this so badly need it made 109 recommendations without our many friends and • Established our policy office to Government, many of which supporters who make our work in Smith Square Westminster had significant impact. In possible. We are so grateful to to house 30 full-time policy particular, our Addiction Unit each and every one of you for all experts across seven key wrote a landmark report, Road that you do for our organisation poverty areas to Recovery, which led to and those we serve. a unified addiction strategy from We are stepping up and out as the the Cabinet office and six new Nation’s health depends on it, and treatment centre pilots being MOVING FORWARD. we need all the help we can get. rolled out across the UK. We also We look forward to working with saw all political parties pledge to an Our past successes will not distract you over the next year and beyond. overhaul of school exclusions and us from the potential struggles alternative school provision in their of the year ahead. The COVID-19 general election manifestos. When crisis in Britain has put huge strains we started our work on alternative on public services, businesses, provision three years ago it was and people. Unsurprisingly, the not on any political party’s radar. most vulnerable in our society Rt Hon Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP We are proud to be the think tank will be the hardest hit by the Chairman that gets the Government to look pandemic. The CSJ’s mission to at the areas that have never been unlock the potential of those most touched before, to create real struggling has more resting on it change for the people that need it than ever before. There are huge most. We were also delighted that challenges ahead and the projected our impact was formally recognised unemployment levels are just the Andy Cook by Prospect Magazine, who tip of the iceberg. Hidden beneath CEO
3 • Centre for Social Justice Annual Report 2019/20 • 3 Jericho Foundation CSJ Alliance 4Partner • Centre for Social Justice OUR MISSION AND VALUES
OUR MISSION The Centre for Social Justice is an independent organisation that puts social justice at the heart of British politics.
We partner with over 450 We bring this vision to life by OUR VALUES grassroot charities from Britain’s seeking to influence the policies poorest communities, as well as Government creates and the laws Seven core values underpin experts from across the world, to it makes, such that it does all it all that we do. We: develop ambitious, evidence-based can to address the root causes and experience-led reforms that of poverty. These are: 1. Are ambitious about tackle the root causes of poverty transforming people’s lives. and social breakdown. • Debt • Family breakdown 2. Do not believe poverty is And we do not stop there. and dysfunction only about money, but also We take our reforms and, working • Drug, alcohol and people’s quality of life and closely with an extensive network gambling dependency their opportunities to make of political, policy and media • Educational failure the most of their potential. contacts, campaign for their • Worklessness successful implementation. 3. Tackle the root causes Our mission, therefore, is to of poverty, not just This is how we fight to transform place social justice at the heart the symptoms. people’s lives by releasing them of British politics. from poverty. 4. Are focused on what works.
The CSJ’s vision is for those 5. Are committed to following living in the poorest and most the evidence wherever it leads. disadvantaged communities across Britain to be given every 6. Serve the interests opportunity to flourish and of the poorest in Britain. reach their full potential. 7. Believe that prevention is better than cure.
Annual Report 2019/20 • 5 HOW WE WORK
Our work follows a three stage process: 1
UNDERSTANDING THE FRONTLINE We regularly visit, consult with and invite views from our Alliance of poverty fighting charities. This ensures our work is experience led.
Scotland 7% Northern Ireland 2% North East 3%
Yorkshire & the Humber 5%
North West of England East Midlands 9% 13%
East of England 5% West Midlands 4% London 35%
Wales 3% THE ALLIANCE: WHERE ORGANISATIONS South East ARE BASED 6% South West 8%
6 • Centre for Social Justice 2 3
POLICY WORK IMPACT Our Policy teams conduct extensive We provide a voice for the most research into the issues we want to disadvantaged. We advocate for them tackle to gain an in-depth understanding in the media and through campaigns. of them. They are supported by expert Over the last year we have seen working groups and advisory boards. 4 in 10 of our recommendations This ensures our work is evidence based. fully adopted by Government.
Scotland 7% Northern Ireland 2% North East 3%
Yorkshire & the Humber Advisory boards Meeting policy makers 5%
North West of England East Midlands 9% 13%
Research Making the case in the media East of England 5% West Midlands 4% London 35%
Wales 3% Roundtables Delivering legislative change
South East 6% In doing this we connect the backstreets of Britain with the corridors South West 8% of power. We make practical, implementable recommendations that we know will be effective.
7 • Centre for Social Justice Annual Report 2019/20 • 7 UNDERSTANDING THE FRONTLINE
The CSJ is inspired and nourished by its unique relationship with the CSJ Alliance: a group of frontline, poverty-fighting charities and social enterprises.
