The Female Face of Poverty: Examining the causes and consequences of economic deprivation for women
This is a report about the causes of poverty among women and the consequences that poverty has on women’s lives. It is part of a collaboration between the Women’s Budget Group (WBG) and five women’s organisations in Coventry to improve the support they...
Welcome to
The Women’s Budget Group
The Women’s Budget Group scrutinises government policy from a gender perspective. We are a network of leading feminist economists, researchers, policy experts and campaigners committed to achieving a more gender equal future. We have worked towards this since 1989.
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The Women’s Budget Group
Women’s Budget Group is an independent, not-for-profit that monitors the impact of government policies on men and women. We put forward policies for a more gender equal future and build the capacity of women and women’s groups to participate in economic debates.
Exploring the Economic Impact of Brexit on Women
The WBG believes that there is strong evidence that the overall impact of Brexit on UK GDP will be negative and that a no deal ‘Hard Brexit’ would be the most damaging. This would have serious implications for women as workers, consumers and (if the Government...
The Female Face of Poverty: Examining the causes and consequences of economic deprivation for women
This is a report about the causes of poverty among women and the consequences that poverty has on women’s lives. It is part of a collaboration between the Women’s Budget Group (WBG) and five women’s organisations in Coventry to improve the support they...
Submission to the Public Accounts Committee Universal Credit inquiry
The Women’s Budget Group is pleased to be able to submit this response to the Public Accounts Committee Inquiry into Universal Credit. Read and download our full submission here. This submission gives an overview of the gender impact of Universal Credit, focusing on...
Universal Credit and financial abuse: exploring the links
A new report from the Women’s Budget Group, End Violence Against Women Coalition and Surviving Economic Abuse. As Universal Credit continues to roll out nationally, this new report raises concerns that Universal Credit payments which are paid into one bank account for...
PRESS RELEASE: Spring Statement 2018
13 March 2018 For immediate release You can download a PDF of the press release here. In response to the Spring Statement Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson, Director of the UK Women’s Budget Group said today The Chancellor claimed that ‘there is light at the end of the tunnel’...
Briefing paper: Universal Credit and financial abuse
You can download a PDF version of the briefing here. We are releasing a full report on the issue, due out in May. Key points The default system of paying Universal Credit as a single monthly payment to a couple can give abusive partners further opportunities to exert...
Feminist Budget Takeover
On Monday 11th December the government has the opportunity to put fairness at the heart of our tax and benefit system. Stella Creasy MP, has put forward an amendment to the most recent budget asking the government to commit to analysing how its plans...
PRESS RELEASE: A chancellor tinkering at the margins: Women’s Budget Group response to Autumn Budget 2017
You can view and download a full version of the Women’s Budget Group’s response to the November 2017 Budget here. This was a Budget marked by gloomy economic forecasts from the OBR. GDP is now projected to be 2% lower than previously predicted by 2022...
Autumn 2017 budget ‘tinkering at the margins’ says Women’s Budget Group
22 November 2017 For immediate release In response to the 2017 Budget, Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson, Director of the UK Women’s Budget Group said today: ‘There were too many areas in the budget today where the chancellor chose to tinker at the margins of problems...
Universal Credit: A briefing from the UK Women’s Budget Group
View and download a PDF of the briefing here.. The Chancellor has announced that the waiting time for Universal Credit payments will be cut from six weeks. This is welcome news, but fails to address the many other significant problems that exist with...
“Taxing Families” debate: Fran Bennett on the case for independent taxation
The Chartered Institute of Taxation and the Institute for Fiscal Studies held a joint event on 26 June 2018 on ‘Taxing Families – 30 years after the introduction of independent taxation, have we got it right?’. Fran Bennett, member of the Women’s Budget Group, was one...
Gender Responsive Budgeting Reception
Please join the Women’s Budget Group at a reception to celebrate our work and launch Women Count: A casebook on gender responsive budgeting Wednesday 19 September 2018 6.00 pm – 9.00 pm The Living Room, City Hall, London, SE1 2AA The last few...
AGM 2018
We warmly invite all members to join us for our AGM, which this year takes place at City Hall in London. Date: Wednesday 19 September 2018 Time: 4pm – 5.30pm Location: The Living Room, City Hall, The Queen's Walk, London, SE1 2AA Join the staff team,...
Universal Credit and financial abuse: exploring the links
3.00-4.00pm Wednesday 12 September House of Commons, Committee Room 12 The Women’s Budget Group (WBG), End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW) and Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA) invite you to discuss the findings of our new report: Universal Credit and Financial...
PRESS RELEASE: Universal Credit risks increasing women’s vulnerability to financial abuse, say women’s groups
Women’s Budget Group, Surviving Economic Abuse & the End Violence Against Women Coalition FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 19 JUNE 2018 Universal Credit risks increasing women's vulnerability to financial abuse, say women's groups “More money may go straight...
WAITING LIST: Report Launch: The Female Face of Poverty – examining the causes and consequences of economic deprivation for women
6.30-8.00pm Wednesday 18th July House of Lords, Committee Room 3A We are now operating a waiting list for this event. If you would like to attend please contact sara.reis@wbg.org.uk to join the waiting list. We will let you know as soon as possible if a...
Evidence submitted to the Work and Pensions Select Committee Inquiry: Universal Credit and Domestic Abuse
On 18 April 2018, the Work and Pensions Committee held a one-off evidence session on the potential impact of the way Universal Credit must be paid as a single payment to a household, rather than to individual claimants, on survivors of domestic abuse. The...
Guest blog: Brexit, Work and Women
Agnes Norris Keiller is a research economist at the Institute for Fiscal Studies. She is currently researching the labour market impacts of future trade policy scenarios in work funded under the ESRC's UK in a Changing Europe initiative. With less than a year until...
APPG on Responsible Taxation: Why does tax matter for equality between women and men?
2 pm Tuesday 12 June 2018 The Wilson Room, Portcullis House The APPG on Responsible Taxation and the Women’s Budget Group invite you to: Why does tax matter for equality between women and men? A fair tax system is critical to ensuring gender equality and...
The gender pay gap: myth-busting!
Last week saw the deadline for UK employers with 250 or more employees to publish their gender pay gap data. Over 10,000 businesses reported payroll figures comparing the average pay of men and women within their organisation. At first glance, it isn’t pretty....