Women’s equality in the UK – A health check

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Case study: 57
“As a civil servant I haven’t had a pay rise for three years, but each January, my costs go
up. Bus fares go up, train fares go up, petrol is constantly fluctuating up and down at the
moment, food obviously … so when I buy food now it’s got to be stuff I know we’re going to
eat – nothing can go in the bin.”
Dionne, mother of two, London
The fuel duty freeze benefits women far less than men (because women are far less likely to
own cars), and lone mothers and single female pensioners the least. 58 Ironically the cost of
extending the fuel tax giveaway until August 2011 - £975m - was exactly the same amount the
Chancellor saved in 2012-13 by not introducing the above-inflation increase in the child element
of the CTC.
Case study: 59
“I look at the amount of food I used to buy: I could spend £10 or £15 a week, and I would
have loads of food; now, when I look at it, I have half a bag of food. And I don’t want to buy
stodgy white bread, because it’s processed food. You want to keep your diet to a good
standard.”
Jo, unemployed, Bradford
Case study: 60
Andrea is a single mother of three in Newport, South Wales, the youngest being two years
old. She feels that the cost of food, electricity and gas, and clothes has risen sharply. She
has to budget more and more carefully when she goes shopping, and can no longer afford
to buy treats for the children without thinking twice. “I have to think a lot more about where
the money goes. I prioritise fruit and vegetables rather than sweets and crisps. I always
try to pass toys and clothes on from the older children to the youngest, and when I do
buy clothes, I look at the quality of the material and buy clothes that will last. I buy bigger
sizes so that the children will grow into the clothes. I worry about the children getting older
and demanding more things. It is difficult when we live in a society that is so built around
consumption.”
Women’s incomes
Within four months from May-August 2011, there was an 8% drop recorded in women’s incomes
from £1,935 (May 2011) to £1,777 (Aug 2011). 61 Women are losing income through the scrapping,
freezing, down-rating, limiting and capping of benefits which help to lift low-income women and
families with children out of poverty. Low-income women are hardest hit by the rising cost of
living and the increase in VAT to 20% affects lone mothers and couples with children the most. 62
57. Oxfam (2012) The Perfect Storm: Economic stagnation, the rising cost of living, public spending cuts, and the impact on UK poverty.
Oxfam: Oxford http://policy-practice.oxfam.org.uk/publications/the-perfect-storm-economic-stagnation-the-rising-cost-of-livingpublic-spending-228591
58. Women’s Budget Group (2011) Gender Analysis of the Changes in Indirect Taxes Introduced by the Coalition Government, 2010-11. WBG:
London www.wbg.org.uk/pdfs/Indirect_tax_Budget_2011_final_report_June_20.pdf
59. Oxfam (2012) The Perfect Storm: Economic stagnation, the rising cost of living, public spending cuts, and the impact on UK poverty.
Oxfam: Oxford http://policy-practice.oxfam.org.uk/publications/the-perfect-storm-economic-stagnation-the-rising-cost-of-livingpublic-spending-228591
60. Oxfam (2012) The Perfect Storm: Economic stagnation, the rising cost of living, public spending cuts, and the impact on UK poverty.
Oxfam: Oxford http://policy-practice.oxfam.org.uk/publications/the-perfect-storm-economic-stagnation-the-rising-cost-of-livingpublic-spending-228591
61. Oxfam (2012) The Perfect Storm: Economic stagnation, the rising cost of living, public spending cuts, and the impact on UK poverty.
Oxfam: Oxford http://policy-practice.oxfam.org.uk/publications/the-perfect-storm-economic-stagnation-the-rising-cost-of-livingpublic-spending-228591
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