These organisations are spread working on the frontline in the next 12 months. This is just across the length and breadth fight against poverty. They help the start in what will be an of Britain, acting as our “eyes and some of the most vulnerable exciting phase of development ears” on the ground. These small people in society escape from for the Alliance and the and innovative ventures are highly poverty, working with offenders wider organisation. effective and truly understand and gang members to children the nature of poverty and in care and those with addiction The CSJ Alliance is made up of social breakdown. and mental health problems. charities working across a wide They tackle the underlying range of different sectors The CSJ draws heavily from the root causes of poverty, not just Alliance’s experience, meaning the symptoms in their bid to Government can be sure that transform lives. the reforms we suggest are based on what has been road tested and REGIONAL EXPANSION proven to work on the ground. This helps Government develop To further enhance our TOTAL effective strategies to alleviate knowledge of what is going on 485 the suffering of the poorest in different parts of the country, and prevents policies being and to deepen our relationships developed which are detached with Alliance charities, we from reality. pledge to establish a presence in different regions across the WHAT IS THE CSJ UK. We are very excited to Addiction (50) POVERTY-FIGHTING report that we established our Education (98) ALLIANCE? first regional office in the East Work (56) Midlands in early 2019, and Family (64) Debt (32) The CSJ’s poverty-fighting have begun developing plans Criminal justice (70) Alliance is a group of over 450 for further regional offices Modern slavery (21) charities and social enterprises to be introduced over the Other (94)
8 • Centre for Social Justice “The Alliance tackles the underlying root causes of poverty, not just the symptoms, in their bid to transform lives.”
Vineyard Compassion CSJ Alliance Coleraine Partners map
Tempus Novo Leeds THE PARTNERSHIP Football Beyond Borders PROGRAMME London and North West Chesire Without Abuse Cheshire This year the Centre for Social The Jericho Foundation Prison Voicemail Birmingham Nationwide Justice (CSJ) established a new structure that will enable us to develop closer, more productive, and mutually beneficial relationships School Home Support with key charities and small Purple Shoots South East & North West Wales & South West organisations. The Partnership Fegans Programme is a pivotal part Fredericks Foundation London & South of the new work. Nationwide Street Talk London Every year, new charities from Team Dominica Brighton each of the seven CSJ policy Trevi House South West units will be invited to join the Partnership Programme. These partners are selected through the CSJ Awards process, but also highlight potential new The 2020 inaugural programme with the winners and selected areas of study. kicked off with the Partnership shortlisted charities invited to join. Conference in January The collective voices of the 2020 at our main office in Charities serve as a partner organisations in the Partnership London. This provided an for two years and during this time Programme add credibility to opportunity for new partners will attend the annual conference our message; demonstrating to meet the team, network (January) and the policy area that our ideas are not born with other organisations – advisory board (quarterly meetings). and bred in Westminster, but and crucially – begin directing This gives them the opportunity to are rooted in lived experience the policy agenda through input both into the current research and insight. small group discussions.
Annual Report 2019/20 • 9 THE CSJ AWARDS
The CSJ Awards – in partnership with The Telegraph – is an annual, high profile award ceremony that honours the best grassroot, poverty-fighting charities and social enterprises across the United Kingdom.
The CSJ Awards is an opportunity weekly therapy sessions, including as well as parenting and family for us to publicly recognise and psychotherapy, art therapy and support. Their ‘Even Better celebrate some of the best charities group therapy in 5 hostels, 3 day Families’ intervention creates and social enterprises. Six winners centres and Bronzefield Prison. a family support plan with each receive a £10,000 grant and their To provide continuity the therapy individual receiving tailored support work is showcased in front of an continues when women go and, where safe to do so, supporting influential audience of people who to prison, hospital or rehab. families to work together. are passionate about furthering the cause of social justice in Britain. Cathy Newman, Courtney Lawes, Channel 4 News England Rugby presenter, will Player, will present Usually held in April at an evening present the the Family Award. event attended by hundreds Addiction Award. of leading figures from across the country, this year due to COVID-19 the celebration moved online.
The six charities below are the 2020 Award winners having been recognised for their excellent and impactful work. FAMILY AWARD CRIMINAL MAXIE RICHARDS My CWA JUSTICE AWARD ADDICTION AWARD Prison Voicemail Street Talk My CWA delivers refuge accommodation to victims and Prison Voicemail make it easier Street Talk is a counselling children fleeing domestic abuse. for people in prison to maintain service for women trapped in They work to support every positive relationships with their street-based prostitution and member of the family by offering families by enabling the exchange women who have been victims a range of trauma recovery and of voicemails through existing of trafficking. Street Talk provides behaviour change interventions, prison phones. This gives families
10 • Centre for Social Justice the emotional release of being able FINANCIAL WORK AND to communicate even with differing INCLUSION AWARD WELFARE AWARD schedules. Prisoners simply dial Vineyard Compassion The Jericho Foundation their unique voicemail phone number from any phone to listen Vineyard Compassion meets the The Jericho Foundation help the and reply to voicemails. needs of anyone in poverty in most vulnerable in Birmingham Coleraine, Northern Ireland. This get back on their feet and into Simon Thomas, Former could involve food poverty, debt, work. They use 7 of their in- Blue Peter and Sky worklessness, loneliness or mental house social businesses to give Sports presenter, will present the Criminal ill-health. Vineyard Compassion people work, volunteering and Justice Award help over 5,000 people a year training experience. These social through a variety of services enterprises provide opportunities including: housing for those at for people who would otherwise risk, emergency food, clothing not get the break they need. and household essentials to those They also provide a therapeutic in crisis, as well as debt counselling and supportive work environment and money management support. which focuses on personal Rachel Riley, development and mentoring. Countdown TV Bear Grylls OBE, presenter, will former SAS EDUCATION AWARD present the Financial Servicemen and TV Football Beyond Borders Inclusion Award presenter, will present the Work Award. Football Beyond Borders use football as a catalyst for creating change in the attitude, performance and aspirations of ‘at-risk’ young people in our school system. Football Beyond Borders’ key objective is to engage disadvantaged, vulnerable young people with learning to instil pride, belief in themselves and hope for the future. 800 people access In partnership with Football Beyond Borders each year. They deliver a ‘core schools’ programme weekly in 42 schools. Chris Smalling, England football player, will present WITH THANKS TO the Education Award. Judges: Baroness Eaton DBE, DL; Edward Astle, MA, MBA; Helen Lam; John McCrohan; John Spiers; Josh Babarinde OBE; Madeline Grant; Pamela Dow; Richard Mackay; Stuart Roden; William De Winton; Helena Morrissey DBE. Sponsors: Alex and William de Winton Trust; Marsh; Masonic Charitable Foundation; The Porters’ Trust; Morningside Pharmaceuticals Ltd; Ecclesiastical; Manpower; Timeout Homes.
