Scottish archbishop calls for boost to benefits

Archbishop William Nolan

Archbishop William Nolan of Glasgow has called on UK Government to increase benefits in line with inflation. "The poor must not be sacrificed in an attempt to shore up the Government's credibility with the markets," he said last week. "Making the poor poorer is not an act of fiscal prudence, it is an act of injustice."

He felt it is a "fundamental injustice" that "working people aren't getting a living wage," and said, "we then need to really look at how we reward people in our society." He drew attention to the applause for key during Covid lockdowns, "but they need more than a clap, they need decent pay," adding that "we've got a low-wage economy and people are struggling; poverty won't go away until we pay people a fair wage."

He reported people telling him that inflation, along with the increase in energy bills, has hit household budgets hard. "Everywhere I go people are talking about this," the Archbishop said: "the increase in fuel costs, how it's going to affect them and their families." He described it as a "hot topic and people are very worried about it."

His comments were made before the new chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, announced on Monday that the cap on energy prices charged to households is now only guaranteed until April next year, rather than the two years promised by Liz Truss. After April, help will be targeted to help hard-up households, although details of this were not revealed. The End Fuel Poverty Coalition, an umbrella body for 60 charities and campaign groups, immediately warned that the financial cliff edge faced by millions "has now become even steeper".

Archbishop Nolan also urged all Catholics to look after those around them amid fears that energy costs will leave many struggling to stay warm this winter. "Catholic Churches tend to be quite big and drafty so maybe not the best place to come and get warm," he said, "but if we've got a church hall in a central location we should open it up and invite people in so they can get warmed up."

On 14 October Archbishop Nolan, the lead bishop for Justice and Peace and the National Justice and Peace Commission, celebrated a Mass at the Sacred Heart Parish in Lauriston, Edinburgh to honour St Óscar Romero of El Salvador. It was followed by a lecture from Fr Martin Maier SJ, who worked in El Salvador for many years, with an introduction from Archbishop Leo Cushley of Edinburgh.

And on Saturday 22 October the apostolic nuncio, Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, will confer the pallium on Archbishop Nolan at a special Mass in St Andrew's Cathedral in Glasgow at noon, which all are welcome to attend.