Budget 2016: 'Don't hide impact on poor families', George Osborne told

Christian campaigners have challenged the Chancellor not to hide how his upcoming budget will affect poorer families.

The director of Church Action on Poverty, Niall Cooper, and the general secretary of Quaker Peace and Social Witness, Helen Drewery, were among the signatories of a letter that urged the government to "provide a transparent account" of the effect of its budget tomorrow.

In last summer's emergency budget George Osborne removed the obligation to provide a "distributional analysis" which details the implications of its policies on households of all incomes.

In a letter to the Guardian Cooper and Drewery, alongside six other campaigners including chair of The Equality Trust, Sean Baine, and chief executive of Church Poverty Action Group, Alison Garnham, called this a "serious mistake".

They accused the government of hiding a "vital function".

"In order to tackle poverty, inequality, and other social ills, it is important that government publishes its most robust data to provide an accurate account of the scale of these problems," they wrote.

"This includes data on whether government policies effectively alleviate or exacerbate them.

"We therefore call on the government to reinstate its publication of a distributional analysis at the forthcoming budget, to provide a transparent account of how it will affect different households throughout the UK.

"This is matter of both clarity and good governance."

Osborne will announce his new budget on Wednesday amid gloomy economic forecasts and instability in global markets. Christian campaigners have suggested 600,000 people could be affected by upcoming cuts to disability benefits. 

related articles
Government defeated by bishop's motion on child poverty

Government defeated by bishop's motion on child poverty

Sunday trading and Sabbath: why it\'s time to resist the endless commodification of our lives
Sunday trading and Sabbath: why it's time to resist the endless commodification of our lives

Sunday trading and Sabbath: why it's time to resist the endless commodification of our lives

Christian campaigners hail 'victory' as government defeated on Sunday trading

Christian campaigners hail 'victory' as government defeated on Sunday trading

Christian charities warn 600,000 affected by changes to disability benefits

Christian charities warn 600,000 affected by changes to disability benefits

News
Archbishop of Canterbury will be attending abortion vote in Lords on Wednesday
Archbishop of Canterbury will be attending abortion vote in Lords on Wednesday

The office of the Archbishop of Canterbury has confirmed she will be joining a key vote on abortion in the House of Lords this Wednesday after there was backlash over the suggestion she might be absent due to a planned pilgrimage.

Disestablishing Church of England 'will not be a priority' at next election, says Green Party
Disestablishing Church of England 'will not be a priority' at next election, says Green Party

The Green Party has responded to claims it wants to disestablish the Church of England by saying that this will "not be a priority" at the next General Election. 

AI still too inaccurate when it comes to Scripture, says YouVersion founder
AI still too inaccurate when it comes to Scripture, says YouVersion founder

YouVersion founder and CEO Bobby Gruenewald says artificial intelligence holds enormous promise. But when it comes to answering questions about God and Scripture, he believes the technology is not yet ready.

Church of Ireland marks St Patrick’s Day with worship, music and pilgrimage
Church of Ireland marks St Patrick’s Day with worship, music and pilgrimage

Church of Ireland dioceses and cathedrals have prepared a wide programme of worship, music and community events to mark St Patrick’s Day on Tuesday.