The Poverty Premium

People on lower incomes pay higher costs for essential services like insurance, credit, and energy. This unfair burden is known as the ‘poverty premium’.

Join Professor Martin Coppack from the University’s Centre on Household Assets and Savings Management who will present insights on this pressing issue. In his previous role, as Director of Fair By Design, Martin also led the UK’s national campaign to eliminate the poverty premium.

Martin will be joined by Tom Levitt. Tom was a co-founder of Fair for You CIC, fighting poverty one ethical loan at a time, and chair of trustees at its owner, the Fair Credit Charity (2014-25). Formerly a Labour MP (1997-2010, including DWP select committee 2007-10), Tom has been a writer and consultant on responsible and sustainable business since 2010. He’s currently sustainability lead at the Claude Littner Business School, University of West London, a member of the CHASM advisory board and a season ticket holder at Brentford FC.

 This thought-provoking discussion will explore the root causes and the urgent need for change. The event will include opportunities for the audience to engage in the debate and share their perspectives.

Delivered as part of the Unlocking the Vaults project which is exploring, with support from the National Heritage Lottery Fund, our financial resilience today and the heritage of The Exchange, University of Birmingham's city-centre location and former headquarters of Birmingham Municipal Bank.