Justin Welby: Food banks users ‘aren’t scroungers’
The Archbishop of Canterbury has criticised Conservative ministers for dividing the nation to justify their welfare reforms
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Archbishop of Canterbury has criticised Conservative ministers for dividing the nation into “scroungers and strivers” as they justify their welfare reforms.
The Most Rev Justin Welby also accused Lord Freud, the Welfare Reform minister, of getting his facts wrong after he suggested that the Government’s squeeze on benefits was not responsible for the growth in food banks. Lord Freud said last week: “It is difficult to know which came first – supply or demand.”
The Archbishop pointed to a Church of England analysis showing that in Durham, 35 per cent of people using food banks were referred by social services because they were entitled to benefit that had not been paid. A similar figure was cited by charities after the Chancellor, George Osborne, announced that the unemployed would have to wait for seven days before they could claim jobseeker’s allowance. Dr Welby added: “Maybe he [Lord Freud] has different figures but those were certainly the figures we kept in the churches … We are very strict about our statistics and we don’t just hand out food – you have to be referred.”
He told BBC Radio 4 it was important not to use “derogatory language”, adding: “I think there is a danger … that people are categorised, that all people on benefit are seen as scroungers and that’s clearly completely untrue.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments