A Benefit Cap at Christmas?

 

Before you you read this please know that I am not intending this to be political or biased towards any  class of person, my intentions are purely to encourage people to love more and help one another.

Today thousands and thousands of families and lone parents face dealing with huge cuts in their benefits, regardless of their social status I believe that as Christians, and also as compassionate human beings we should be encouraged to love and help eachother and this is a time when people really need help.

“Research by the Chartered Institute of Housing suggests 320,000 children will be affected (estimating 115,000 households are impacted) with families losing up to £100 a week” this was taken from this BBC article printed today. I work 40 hours a week and I know I couldn’t afford to pay for everything  if our income went down by such an amount so to me whether a person is working or unable to work now is irrelevant, it is weeks before Christmas and thousands of families with children are having to face potential homelessness or at very least huge cut backs.

I came across this illustration also from C.S. Lewis, One day, Lewis and a friend were walking down the road and came upon a street person who reached out to them for help. While his friend kept walking, Lewis stopped and proceeded to empty his wallet. When they resumed their journey, his friend asked, “What are you doing giving him your money like that? Don’t you know he’s just going to go squander all that on ale?” Lewis paused and replied, “That’s all I was going to do with it.” Whether you believe in stereotypes or not, our morning coffee or trip out for lunch occasionally is a luxury, one that many can’t afford right now and that is why I chose this quote. Some will always assume a stereotypical attitude and that is why I’m not intending to write politically, instead I am writing from a place of compassion and empathy less than 50 days before Christmas. Because there are so many children and families that regardless of that stereotype and whether they fit, need extra help now.

I’m not saying we should go and give everything we have (as much as that would be amazing), but even a small thing can make a huge difference to one of those families right now.

Foodbanks are incredible sources of help that are being used more and more, however they are not government funded. If we all bought something small on top of our shop that would go a long way to helping those who already need help plus these extra thousands of families.

As well as normal grocery shopping  please consider donating something fun like an advent calendar or selection box (or even small toys), these type of things may only cost you and I less than our morning coffee but they make a huge difference to a family at the bottom of their bank balance.

Local churches and children’s centres often do toy drives and contact the relevant authorities to distribute those.

As Christians we are meant to love our neighbours and surely that means helping them too? But regardless of your faith or beliefs we all have the ability to make a huge difference.

Call me old fashioned but I truly believe that it does take a village to raise a child, and right now I’m asking everyone to become that village and help in anyway we can to lessen the impact of this cap on those that really need help.

We cannot raise a future generation of leaders whilst knowing more and more of them are edging into poverty, so please consider giving up just a few pounds (or even time volunteering for those organisations that can help) and help to soften the blow for these families this Christmas.

Kirsty

No one has ever become poor by giving: Anne Frank