November 2024 | Fair Point | abrdn Financial Fairness Trust Newsletter

29 November 2024
Tax and… 
Can it only be a month since the Budget? It’s true what they say about a week being a long time in politics. Our Policy Advisor, Donald Hirsch, has been considering tax rises and has some recommendations for policy-makers: If we need more taxes, let’s do more to make them fairer.
…spending 
The Trust is pleased to share news of five new grants, partnerships have been agreed with Women’s Equality Network (WEN) Wales, University of Strathclyde (Fraser of Allander Institute), Queen Mary University of London, Nest Insight and the Institute for Fiscal Studies.
Find out more about the new grants

Fair pay calls
The High Pay Centre published their Charter for Fair Pay this month. They also conducted polling on workers’ rights.
Read the Charter

Repairing the safety net
It’s no secret that the UK’s welfare safety net income levels are too low. This month we published updates on how this could be improved. 
Improving the safety net through long term growth

Rising interest rates have shrunk the wealth gaps between typical young and older households by £86,000
Wealth gaps between young and older households widened in the decade running up to the pandemic, but rising interest rates have put this into reverse – with the average wealth gap between households in their 30s and 60s falling by £86,000 over the past five years, according to new Resolution Foundation research. 
Read their recommendations

EVENT: Challenges for the means-tested benefit system for older people
 11 December 2024 from 10:00 to 11:30
At this online event, Institute for Fiscal Studies researchers will present new evidence highlighting key issues with the benefit system around retirement age. The event is part of the Pensions Review - led by the IFS and in partnership with the abrdn Financial Fairness Trust - which is a multi-year project reviewing the future of financial security in retirement. 
Register here

Funding application deadline
The next funding deadline is 5th February 2025. If you have an idea on how we can improve living standards for people on low-to-middle incomes, get in touch. Find out more about what we fund and read our guidelines