Annual Report 2019/20 • 11 POLICY OVERVIEW
Looking back, 2019–2020 was a year of two halves. It began with the election of a new Prime Minister, a series of political shocks over Brexit, and culminated in a snap general election, all before Christmas. Since then, the COVID-19 global pandemic has meant anything but business as usual.
However, the creation of specific justice was present in the election The General policy units focused on each process and in the response Election Breadline of our five pathways has provided to COVID-19. Battleground focus and paid dividends in terms of the impact we have been able ELECTION INFLUENCING to achieve. It has meant that despite all that is going on in politics, the The CSJ used the opportunities People CSJ has turned the Government’s of a leadership and general Not Problems attention to the needs of those election to push on many of our suffering from addiction, family historic recommendations that breakdown, lack of educational have not yet been adopted. attainment, worklessness and This led to three politically serious personal debt. targeted papers compiling The Social Justice recommendations from across Blueprint our policy portfolio: The Social Over the last 12 months Justice Blueprint, People Not the CSJ has produced Problems and The General 24 reports and made Election Breadline Battleground. 109 recommendations Coronavirus and Voluntary to Government. As a result, the CSJ Sector Resilience counted 55 of its The following pages highlight policy proposals in how we have continued business the manifestos of major as usual through our policy Domestic Abuse units with great success. But parties in the December and the Lockdown we also responded to the political General Election, 38 of landscape with two different types which were endorsed by of report, ensuring that social the now governing party.
12 • Centre for Social Justice KEY NEWS STORIES THE 5 PATHWAYS
The Daily Telegraph: Through our research we have Without aid, these institutions will not be there identified five pathways to poverty: when we need them
Addiction
Worklessness Educational failure
COVID-19 PAPERS Family Serious breakdown personal debt In the early weeks of lockdown the CSJ was also concerned by a number of reports of specific groups who were experiencing CR extreme hardship. In response D IN IMINA UN L J to this we campaigned on FO US 5 T L IC a number of rapid reports, articles, L E and briefings on subjects including A gambling, excluded children, domestic violence and support for small charities.
The pandemic and our work in this area is ongoing but, at the time of writing, policy recommendations relating Other areas of work directly to the COVID-19 crisis have had an 89% full adoption rate, with the remaining policies being partially adopted. Housing Communities Modern slavery POLICY UNIT: FAMILY
The UK has some of the highest levels of family breakdown in the world, but it is the inequality around family breakdown that should concern policy makers the most.
If you’re a poor child in the UK This is not to demonise lone today, you’re overwhelmingly parents who do an incredible job, KEY NEWS STORIES more likely to see your parents day in day out, but to recognise separate and your family break the evidence that the quality apart than the middle-class child of parental relationships is the down the road. By the age of five primary influence on outcomes The Times Red Box: almost half of children in our for young children and that Forget his private life, poorest areas have seen their family instability is a major Johnson should speak families break apart compared to driver of poverty: a family up for family only 16 per cent of the children in that breaks apart doubles the middle-class homes. likelihood of a child growing up poor. When couples break up, poverty is often not far behind. “Your chances of seeing The Times: your family break apart We need to talk about Delivering shouldn’t be defined by birth absent fathers and crime a Government or circumstance, but too Office For often they are.” Family Policy
The price tag for family breakdown Sunday Express: We need has been estimated at £51bn, a minister for families, but this is a fraction of the likely Family features in work across says Tory MP overall cost in lost productivity our policy portfolio but this year alone: there is a 42 per cent gap we also published a paper looking in employment rates between at how the Government could couple families and lone build an Office for Family Policy parents, just under half of lone similar to the equalities office. parent families are out of work compared to around 6 per cent of couple families.
