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Tomorrow, the chancellor will give his budget speech. Some of the key announcements have already been revealed. We know for example that the minimum wage will increase to £9.50 an hour for those aged 23 and over. While this is a welcome change, it fails to compensate for the £20 a week cut to universal credit which has hit both working families and those who cannot work.

As part of Challenge Poverty Week in England and Wales, we held an online conference titled ‘Changing the Wallpaper.’ We aimed to change some of the conversations around poverty, and to get attendees to start noticing the wallpaper again in order to bring about change.

Universal credit has been high in the headlines this week as the government cut it by £20 a week. We joined many others in strongly condemning this cut, knowing just how much pressure it will place on already-struggling families. Some have argued that the cut might harm the mental health of those affected, and parents have expressed this fear to us. The social security system should be a source of support for those experiencing mental health problems, rather than a cause of those problems. This World Mental Health Day, we are reflecting on how well the system provides that support.

Recently I was asked: “How do I feel about the decision to cut universal credit? And what are you expecting to cut back on?” Here is my honest answer.