Universal Credit and benefit cuts Archives - English Collective of Prostitutes https://prostitutescollective.net/tag/universal-credit-benefit-cuts/ Since 1975, the English Collective of Prostitutes has been campaigning for the abolition of the prostitution laws which criminalize sex workers and our families, and for economic alternatives and higher benefits and wages. Thu, 21 Aug 2025 20:55:55 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://prostitutescollective.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/favicon-260-x-260-150x150.png Universal Credit and benefit cuts Archives - English Collective of Prostitutes https://prostitutescollective.net/tag/universal-credit-benefit-cuts/ 32 32 OpenDemocracy: Outdated laws and benefit cuts – Why women can’t leave sex work https://prostitutescollective.net/opendemocracy-outdated-laws-and-benefit-cuts-why-women-cant-leave-sex-work/ Thu, 21 Aug 2025 20:30:24 +0000 https://prostitutescollective.net/?p=19952 Poverty and cautions trap women in sex work – good policies could resolve this. But politicians don't want to know Niki Adams There are a few dates in the calendar that sex workers mark. The day to end violence on 17 December is often a sombre affair, when we honour the sex workers who were […]

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]]> Channel 4 News: Increase in benefits can help protect women from sex work says Labour MP https://prostitutescollective.net/channel-4-news-increase-in-benefits-can-help-protect-women-from-sex-work-says-labour-mp/ Thu, 01 Dec 2022 22:14:00 +0000 https://prostitutescollective.net/?p=17566 Cathy Newham, PresenterA ban on strip clubs has been announced by Edinburgh Council, which says the venues disempower women.But today the United Sex Workers union began a legal challenge of the decision.The union says it would force over 100 women out of work and potentially into more dangerous situations.We spoke to Labour MP Nadia Whittome, […]

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]]> The Justice Gap: Sex work in a pandemic – criminalising survival https://prostitutescollective.net/the-justice-gap-sex-work-in-a-pandemic-criminalising-survival/ Tue, 22 Dec 2020 10:09:01 +0000 https://prostitutescollective.net/?p=14997 Image: English Collective of ProstitutesAusterity cuts, the introduction of the harsh Universal Credit scheme and the Hostile Environment has driven more people to sex work to meet their basic needs. Despite this, sex work remains a criminalised profession that is not recognised as legitimate work. The pandemic further exposes the injustice caused to sex workers […]

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]]> Please fill in survey: how to make welfare benefits system better https://prostitutescollective.net/please-fill-in-survey-how-to-make-welfare-benefits-system-better/ Thu, 29 Oct 2020 16:14:59 +0000 https://prostitutescollective.net/?p=14282 The Commission on Social Security is a claimant’s panel that is a project set up to find out how to improve the welfare benefits system. They have an online questionnaire to ask people for their views about various proposed changes -- deadline 31 October. Please fill in the questionnaire to have your say. It’s anonymous so you […]

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]]> Metro: Women forced into survival sex by benefit cuts face unimaginable violence https://prostitutescollective.net/metro-women-forced-into-survival-sex-by-benefit-cuts-face-unimaginable-violence/ Thu, 05 Dec 2019 13:23:53 +0000 http://prostitutescollective.net/?p=10217 Jane Wharton ‘Draconian laws’ and increasing poverty have exposed sex workers to soaring rates of rape and assault, according to a leading pressure group. The English Collective of Prostitutes says two thirds had experienced violence within the last month alone. It has also highlighted that poverty sparked by benefit cuts have led to a surge […]

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]]> Work and Pensions Committee Inquiry into Universal Credit and Survival Sex (2019) https://prostitutescollective.net/work-and-pensions-committee-inquiry-into-universal-credit-and-survival-sex-2019/ Thu, 31 Oct 2019 18:05:47 +0000 https://prostitutescollective.net/?p=14401 Written and oral evidence from the ECP to the Work and Pensions Committee Inquiry into Universal Credit and Survival Sex focused on the impact of austerity on levels of prostitution in the UK. The Committee published its findings in November 2019 and recommended action against some of the worst injustices of the benefit system such as draconian […]

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]]> Independent: Austerity pushing women into sex work and criminalisation endangering them, major report finds https://prostitutescollective.net/independent-austerity-pushing-women-into-sex-work-and-criminalisation-endangering-them-major-report-finds/ Thu, 31 Oct 2019 12:14:17 +0000 http://prostitutescollective.net/?p=9108 'I was in a desperate financial situation, no parents to support me and about to become homeless. As I am disabled and was in full-time education, my opportunities for work were, and remain, limited,' says womanMaya Oppenheim Women's Correspondent @mayaoppenheimAusterity is pushing women into prostitution and the criminalisation of the industry is putting them in danger, according […]

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]]> BBC News: Universal credit: MPs call for action on women driven to ‘survival sex’ https://prostitutescollective.net/bbc-news-universal-credit-mps-call-for-action-on-women-driven-to-survival-sex/ Sat, 26 Oct 2019 11:23:37 +0000 http://prostitutescollective.net/?p=9084 Evidence that women are being driven to sex work because of problems with universal credit must lead to government action, MPs have said.A number of women told the work and pensions committee they turned to sex work because their benefits payments did not cover their basic needs.The committee said the government had previously been "dismissive" of […]

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]]> Sky News: ‘Selling sex for £5 is the only way I can survive after Universal Credit chaos’ https://prostitutescollective.net/sky-news-selling-sex-for-5-is-the-only-way-i-can-survive-after-universal-credit-chaos/ Sat, 26 Oct 2019 11:19:18 +0000 http://prostitutescollective.net/?p=9082 As the government faces calls to axe the five-week wait for Universal Credit payments, one ex-claimant describes her experience.One woman told Sky News she had been forced to sell sex for £5 after Universal Credit struggles.Women are being driven to carry out "survival sex" work because of the five-week wait for Universal Credit payments, MPs […]

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]]> Grazia: Why Is It Only When Universal Credit Forces Women Into Sex Work The Government Actually Listens? https://prostitutescollective.net/grazia-why-is-it-only-when-universal-credit-forces-women-into-sex-work-the-government-actually-listens/ Fri, 25 Oct 2019 21:25:04 +0000 http://prostitutescollective.net/?p=9080 BY GEORGIA ASPINALL   Women are being forced into survival sex work to afford basic necessities because of issues with universal credit according to new warnings from MPs. The work and pensions committee has lambasted the government for not taking the issue seriously sooner, having previously said that the link between universal credit and survival sex work was […]

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