Impact of austerity

We’re hearing shocking accounts from communities of how they are reeling from the public sector cuts with queues lengthening for food hand-outs, homelessness and a lack of opportunities for young people.

Read the Guardian feature on the experiences of Locality’s members and the people they work with.

Impact of austerity with Joseph Rowntree Foundation

We know these issues are widespread and are not going away. With help from Locality, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation is carrying out further research into how communities are being affected and has commissioned journalist Mary O’Hara to write up some of these stories to bring attention to the human cost of austerity policies.

Mary O’Hara’s stories will be appearing in the Guardian.  They will also be featured on our site and we’d welcome your comments and feedback.

Braunstone Foundation, Leicester

Read the first story, Mary’s visit to Locality member the Braunstone Foundation in Leicester to find out how their food bank is helping people cope with the rising cost of living.

St Peter’s Partnerships in Manchester

In her second report, Mary went to Locality members St Peter’s Partnerships in Manchester, where cuts and welfare reforms are biting hard.

Goodwin Development Trust, Hull

The third report is from Hull, where Mary talked to staff from the Goodwin Development Trust and local residents about the impact the cuts are having on their daily lives.

Bromley-by-Bow Centre

Read Mary O’Hara’s fourth austerity report, about the growing demand for debt advice ‘at the sharp end of austerity’ at the Bromley-by-Bow Centre in East London.

Southmead Development Trust, Bristol

“Demand for all our services is increasing rapidly but the resources are decreasing rapidly” Mary O’Hara’s fifth report is from the Southmead Estate in Bristol.

Northern Ireland

Communities in Cookstown, Derry-Londonderry and inner-city Belfast talk to Mary O’Hara in her sixth report into the cost of austerity.

Croxteth, Liverpool

Residents from Croxteth, Liverpool speak to Mary about mounting debt and the effect of austerity in their neighbourhood, in her seventh report.

Normanton, Derby

Locality member Jet has seen numbers seeking employment advice at its Job Club rise from 400 to 4,000 in the past year, in Mary O’Hara’s eight report.

The impact of austerity in Birmingham and Tottenham

Locality produced a film with the Birmingham Settlement, Selby Trust and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation which was shown at Locality’s convention.