Z2K Zacchaeus 2000 Trust: Introduction to the Zacchaeus 2000 Trust
The Reverend Paul Nicholson introduces the Zacchaeus 2000 Trust
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<p>Anglican vicar Rev. Paul Nicholson now retired, explains that the trust was founded by a group of like minded people who were concerned about the effects of the Poll Tax on the UK's poorest - the government was taking 20 per cent of the tax from unemployment benefit. It became clear that no research was being done by the government into the adequacy of incomes and payments set by government such as benefits, state pension and national minimum wage: the levels of such incomes were not being set with any consideration for the minimum income needed for a decent standard of living and participation in the community. The trust began by working with people who could not afford to pay the poll tax particularly some five thousand people who had been imprisoned for non payment. The trust then raised funds to commission the <a href="http://www.york.ac.uk/res/fbu/" target="_blank">Family Budget Unit</a> to find out what the minimum standard for healthy living was for a couple with two children. In 1999, it turned out to be £40 per week more than unemployment benefit. Zaccheus Trust then started to campaign for a living minimum income standards. The first success came when the trust began to work with the Mayor of London, <a href="www.londoncitizens.org.uk/">London Citizens</a> , the Family Budget Unit and unions to campaign for a minimum wage. City hall was persuaded to calculate a minimum living wage for London. The resulting figure was £7.72 compared with the national minimum wage of £5.22. The resulting <a href="http://www.livingwageemployer.org.uk/files/a_fairer_london_2007apr.pdf." target="_blank">Living Wage for London</a> <a href="http://www.livingwageemployer.org.uk/files/a_fairer_london_2007apr.pdf." target="_blank"> </a> campaign has been successful in persuading businesses to increase the pay and benefits of London's low paid such as cleaners and hotel workers. Many employers are now in favour of a Living Wage for London and the next issue is whether a minimum wage should be set for other UK cities.</p><p>The next step?<br />Based on a report by the Rowntree Trust, research by <a href="http://www.lboro.ac.uk/research/theview/essentials/index.html" target="_blank">Centre for Research and Social Policy at Loughborough University</a> and research on the ground it is clear that unemployment benefit is currently at two thirds of the mininmum income required for healthy living and participation in the community.This confirms that poverty is a serious problem in the UK and has important implications for the National Heath service, child development and crime. </p><p><a href="http://www.z2k.org/" target="_blank">Zacchaeus 2000 Trust</a> principles are as follows:</p><p>We will combat poverty, and related ill health and educational underachievement; <br />We will promote the improvement of living and working conditions on the basis of economic and social justice in pursuit of a society that is fully inclusive of people of every race, colour and creed through the provision of evidence based policy alternatives to government. <br />We will pursue policies that are rooted in the experiences of the disadvantaged and excluded people of the United Kingdom, and the work of NGOs among them. They will be designed to reform the structures that create those conditions. <br />We oppose discrimination and inequality, both between men and women and between generations. <br />Aware of the pressures placed on the national economy and society by the globalised free market we will promote an economy in the United Kingdom aiming to generate the conditions of full employment in which all can share the financial burdens and opportunities of a democratic nation. <br />We will operate without allegiance to any political party while promoting, vigorously, policies that are consistent with this statement of principles to all political parties and to the government of the day. </p><p> <span class="footer">38 Ebury Street, London SW1W 0LU<br /> Telephone: 020 7259 0801 - <br />Fax 020 7259 0701 - <br />Mobile: 0796 11 77 88 9<br /> e-mail: admin@z2k.org </span></p><p>Fair Use Notice<br />This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always<br />been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. 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