The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed and exacerbated inequalities within our economy and society. Women, particularly the poorest women, Black and minority ethnic women, disabled women, lone parents and young women have been badly hit. This Budget was a missed opportunity to address these inequalities.
Far from putting us in a better position to deal with Covid-19, as the Chancellor claimed, the austerity policies of the last ten years have made us less able to cope. Years of cuts and underspending on health, education, local government and public services left our social infrastructure weakened and made us more vulnerable to the impacts of the pandemic. The Budget did little to address this.
This press release looks at lack of mention of social care, childcare, income and poverty, VAWG services, housing and tax in any real detail.