14 • Centre for Social Justice Fegans CSJ Alliance Partner
IMPACT
Government is expected to publish new guidance on the Family Test, heavily influenced by the CSJ’s recent review of the Test with Steve Double MP and Baroness Eaton.
NNECL (National Network for the Education of Care Leavers) published the draft of a ‘gold standard’ kite mark for care leavers in higher education – a central recommendation of ‘12 by 24’.
The Government agreed to classify domestic abuse workers as key workers during the COVID-19 lockdown in March, allowing their children to attend school.
Annual Report 2019/20 • 15 POLICY UNIT: WORK AND WELFARE
Work remains the best route out of poverty and with employment at record levels there is much to be pleased about. But there is also much work to be done.
Children in households where two The evidence is clear that being adults are in full-time work only unemployed and dependent on KEY NEWS STORIES have a one per cent chance of being the welfare state for a significant in financial poverty compared with period of time can have damaging more than a 64 per cent chance for and lasting implications. children in two-parent households The Telegraph: There is where no adult works. Prioritising Growth more to a Tory recovery The Future Of than Brexit If the head of a household Immigration Policy is employed, this raises the chance of leaving financial poverty in that Ageing CITY AM: Housing crisis household by around Confidently is harming productivity, 40 per cent and reduces Supporting An nearly half of UK the chance of re‑entering Ageing Workforce businesses warn financial poverty by around 50 per cent. Commissioning Excellence While some people claim that In Disability The Telegraph: It’s far work is not always a route out of too simplistic to blame poverty, it is still the best and most lower life expectancy reliable route that there is. Many growth on austerity people need more hours and better This year the CSJ published pay, but the alternative – a life on several major reports on Work benefits – offers no such prospects. and Welfare including: Prioritising Growth and Ageing Confidently, It is only by entering work, finding looking at migration and an ageing hours and progressively better workforce respectively, and employment that people can a deep dive on the commissioning work their way out of poverty. of disability services.
16 • Centre for Social Justice IMPACT
Significant investment (£400m) into FE as recommended in our Future of Work Programme.
A significant number of recommendations from our 2017 paper on productivity finally became government policy including more devolution deals, more funding for FE, increased R+D funding, money for inter-city transport.
In response to the outbreak of COVID-19, the government significantly increased the generosity of Universal Credit (which itself proved to be an incredible success) and rejected widespread calls for an expensive and ineffective Universal Basic Income, based on CSJ work.
Jericho Foundation CSJ Alliance Partner Annual Report 2019/20 • 17 POLICY UNIT: ADDICTION
In July 2018 the CSJ established its first permanent Addiction Unit to ensure that progress is made in this too often ignored area of society.
Addiction profoundly weakens The work laid bare a failing drug British society. 1.6 million people treatment system which left many KEY NEWS STORIES are dependent on alcohol in thousands of addicts trapped in England alone. One in five state-sponsored dependency and children under the age of one offered little help to those with lives with a parent who drinks other addictions. It established hazardously, and one in 40 with that addiction to drugs, alcohol, The Telegraph: Ignore a parent who is addicted to drugs. or gambling was a sure pathway our London-centric to poverty and that only the select political classes – cannabis few could access the help they legalisation is still needed to break free. About 40,000 children a terrible idea have been taken into care because of their parents’ Road To Recovery substance misuse. Addiction fuels family breakdown, worklessness, crime and poor The Daily Mail: Britain’s mental health, destroying drugs disgrace: One out of every three overdose lives and undermining deaths in the EU now communities. happens in the UK, making This year the Addiction it the substance abuse Unit published its landmark capital of Europe Despite well-known solutions, paper Road to Recovery. it is a problem that successive The recommendations which were governments have failed to resolve made in this report were adopted in any significant way. In 2007, in the Conservative manifesto the Centre for Social Justice’s and are due to be rolled out in The Telegraph: Breakthrough Britain report the coming year. Cannabis at risk of being shattered a consensus which ‘decriminalised’ as held little ambition for those with police let users off with an addiction except that they community resolutions be ‘managed’ on substitute drugs.
18 • Centre for Social Justice IMPACT
Following inclusion in the Conservative manifesto, the Government commit to a unified addiction strategy led from the Cabinet Office to include gambling and recovery.
The Government agreed to open a consultation with business, and interested parties, to examine how best to enable those that wish to declare an addiction in the workplace to seek treatment, as recommended in our Road to Recovery report.
In the early days of lockdown, the gambling industry initiated some self-imposed restrictions, following significant campaigning from the CSJ chairman and others.
Government has recently confirmed that its addiction strategy will include six new pilots across the UK, based on the CSJ’s Road to Recovery model.
Vision Housing CSJ Awards Winner 2011 Annual Report 2019/20 • 19 POLICY UNIT: EDUCATION
Educational failure can have a crushing impact on a child’s future – too often it prevents them reaching their potential. This constitutes a social injustice and economic threat as we deprive our country of considerable and diverse talent.
