28/11/2025
📢 BEYOND THE HEADLINES: THE AUTUMN STATEMENT, OUR REALITY, AND WHY CRITTERS COMMUNITY NETWORK CIC EXISTS. 📢
Hi everyone, Christopher and Dawn here, founders of Critters Community Network CIC .
Today, many are discussing the Autumn Statement, painting pictures of economic growth and tax cuts. But from our vantage point on the ground in Rotherham, running a vital poverty relief service, the reality is starkly different, and deeply concerning.
We receive ZERO FUNDING from the government or local councils. Every single meal we provide, every hygiene product, every garment of clothing, and the very existence of our hub, is powered by your generosity. Yet, our work fills gaps that national policy consistently leaves wide open.
THE REAL COST OF THE "COST OF LIVING CRISIS" – UNSEEN IN THE BUDGET BOOKS:
"TAX CUTS" FOR SOME, FISCAL DRAG FOR MOST:
When personal tax thresholds are frozen while wages nominally rise, it's an indirect tax hike on hardworking individuals. This "fiscal drag" pulls more people into paying tax, and more into higher bands. It means less money in the pockets of the working families we serve – and less in ours, as we personally absorb the costs of running Critters while on Universal Credit.
THE DOUBLE STANDARD: ATTACKING THE VULNERABLE WHILE THEIR NEED INTENSIFIES:
While we cautiously welcome the abolition of the two-child limit (a policy we've always fought against), it's overshadowed by alarming rhetoric. Proposals to reduce disability benefits for new claimants and intensify benefit crackdowns create a hostile environment. This narrative attacks the very people who, through no fault of their own, desperately need our support. They aren't "shirkers"; they are our neighbours, our friends, often working, or unable to work due to genuine health challenges.
THE CRISIS IS INTENSIFYING, NOT EASING:
The budget, for all its claims, will likely increase demand for our services. Families already at breaking point will find their situations even more precarious. The number of pet meals we provide (over 350 per week) and the amount of human aid we distribute will only grow, even as our own operational costs (like fuel and logistics for our hub) continue to rise with inflation.
WHY CRITTERS COMMUNITY NETWORK CIC IS MORE CRITICAL THAN EVER:
We don't just provide charity; we provide critical crisis prevention and human dignity. We are an award-winning organisation born out of necessity, not government design. We exist to:
KEEP FAMILIES TOGETHER: Preventing the heartbreaking choice between feeding a pet or feeding a child.
RESTORE DIGNITY: Providing essential hygiene and clothing when official support falls short.
BRIDGE THE GAPS: Signposting to vital services that our families desperately need.
The Autumn Statement reminds us that we are the ones on the frontline, facing the real human and animal impact of policy decisions. We are unfunded by the state, yet we are holding up a vital part of the community safety net.
We stand here today, asking our community, and potential corporate partners, to look beyond the political headlines. Invest in real, tangible impact on the ground. Invest in us.
Help us continue to be the safety net the budget overlooks:
DIRECT BANK TRANSFER (ZERO FEES):
Critters Kitchen C.I.C
Sort Code: 82-11-07
Account No: 80314173
PAYPAL (QUICK & EASY):
[email protected]
GOFUNDME (JOIN OUR COMMUNITY CAMPAIGN):
https://gofund.me/9bf99714b
Thank you for understanding our perspective and for your unwavering support.
