Peter Matejic

We've just finished hearing from the new Prime Minister @andyburnham about his plans to tackle the social care crisis. The gap between people's expectations when seeking government support for social care and the reality of how they experience it has grown into a gulf. 🧵

@PeterStefanovi2 So sorry to hear this, Peter. Condolences to you and your family.

Many have asked why I have been so silent these past weeks. I'm heartbroken to say my beautiful, darling wife passed away on Thursday. She had held my heart in her hand from the first moment I saw her and we shared 36 wonderful years together. She had bravely battled cancer with courage and fortitude for many years yet still never lost the ability to light up a room with her beautiful smile, her wonderful sense of humour and her laughter. Not once did she give up the hope for life. I truely believe there is more to this existence than we know and that one day we shall be reunited by our love for each other, a love that was so honest and so real and so true. Until then I shall hold her tightly in my heart. When my daughter and I returned home from the hospital a red rose had appeared in our garden. It was right outside our door and had appeared from nowhere in a clump of dry weeds. Red roses were my wife’s favorite flower. She wore 3 in her hair at our wedding and carried a bouquet of red roses. I had asked her to send me a sign before she passed to say she was ok. It must have been sent by her. You will stay forever in my heart until we are together again my darling ❤️

Great thread from @LukeTryl, drawing from work @Moreincommon_ did with @jrf_uk and @TrussellUK. Reform not cuts.

A record number of families are going without the essentials, our research finds. That's 7.4 million households. New PM Andy Burnham has promised to put tackling the cost of living "front and centre" of his government. Bold policy choices are needed to make that happen:

So far heard very powerful stories of lived experience of poverty, its impacts and the need for *action* followed by speech from @olivercoppard talking about the platform he is building for others to build on for action in South Yorkshire.

At the Dream Big, South Yorkshire: Year of the Child summit led on by @savechildrenuk in very grand setting of Doncaster Corn Exchange

What do @DWPgovuk feel are the most important research questions facing them over the next 5 to 10 years? Read this doc... gov.uk/government/pub….

UK inflation is now around the same level as France and Germany, after being higher for the last year, with inflation in France climbing from 0.4% in Jan 26 to 2.8% in latest May data. 4/4

When the new cap comes into the stats in the July data (out August) it will add 0.4ppts to CPI according to Bank of England. But for now, good news, and another month when the Governor of the Bank doesn't have to write the Chancellor explaining why inflation is over 3%. 3/4

Interesting inflation data today, with the expected rise not coming. It is basically a story of inflation in everything bar transport going down a tad and thus counter-balancing a big rise there. 1/4

Interesting policy fellowships: ukri.org/opportunity/se…. Two I'd highlight: 1. DWP to develop evidence of the causal links between experience of poverty and subsequent outcomes. 2. DfT on transport poverty and how improving transport affordability and connectivity.

Just left #CHASMConference2026. Lots of food for thought about dimensions of insecurity, their interactions and the role of power and agency in how lives play out. Follow @UoBCHASM for their insights. Thanks to everyone involved!

Your regular reminder: Welfare reform is not cuts. It’s reform to improve support & open up opportunities. Government attempts to cut disability benefits last year failed because it wasn’t reform. It was just cuts. Would disabled people & push them further from labour market

Message is don't forget childhood poverty in any NEET discussions.

An excellent 1 minute video version of a great policy idea - see jrf.org.uk/cost-of-living… for the full details!

🚨 NEW! Our report out today concludes rent controls can ease the pressure on renters, without jeopardising the private rented sector. A rent control could: - Make renters nearly £1200 a year better off by 2030 - Reduce the housing benefit bill by £600m Here's how 👇

This led to the UK falling to 20th place out of the 21 high-income countries, whereas in 2011, we were in (still a pretty poor position) of 14th.

The Health Foundation have now looked at how this compares with 20 other high-income countries: health.org.uk/reports-and-an…. Picture is grim. The UK saw the second biggest fall in healthy life expectancy over the decade to 2021, beaten only by the US.

Join us! This is a very important role, working with some brilliant analysts (and others!)