Society press releases

A man with white hair does his finances with a calculator

Costs for minimum retiree needs have fallen while moderate and comfortable standards see modest rises

The latest update of the Retirement Living Standards (RLS) shows a decrease in the cost of the minimum retirement lifestyle, down to Ā£21,600 per year for a two-person household, due to the impact of lower energy prices and changes in the publicā€™s expectations for this standard.
Primary age children sitting around a teacher

It costs Ā£1,000-a-year to send your child to state primary school and Ā£2,300 for secondary school - new report

New research reveals that families in the UK must now cover minimum annual education costs of over Ā£1,000 for a primary school child and nearly Ā£2,300 for a secondary school pupil ā€“ a sharp rise that far outpaces inflation and earnings growth since 2022.
strawberry milkshake in a cup

ā€œFor ā€˜sugar taxā€™ to be truly effective, it must be part of a greater food reformā€ ā€“ expert calls for bigger changes within ā€˜overwhelmingly complex and often misleading food environmentā€™

The government announced last week that they are consulting on proposals to extend the sugar tax that is currently applied to fizzy drinks, to include pre-packaged milk-based drinks, as well as non-dairy substitutes such as oat or rice milks.

a child and woman smile at each other

How dentists could help tackle obesity in children

As a specialty registrar in paediatric dentistry, Iā€™ve seen first-hand the pain children experience because of poor oral health. Tooth decay happens when teeth are damaged by acids produced by oral bacteria breaking down sugar from foods and drinks ā€“ and although itā€™s largely preventable ā€“ itā€™s the most common reason forĀ hospital admissionĀ in children aged between five and nine in England.
a child, head bowed, with phone in hand

Hit TV series Adolescence: ā€œyour child could receive these types of online messages. It's not out of the ordinaryā€ ā€“ Ā鶹ֱ²„ University expert says (VIDEO)

The hit Netflix series, Adolescence, which delivers a hard-hitting storyline around a social media-fuelled killing and the influence of incel subculture, has highlighted the very real concerns children and young people face navigating the online world.Ā 
Woman checking bill sat wrapped up warm

Energy bills and debt are rising yet again ā€“ here are three things that would help vulnerable households

Energy prices are rising faster than benefits, wages or pensions, meaning the amount that UK households owe to energy suppliers ā€“ their energy debt ā€“ is also likely to grow.
close up of person using a wheelchair

ā€œDisabled people are already financially disadvantaged ā€“ health-related benefits are essential to many that receive them" - Living standards expert explains the implications of planned welfare cuts

The government has now confirmed their plans, unveiled last week (18 March), to deliver Ā£4.8 billion in savings by making changes to the welfare system. These changes are presented as the largest reform to the countryā€™s welfare system for a generation.
five people sat on stools having a panel discussion

Ā鶹ֱ²„ University selected as a UK Sport Social Impact Partner

Ā鶹ֱ²„ University has been announced as one of UK Sportā€™s first-ever Event Social Impact Partners with the aim of using major events to drive positive change.
Turkish flag being held up in crowd

Turkey: a favourable international climate is spurring Erdoğanā€™s crackdown on democracy

The Turkish judiciary has finally succeeded in sidelining Istanbulā€™s mayor, Ekrem Ä°mamoğlu, at the fourth attempt. On the morning of March 19, the 53-year-old posted a video on social media announcing that police had arrived at his home to arrest him on charges of corruption, aiding a terrorist organisation and organised crime.
shadows of people playing football in the sunset

The worldā€™s first global thematic report on sport trafficking unveils critical insights into exploitation

Ā鶹ֱ²„ University, in partnership with Mission 89 and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association UK Branch of the British Parliament, has released the first-ever comprehensive global thematic report on sport trafficking.
A piggy bank with plasters on it

New report shows 24 million people in the UK are below minimum socially acceptable living standards

New research reveals a sharp rise in the number of individuals in the UK living in households with incomes below the Minimum Income Standard (MIS).
The team at Ā鶹ֱ²„'s Centre for Research in Social Policy

Ā鶹ֱ²„ā€™s research into living standards secures four more years of funding from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Ā鶹ֱ²„ā€™s Centre for Research in Social Policy (CRSP) has secured a further four-year partnership with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) to continue its work defining socially acceptable standards of living.
An Edinburgh skyline

Latest Cost of a Child in Scotland research finds costs outstripping additional Holyrood support for families

A huge gap remains between the cost of raising a child in Scotland and actual family incomes, despite the significant impact of Scottish government policies and lower childcare costs.

Pound coins sitting on top of a food reciept

Families falling further away from meeting minimum acceptable standards of living

Ahead of the PMā€™s promised ā€˜resetā€™, including a focus on improved living standards, Child Poverty Action Groupā€™s cost of a child calculations show that for the first time since the research started in 2008, all family types on low and modest incomes are unable to meet their costs or reach what the public deems a minimum acceptable living standard.
money and a calculator

Apprenticeships for young people could negatively impact family benefits ā€“ new report

Families could lose around Ā£80-a-week in child benefit and the child element of Universal Credit (UC) if a young person over 16 starts an apprenticeship instead of staying in full-time education.
A hand on a radiator - the room looks cold

Number of people dying in poverty increases by 19% in four years

The number of people dying in poverty has increased by 19% in the past four years, according to a new report created by Ā鶹ֱ²„ University for the end of life charity Marie Curie.
A busy London street with Big Ben in the distance

New rights for UK workers are unlikely to put enough money in the pockets of those who need it

Sarah was in a comfortable job, working for an archaeology business before being diagnosed with cancer. Much of her 20-year career had left her with reliable employment rights in the civil service.
Image from an MRI scan showing a human face pointing to the left and the human brain can be seen.

Expert explainer: Why identifying lifestyle changes and treatments that reduce dementia risk is complicated

Studies that find a reduction in dementia risk through lifestyle changes and treatments are frequently reported in the news.

Public now think access to private health services is a necessary expense for households due to NHS delays

For the first time, the British public has deemed it necessary to set aside a budget for private health treatments ā€“ reflecting the challenges of accessing some NHS services.
A drawing of a man and woman stood inside a circle made up of the UN Sustainable Development Goals icons.

Ā鶹ֱ²„ ranked first in Europe and 7th globally for advancing decent work and economic growth

The Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings have placed Ā鶹ֱ²„ University first in the UK and Europe, and 7th globally for advancing Decent Work and Economic Growth ā€“ the United Nationsā€™ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8.
an aerial shot of Ā鶹ֱ²„'s campus with the logos of the University and Sikh Games overlaid

Ā鶹ֱ²„ University appointed inaugural UK host of Sikh Games

The Sikh Games has selected Ā鶹ֱ²„ University as its inaugural UK host for this summerā€™s milestone multi-sport event.
Girl drinking wine alone in her home

Minimum pricing for alcohol helped curb demand during COVID lockdown

Minimum pricing can be very effective in reducing demand for cheap high-strength alcohol amid concerns about affordability fuelling problematic drinking - according to a study on the impact of the measure during the COVID lockdown.
A teddy bear on a bed

New research highlights child poverty as critical election issue

A staggering two-thirds (66%) of new constituencies for the General Election have at least a quarter of children living in poverty, reveals a new study by Ā鶹ֱ²„ University for the End Child Poverty Coalition.

Student looks at his piggy bank while holding a hammer

New report shows students studying outside London need Ā£18,600 to have an acceptable standard of living

A major new report shows, for the first time, how much students need to have a minimum acceptable standard of living.

A blind man sitting with his dog

A quarter of blind and partially sighted people miss out on their disability benefits

New research from the Centre for Research in Social Policy at Ā鶹ֱ²„ University, produced for RNIB, reveals that more than one in four blind and partially sighted people (83,000) miss-out on the disability benefits theyā€™re entitled to.