We know that too many used metric for income poverty) of the poorest children start did not achieve these grades. KEY NEWS STORIES school a long way behind their better-off classmates, with some In response to this, our education of the worst cases unable to even system is currently undergoing respond to their own names when extensive and widespread reform, The Telegraph: With starting school. the full effects of which will not an army of helpers, we can be felt for some time. But there save the futures of our is work to do now and so the CSJ Once at school a child most vulnerable children from one of our poorest has been looking at a number areas is 27 times more of different areas to tackle. likely to attend a school rated ‘inadequate’ than The Third Degree a child in one of our The Times: North south wealthiest areas. divide in maths and English results of excluded pupils We also know that too many children leave school unprepared Warming The for work and adult life: last year Cold Spots nearly 40 per cent of children left Of Alternative The Independent: Some school without five good GCSEs Provision pupils have zero chance including English and maths. in mainstream schools. For some children, the reality Alternative provision schools is bleaker still. can give them a chance This year the CSJ has published In the worst English local papers looking at access to higher authorities, more than education, and a manifesto 70 per cent of children on for improving provision for free school meals (a commonly excluded children.
20 • Centre for Social Justice IMPACT
All three major parties pledged an overhaul of school exclusions and alternative school provision in their 2019 general election Manifestos.
In our paper on access to higher education (The Third Degree), the CSJ highlighted that high-achieving, disadvantaged pupils were more likely to be underpredicted grades than those from better-off backgrounds. We recommended that government should replace the current system of admission with one that is built on actual grades, a concept that the government is now considering.
During lockdown, the Government announced a £350 million catch-up package to help disadvantaged pupils recover lost learning. They also gave schools greater flexibility over the definition of vulnerable children so that more schools could stay open and support vulnerable pupils. Football Beyond Borders CSJ Alliance Partner Annual Report 2019/20 • 21 POLICY UNIT: CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Social justice and criminal justice go hand in hand. Not only does crime disproportionately affect poorer communities, but also those who have committed crime are far more likely to suffer from the causes of social breakdown such as drug abuse, poor literacy rates and worklessness.
Criminal sentences – whether Likewise, prisons demand our prison or its alternatives – provide attention, following the recent KEY NEWS STORIES a unique opportunity to intervene rise of deaths in custody, and in the often-chaotic lives of those with gang-related violence involved in criminal activity. increasing, it is vital that we work with communities By creating a just society upstream before sentences The Telegraph: It’ll take and prisons become part where crime rates are more than bobbies on the of the equation at all. low and the public feel beat to restore order to confident about their In Spring 2019 the CSJ lawless Britain safety, community published Control, Order, Hope: cohesion and pride A manifesto for prison safety in local neighbourhoods and reform, a landmark report can flourish. including 58 recommendations to overhaul the prison service The Telegraph: There’s The rehabilitation of offenders including sections on employment, nothing regressive about needs to be at the heart family, maintenance and drugs. promoting tough justice of an effective criminal justice We have been pushing to see system. Embedding rehabilitation each of these recommendations across the criminal justice system become a reality since can provide the basis on which publication, but in recognition the root causes of offending that our prisons do not exist in The Telegraph: Ignore the can be tackled, helping to a vacuum we have now begun confected fury of the reduce the volume and severity a three‑year programme liberal elites – stop-and- of offending and ultimately tracking prisoners through search works improving lives and enabling the system from sentencing a reduction in the size of the through to probation. prison population.
22 • Centre for Social Justice IMPACT
A £100 million commitment to airport-style security arrangements (i.e. body scanners) in prisons. The PM even personally visited one. This is a long-term recommendation and priority of our most recent prisons paper, Control, Order, Hope: A manifesto for prison safety and reform.
The Conservative Party pledged to introduce new police powers to tackle violent crime and exploitation in their 2019 general election Manifesto.
Cracked It CSJ Awards Winner 2018 Annual Report 2019/20 • 23 POLICY UNIT: DEBT
Almost nine million people across the UK struggle with problem debt. The personal cost of this debt can be overwhelming, hitting people’s mental health, their performance at work, and placing a strain on personal relationships.
Serious personal debt is not just This starting point then makes a consequence of poverty, it also it possible to design and deliver KEY NEWS STORIES causes poverty by damaging the the range of financial products ability of people and families to and services required by low- help themselves. Any government income households. must consider how new services ConservativeHome: can be developed to help people In July 2019 we established Damian Hinds: avoid serious personal debt and the CSJ’s first permanent Government has overtaken the damage it can cause. Debt & Financial Inclusion policy the private sector as the unit within the organisation. harshest debt collector We must consider the root causes of problem debt amongst low- income households in the UK Collecting Dust through the lens of their financial capability. For too many years the issues of financial inclusion, Financial Times: Local financial education, financial councils criticised capability, financial resilience, for ‘concerning’ debt affordable credit and debt advice collection tactics have been studied, funded and In April 2020 we published the provided in separate silos. results of its initial research: Collecting Dust. The government has already agreed to look at its Tackling problem debt own debt collection practices in response to this. requires a new positive vision Reaction: Draconian local and a holistic approach council debt collection centred around meeting the is hitting Britain’s wants, needs and choices households hard of people and families.
