Research has revealed a “postcode lottery” of educational achievement, with the gap widening between the best and worst ares. This is despite the £1.9 billion spent on widening university participation since 2005.

The government's initiative for the "white working class" uses a loaded phrase and deflects attention from the real division in British society - between the very rich and the rest of us.

The Church of Scotland’s Church and Society Council has called on politicians making difficult economic decisions to ensure that the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable come first.

A major Faith Leaders Summit will precede the G20 Summit of world leaders in Pittsburgh, United States, setting out a priority agenda for tackling poverty and environmental damage.

Christian campaigners have echoed this week's calls by trades unions to ensure that economic policies in the wake of the recession do not cause further harm to the most vulnerable people.

The South African Council of Churches is concerned that it was not invited to be part of an interfaith group formed to help President Zuma tackle responses to a lack of essential services.

Christian Aid has announced the public response to key question it has been asking in its 'pOVERty' campaign - with an overwhelming 90% believing poverty really can be eradicated.

In many parts of Africa 80% to 90% of people live in extreme poverty. Parents struggle to feed their children, and the life expectancy of many children in around five years. Adults rarely live beyond the age of 50 years.

New government figures released on 7 May 2009 confirm that progress on fighting poverty in the UK had come to a halt, even before the current recession, says the campaigning organisation Church Action on Poverty.