WBG responds to the Spending Review

Speaking in response to the Spending Review WBG Director Mary-Ann Stephenson said:

This was promised as the Spending Review that ended austerity. And with an election likely in the next few weeks we saw a welcome increase in spending in some areas. But this wasn’t enough to make up for the damage by 10 years of austerity, which has hit women, particularly lone parents, disabled and BME women the hardest.

The extra money on education is urgently needed: 91% of schools have lost funding since 2015. But the devil is in the detail. The chancellor’s promise to prioritise schools that have been “traditionally underfunded” means schools in richer areas will benefit with disadvantaged school likely to get less.

With Social Care in crisis and one in eight people with unmet care needs, the £1.5 billion in extra funding is very welcome but is still not enough to meet the impact of years of funding cuts and rising demand. Just to meet the level of spending in 2009/ 20120, when social care was already underfunded needs an increase in spending of £6.4 billion.

We now know that the end of austerity just means no more cuts. But the women who have been hit the hardest won’t believe that austerity has ended until they see an improvement in the public services they rely on. This needs sustained investment and not just short-term pre- election promises.

 Media enquiries: 

Thaira Mhearban: thaira.mhearban@wbg.org.uk / 07838 222067/ Communications Officer

Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson: maryann.stephenson@wbg.org.uk / 07957 338582/ Director

About Women’s Budget Group

The Women’s Budget Group (WBG) is an independent network of leading academic researchers, policy experts and campaigners. Our vision is of a caring economy that promotes equality between women and men.