Society press releases

Woman checking bill sat wrapped up warm

Energy bills and debt are rising yet again – 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 – their energy debt – is also likely to grow.
close up of person using a wheelchair

“Disabled people are already financially disadvantaged – 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 £4.8 billion in savings by making changes to the welfare system. These changes are presented as the largest reform to the country’s welfare system for a generation.
five people sat on stools having a panel discussion

Loughborough University selected as a UK Sport Social Impact Partner

Loughborough University has been announced as one of UK Sport’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 Erdoğan’s crackdown on democracy

The Turkish judiciary has finally succeeded in sidelining Istanbul’s mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, 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 world’s first global thematic report on sport trafficking unveils critical insights into exploitation

Loughborough 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 Loughborough's Centre for Research in Social Policy

Loughborough’s research into living standards secures four more years of funding from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Loughborough’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 PM’s promised ‘reset’, including a focus on improved living standards, Child Poverty Action Group’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 – new report

Families could lose around £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 Loughborough 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 – 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.

Loughborough ranked first in Europe and 7th globally for advancing decent work and economic growth

The Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings have placed Loughborough University first in the UK and Europe, and 7th globally for advancing Decent Work and Economic Growth – the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8.
an aerial shot of Loughborough's campus with the logos of the University and Sikh Games overlaid

Loughborough University appointed inaugural UK host of Sikh Games

The Sikh Games has selected Loughborough University as its inaugural UK host for this summer’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 Loughborough 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 £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 Loughborough University, produced for RNIB, reveals that more than one in four blind and partially sighted people (83,000) miss-out on the disability benefits they’re entitled to.
A mobile phone with the words Fake News on the screen

Election disinformation: how AI-powered bots work and how you can protect yourself from their influence

Social media platforms have become more than mere tools for communication. They’ve evolved into bustling arenas where truth and falsehood collide.
German flag surrounded by cannabis plants

Germany decriminalised cannabis: why the UK should consider doing the same

The German government has approved new legislation which decriminalises cannabis.
Four hands hold up exercise equipment, a water bottle and an apple to demonstrate a healthy lifestyle

New funding secures future for ‘life changing’ veterans’ support programme

A mental wellbeing support programme for military veterans, created by Loughborough University and the Royal Air Forces Association, has secured further funding.
A kid on a laptop

Millions do not meet minimum standard for digital social inclusion

Nearly four million households with children in the UK do not meet the Minimum Digital Living Standard (MDLS), according to new research.
A hand holding a radiator

New report reveals millions on low incomes face poverty ‘tipping point’ as they struggle to pay for essentials

Four out of five people with incomes below the minimum level are in debt due to household bills, according to a new study.