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Socio-Economic Rights

“Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services” (Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948).

In the cost-of-living crisis, the urgency to enshrine socio-economic rights into common law is important to so many of us. Across the UK, people are struggling to access the bare essentials. This is why socio-economic rights are so important – they ensure that, despite economic fluctuation, people have the bare needs to live a dignified life.  

As a Jewish organisation, we draw on a powerful tradition that insists on the inherent worth of every human being. Jewish teachings emphasise that a just society must guarantee the essentials that allow people to thrive. Our history as a community, shaped by experiences of exclusion and economic vulnerability, strengthens our commitment to ensuring that no one in the UK is left behind. 

Our campaign focuses on advancing socio‑economic rights in three interconnected areas: The Right to Food, The Right to Health, and The Right to Housing. These rights matter because when any one of them breaks down, people fall into cycles of poverty and exclusion. Ensuring these rights strengthens not only individual wellbeing but also the fairness and resilience of our society as a whole. 

 

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The Socio-Economic Duty 

Central to our work is advocating for the UK government to bring the Socio‑Economic Duty (Section 1 of the Equality Act 2010) into force. This duty would require public bodies to consider how their decisions reduce inequalities rooted in poverty. It shifts policy from reacting to hardship toward preventing it. Several devolved administrations and local authorities have already implemented the duty voluntarily, demonstrating its impact on more equitable decision‑making. We campaign for its full enactment across the UK so that public institutions are consistently working toward fairness, dignity, and the reduction of avoidable suffering.  

The Right to Food 

Everyone should have reliable access to nutritious, affordable food. Food, as a human right, places a legal obligation on the government to ensure that food systems, wages, and social safety nets allow people to feed themselves with dignity. This means shifting from emergency, charitable responses toward structural solutions that reduce dependency on food banks. By embedding the Right to Food in UK law, we move closer to a society where no child goes to school hungry, no family is forced to choose between heating and eating, and everyone can thrive. 

The Right to Health 

Health is shaped not only by medical care but by the social determinants around us. Health, as a human right, affirms that everyone is entitled to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental wellbeing. In practice, this means reducing the health inequalities that disproportionately affect marginalised groups, expanding access to preventative care, and ensuring services are safe, affordable, and culturally responsive. Strengthening this right helps address the root causes of ill‑health and ensures that our health system protects those facing poverty, discrimination, and exclusion. 

The Right to Housing

A safe, secure home is the foundation for stability and dignity. Housing, as a human right, establishes that adequate housing is not a market privilege but a human right that governments must protect. This includes affordable rents, accessible housing for disabled people, protection from unlawful eviction, and investment in high‑quality social housing. Embedding this right helps ensure that everyone – regardless of income – has a place to call home where they can build a life, raise a family, and participate fully in society. 

 

 

Campaign priorities include:

  • To influence decision makers (on local and national levels) to commit to a right to food.
  • To collaborate with activism groups, policy makers and Jewish leaders to make progress on realising the right to food.

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