24 • Centre for Social Justice IMPACT
The Cabinet Office announced a review into government debt collection practices in direct response to the publication of the Collecting Dust report.
The CSJ’s Debt Unit presented the research of our report, Collecting Dust, to the Alternative Lending APPG, the Debt and Personal Finance APPG as well as senior members of the Conservative Party. This regular contact with a range of parliamentarians led to 40 cross-party signatures in support of our proposals made in the report.
Vineyard Compassion CSJ Alliance Partner Annual Report 2019/20 • 25 POLICY UNIT: MODERN SLAVERY
The Modern Slavery Policy Unit is a new joint initiative led by anti-slavery charity Justice and Care UK and the Centre for Social Justice.
Its core mission is to keep The new Modern Slavery modern slavery at the top Policy Unit: KEY NEWS STORIES of the British political agenda and ensure that the UK fights I. Advocates for policy and this crime. This means better legislation that places victims understanding the nature and and their recovery needs scale of modern slavery, increased at its heart. PoliticsHome: Frank Field: investment and a sophisticated May’s work pushing national response proportionate II. Bridges the gap between modern slavery up the to the level of threat. those working to disrupt agenda is to be admired, this crime and support its but victims have also survivors, and decision makers suffered at the hands Using the experience in Westminster, ensuring that of frontline practitioners, voices from the frontline are of the ‘hostile environment’ developing creative heard and heeded. and evidence-based III. Works on a cross-party ideas, fostering a new basis, bringing together and understanding about equipping a strong caucus The Times: Lorry Deaths: the scale of the crime of parliamentarians to lead Britain can stop the and listening to the the fight against slavery. people‑traffickers voices of survivors, the Modern Slavery Policy The first report of the Unit, Unit works to catalyse assessing the prevalence and nature of modern slavery in the political leadership the UK, five years on from needed to achieve the Modern Slavery Act, will systemic change. be published in August 2020.
26 • Centre for Social Justice Annual Report 2019/20 • 27 …AND SO MUCH MORE…
The Cares Family CSJ Alliance Charity
THE CSJ HOUSING out how the Government can of Section 21 of the Housing COMMISSION unlock the potential of housing Act 1988 and the establishment associations to provide life- of specialist housing courts. While the full causes and changing skills programmes consequences of the tragedy for disadvantaged residents. The Commission’s Final Report remain unclear, the fire that on the role of employers was engulfed Grenfell Tower in In October 2018 it published its published in July 2019 and from 2017 shone a spotlight onto the second interim report, A Social it the CSJ has embarked on a new quality of social and affordable Justice Housing Strategy, which housing provision in this country advanced a comprehensive and the living conditions plan to turbocharge the supply Community of the poorest. of truly affordable housing Capital in England. In March 2018, the CSJ established a Commission In March 2019 it published to address this and has been its third interim report, asked to report its findings Putting Down Roots, Housing back to government. In July which proposed radical That Works 2018 it published its first improvements to security for interim report, Social Housing both renting families and private and Employment, which sets landlords, through the repeal
28 • Centre for Social Justice IMPACT
Housing secretary committed branch of work on social and Vineyard Compassion affordable housing. £9.1bn to build “significantly CSJ Alliance Partner more social rented homes” and planning changes to COMMUNITY increase the supply of truly affordable housing. The vote to leave the European Union was a vote to restore a sense of home. Far from The Conservative Party parochial and myopic, a sense pledged to a National of home fosters other important values. It is through a secure Housing First programme connection to families, institutions, to end rough sleeping and and places, that people develop chronic homelessness norms of reciprocity such as There is much more to human in their 2019 general obligation, sacrifice and loyalty. flourishing than paying the bills, election Manifesto. but we need our libraries, village Our Community Capital paper, halls and youth clubs, to restore published last September seeks a sense of home across this to re-orientate a focus on great nation. human assets, contribution and KEY NEWS STORIES wellbeing, as opposed to human It is a policy area that we will deficiency, passivity and lack. also be revisiting in 2021.
