Overview

• Gordon Brown criticizes the UK government for its silence on the 'obscene' levels of poverty and destitution, comparing the situation to the Post Office scandal in terms of ministerial neglect.
• The welfare state, once a safety net for the poorest, has been 'systematically shredded,' leaving millions, including working families, trapped below the safety net.
• Brown urges businesses to donate hygiene goods and calls for the extension of the government's household support fund to provide emergency aid to struggling families.
• Research suggests almost four million people in the UK are living below the safety net, with children being particularly affected by the cuts to benefits and lack of basic necessities.
• Brown proposes the creation of a UK-wide network of 'multibanks' to distribute essential goods to families in need, as part of an emergency service to address the poverty crisis.