INCREASE INCOMES
Ensuring everyone can afford the essentials by increasing the social security minimum.
Change the law so that the standard rates of Universal Credit are set by an independent committee annually at a rate reflecting the cost of essentials for disabled and non-disabled people to ensure the social security system provides a genuine safety net.
Decent wages and conditions for all with fair pay agreements across the economy.
Implement fair pay agreements in sectors such as retail and childcare to improve workers’ terms and conditions and drive down in-work poverty. Increase the National Minimum Wage to the Real Living Wage for all workers, regardless of their age, and then ensure the Low Pay Commission reviews it annually to set it at 75% of median wages. Also ensure all workers have the right to a contract which reflects their hours worked and pay for shifts cancelled within 4 weeks notice.
REDUCE COSTS
Cutting energy bills by introducing fairer bills, cracking down on profiteering and shifting to ownership for the public benefit.
Shift the ownership structures within the energy network towards public benefit and direct accountability, including the nationalisation of distribution networks. Use social energy tariffs to bring down energy bills for the majority, including all low-income households and those in fuel poverty.
Bringing down housing costs with large-scale social housebuilding and private sector rent controls.
Bring down spiralling housing costs with large-scale social housing provision, starting at 90,000 per year, addressing both supply shortages and affordability challenges. This is to be supplemented by rent controls which limit rent increases or levels to improve affordability, which would provide immediate relief before the benefits of the housebuilding programme can be felt. In the very short term, linking Local Housing Allowance at 30% of median rents and updating it annually will bring down rents for the most vulnerable.
FAIRER AND BETTER TAXES ON WEALTH
Generating billions through more and better taxes on wealth, targeting the super rich, fossil fuels and banks.
Raise over £40 billion each year for our public services by increasing taxes for millionaires and on corporations who produce fossil fuels, financial services and digital services. These are the richest individuals and companies - those making huge profits while causing real harm to our economy, people, and planet.