ConservativeHome: Imogen Sinclair: Burke offers a solution to the decline of community
ConservativeHome: Joe Shalam: Modern employers are learning the Bournville lesson – better housing for workers benefits them, too
Football Beyond Borders CSJ Alliance Partner
29 • Centre for Social Justice Annual Report 2019/20 • 29 LOOKING FORWARD
IN THE YEAR AHEAD THE CSJ WILL BE REPORTING Working Rite ON FOUR MAJOR CSJ Alliance Charity COMMISSIONS:
1. Disability. Chaired by Lord Shinkwin, The Disability Commission has been set up to help the Government chart a robust, radical and pragmatic way forward for disabled people. Drawing on the insights, expertise and lived experience of its members, to clearly demonstrate that the support offered vulnerable it will develop practical the UK is a deeply hostile children and their parents. recommendations to underpin place for child sexual abusers a winning action plan that to operate and to build OTHER MAJOR delivers for disabled people, a fiercely protective and RESEARCH AREAS businesses and the economy. Its supportive environment WILL INCLUDE: message is simple – ‘Levelling for child and adult victims up: time to get it done’. and survivors. To date, it is • Family – supporting children not clear that this has been on the edge of care 2. Early Years. The Early Years the case. This Commission, • Education – continuing Commission is a joint piece chaired by Rt Hon Sajid work on exclusions and of work with the Fabian Javid MP, will seek to shine alternative provision Society. It aims to focus the a spotlight on one of the • Criminal Justice – tracking policy debate on the early darkest corners of the UK rehabilitation with a focus years of a person’s life, where and map a route forward. on family and work most impact can be made, and • Addiction – review find cross-party consensus on 4. Children in Care. Chaired of existing and required practical and implementable by Danny Kruger MP, the gambling regulation solutions. The Commission is Commission will advocate • Work and Welfare – being chaired by Conservative a whole-family approach to the evolution of Universal Credit MP Edward Timpson and address the crisis in children’s • Debt – enforcement and Labour MP Sharon Hodgson social care. Using the debt collection practices evidence of adverse childhood • Modern Slavery – establishing 3. Child Sexual Abuse and experiences (ACEs) to frame prevalence and boosting Exploitation. Our country more timely and thorough victim support should strive to meet two referrals and assessments, • Communities – rethinking inextricably linked goals: Commissioners aim to improve social centres of the future
30 • Centre for Social Justice IMPACT
Of the 51 policy recommendations published before the lockdown in March, 21 were adopted by government – a 42 per cent success rate. During lockdown, which followed the outbreak of COVID-19, nine in ten of our recommendations made during this period were fully adopted by Government.
Election Manifestos included Rapid response work on the 55 CSJ recommendations outbreak of COVID-19 resulted across the three major in a number of significant CSJ- parties, including 38 for led policy responses: the Conservative Party, where they pledged to: • The Government released £370m to specifically • An overhaul of exclusions and support small charities as part alternative school provision. of a major bailout of the rejected widespread calls for charitable sector. It also an expensive and ineffective • A unified addiction strategy included charities in the Universal Basic Income, based led from the Cabinet Office. furlough scheme. on CSJ work.
• New police powers to tackle • DfE announced broader • The Government agreed violent crime and exploitation. funding for alternative to classify domestic abuse provision schools and workers as key workers during • A National Housing First issued new guidance to the COVID-19 lockdown in programme to end rough support a broader definition March, allowing their children sleeping and chronic of ‘vulnerable children’ than to attend school. homelessness. in its initial policy response. • The gambling industry • £500m • The Government significantly initiated some self-imposed investment increased the generosity restrictions, following in the youth of Universal Credit significant campaigning from services (which itself proved to be the CSJ Chairman and others estate. an incredible success) and in the early days of lockdown.
31 • Centre for Social Justice Annual Report 2019/20 • 31 TRACKING OUR IMPACT
TWO EXAMPLES OF MANY SUCCESSES
GOVERNMENT DEBT COLLECTION 2020
Published major Called for new policy report, Government to Collecting Dust. introduce a Debt Management Bill to transform public sector debt collection, especially in the light of COVID-19’s impact on the economy.
ADDICTION STRATEGY 2019
Published seminal Called for an emphasis Road to Recovery on ‘recovery’, for report based on 150 a central government charity interviews agency and for the across the UK. inclusion of gambling in the strategy.
32 • Centre for Social Justice Significant coverage Regular contact 40 cross-party Government announce in the media with Government signatures in support and trade press. departments and of CSJ proposals and review into government presented to multiple six parliamentary debt collection in APPGs and the CSJ’s questions. Social Justice Caucus. direct response to CSJ Collecting Dust report.
Presented Lobbied for Following inclusion The government recommendations recommendations in the Conservative directly to Number 10 through the manifesto, announces six UK and held meetings with CSJ’s Chairman, the Government treatment sites to pilot the Secretary of State targeted media output committed for Health, the Home and report distributed to a unified addiction the new approach Secretary, and their across parties. strategy led from Special Advisors. the Cabinet Office to include gambling and ‘recovery’.
33 • Centre for Social Justice Annual Report 2019/20 • 33 FINANCIAL UPDATE
2019/20 IN NUMBERS… In 2019/20 the Centre for Social from £1,935,982 in 2018/19 as outlined through this Justice received contributions to £1,970,181 in 2019/20, with annual report – as we continue of £2,217,782 from 106 different the most significant growth being on our mission to put social justice sources. This represents in our Alliance. This growth has at the heart of British Politics. an 8% growth from 2018/19. enabled the organisation to deliver Our expenditure grew by 2% more impact than ever before –
PRIVATE DONORS TRUSTS & FOUNDATIONS £ 906,157 (41%) £ 1,100,729 (50%) Number of sponsors: 62 Number of sponsors: 26 Income
2019/20 CORPORATE CHARITIES £198,396 (9%) £12,500 (1%) Number of sponsors: 16 Number of sponsors: 2
POLICY of States, Ministers and senior backbench £1,036,476 (53%) MPs taking part in policy discussions and We published 24 reports and hosted 34 events. We also secured nearly £7 billion events. We made 109 recommendations, of Government investment (£6.2bn 40 of these recommendations were in policy reshaping and £667m in ideas included in the major parties’ general from our frontline charities). election manifesto. We appeared before Expenditure 4 select committees; we ran 3 roundtables; polled over 3000 members of the public CORE COSTS 2019/20 to gain their views on various issues. £331,829 (17%) Expenditure to support 30 members of staff to deliver all that we do. IMPACT £234,486 (12%) 42% of our policy recommendations were ALLIANCE fully or partially adopted by Government £367,390 (19%) and over 75% of recommendations that we 364 small charities engaged through made in direct response to the COVID-19 our poverty-fighting Alliance, 18 of which pandemic were adopted by Government. took part in our Partnership Programme. We hosted 216 different meetings and We opened our first regional office in the We positioned 12 Alliance representatives briefings for Ministers and MPs; achieved East Midlands and have begun developing on high level panels / roundtables, an average of 18 media appearances / plans for further regional offices to be saw national press coverage on all mentions per month; with Secretaries introduced over the next 12 months. six Award winners.
34 • Centre for Social Justice PARTNERING WITH US
The CSJ is proud to have made an impact in the fight against poverty and social breakdown. The job, however, is far from done.
Despite being one of the richest countries in the world, poverty is endemic throughout Britain. The COVID-19 crisis has put huge strains on public services, businesses, and people. Unsurprisingly the most vulnerable in our society are most at risk and will be the hardest hit by the pandemic.
At the same time, the opportunity to set a bold agenda to reform the lives of those growing up in Britain’s poorest neighbourhoods as we emerge from the pandemic has never been greater. The CSJ has the expertise and the passionate commitment to solving these deep-rooted social injustices, but we need help to do so, now more than ever before.
The CSJ is a not-for-profit organisation and we pride ourselves on our independence. Our work involves persuading the Government to change its policies and laws, and therefore we do not take any Government money.
Instead, we are reliant on the contributions of individual private supporters, corporate sponsors and trusts and foundations, who share our commitment to putting social justice at the heart of British politics.
None of what we do would be possible without the great generosity of our supporters. We would be deeply grateful if you would consider joining us in the fight against poverty. Our fight against poverty is as pressing and vital as it has ever been, and your help will make a real difference to our ability to change lives and transform communities.
If you would like to hear more, or contribute to the CSJ’s work, please do contact our Development Director: [email protected]
The Centre for Social Justice Kings Buildings 16 Smith Square, Westminster London, SW1P 3HQ t: +44 (0) 20 3150 2326 Twitter: @csjthinktank www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk
Annual Report 2019/20 • 35 OUR INFLUENCE The CSJ is recognised by many as a leading think tank.
“As a Secretary of State I have “Social justice is at the root “I am proud to be working really valued the big ideas of so many of the campaigns with the CSJ. It has been the CSJ brings to the table. that I have worked on since refreshing to work alongside Their reports are always a must I first became an MP, and an organisation that is driven read for anyone looking to indeed before that. I have by impact and a desire tackle the big issues we face been and honoured to work to make real change, as a country. They really do alongside the CSJ over the where it counts.” put social justice at the heart past year, promoting their COURTNEY LAWES, ENGLAND of British politics.” work finding common goals as RUGBY UNION PLAYER RT HON THÉRÈSE COFFEY MP, we all seek to fight injustice, SECRETARY OF STATE FOR tackle poverty and help our THE DEPARTMENT OF WORK AND PENSIONS communities break the cycle of devastation caused by unemployment, low incomes, crime, addiction and debt. The CSJ really are making “The CSJ has shown a difference to the lives a willingness to bring MPs of real people and I look together from across different “The CSJ is the ‘go to’ think forward to continuing to parties on important issues tank for anyone looking work with them to improve that matter. I welcome their for big ideas and policy outcomes for these people cross party approach to solutions. They put their mind by tackling the causes achieving change and their to the big issues and come of social injustice.” work as one of Westminster’s up with answers. As a new CAROLYN HARRIS MP, LABOUR leading think tanks.” MP they have been a huge MP FOR SWANSEA EAST AND RT HON STEPHEN TIMMS MP, PARLIAMENTARY PRIVATE LABOUR MP FOR EAST HAM, resource of facts and figures SECRETARY TO THE LEADER CHAIRMAN OF THE WORK & on the things I want to talk OF THE OPPOSITION PENSIONS COMMITTEE about in Parliament.” SIOBHAN BAILLIE MP, CONSERVATIVE MP FOR STROUD
36 • Centre for Social Justice designbysoapbox.com THE CENTRE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE Kings Buildings 16 Smith Square Westminster London, SW1P 3HQ t: +44 (0) 20 3150 2326 Twitter: @csjthinktank www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk