Centre for Social Justice

{{Infobox organization

| image = CSJ Awards 2018.jpg

| formation = {{start date and age|2004}}

| type = Think tank

| status = Company limited by guarantee (non-profit)

| leader_title = Chief Executive

| leader_name = Andy Cook

| budget = Approximately £1.6m

| name = Centre for Social Justice

| location = London, United Kingdom

| staff = 24

| website = {{url|http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk}}

}}

The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) is an independent{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/sep/30/list-thinktanks-uk|title=List of thinktanks in the UK|date=30 September 2013|website=The Guardian|language=en|access-date=28 June 2018}} centre-right{{Cite news|url=https://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/press-releases/iain-duncan-smith-bids-to-rescue-state-school-sport|title=Iain Duncan Smith bids to rescue state school sport - The Centre for Social Justice|last=Justice|first=The Centre for Social|work=The Centre for Social Justice|access-date=28 June 2018|language=en-GB}} think tank based in the United Kingdom, co-founded in 2004 by Iain Duncan Smith, Tim Montgomerie, and Philippa Stroud.{{Cite news|url=https://conservativehome.com/2015/10/23/philippa-stroud-i-worked-with-ids-for-five-years-now-im-back-at-the-csj-and-heres-my-vision-of-what-it-should-do-next|title=Philippa Stroud: I worked with IDS for five years. Now I'm back at the CSJ|access-date=28 August 2024|language=en-GB}}

Political positions

The organisation's stated aim is to "put social justice at the heart of British politics".{{cite web|url=https://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/about/story|title=The CSJ Story|author=Iain Duncan Smith|website=The Centre for Social Justice}} While the think-tank states it is politically independent, it was labelled one of the most influential on the British Conservative Party under the leadership of David Cameron.{{cite web|url=http://conservativehome.blogs.com/thinktankcentral/2010/04/centre-for-social-justice-and-policy-exchange-are-best-regarded-think-tanks-by-conservativehomes-inf.html|title=Centre for Social Justice and Policy Exchange are best regarded think tanks by ConservativeHome's 'influentials panel'|date=1 April 2010|website=Conservative Home}}

Policy programmes and impact

One of the CSJ's most notable reports was Breakthrough Britain.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1557131/Breakthrough-Britain-Tory-recommendations.html|title=Breakthrough Britain, Tory recommendations|date=10 July 2007|newspaper=The Telegraph}} It has also produced well-publicised reports on gang culture,[https://www.politicshome.com/uk/article/38572/csj_backs_gangs_plan_and_calls_for_relentless_effort_to_make_streets_safe.html politicshome: "CSJ backs gangs plan and calls for 'relentless effort' to make streets safe" 1 Nov 2011] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004214007/https://www.politicshome.com/uk/article/38572/csj_backs_gangs_plan_and_calls_for_relentless_effort_to_make_streets_safe.html |date=4 October 2013 }} modern slavery,{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21719778|title=UK anti-trafficking efforts need overhaul, report says|first=Michael|last=Buchanan|date=10 March 2013|work=BBC News}} addiction,{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23913818|title=UK is 'addictions capital of Europe'|date=1 September 2013|work=BBC News}} family breakdown,{{cite news|url=https://news.sky.com/story/million-children-live-in-fatherless-households-10443432|title=Million Children Live In Fatherless Households|date=10 June 2013|website=Sky News}} and educational failure.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/education-underclass-of-children-in-the-uk-is-still-in-nappies-when-they-start-school-8796336.html|title='Education underclass' of children in the UK is still in nappies when they start school|author=Adam Withnall|date=3 September 2013|newspaper=The Independent}} In 2012 the CSJ announced that it would carry out the study Breakthrough Britain II.{{cite web |title=Breakthrough Britain II Overview |url=http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/policy/breakthrough-britain-ii-overview/breakthrough-britain-ii-overview |url-status=dead |publisher=Centre for Social Justice |access-date=11 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140711191415/http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/policy/breakthrough-britain-ii-overview/breakthrough-britain-ii-overview |archive-date=11 July 2014 }} The CSJ has also played important roles in the design and development of Universal Credit and in championing the introduction of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

= 2019 =

A report called on the government to increase the state pension age to 75.{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/state-pension-age-rise-conservatives-think-tank-centre-for-social-justice-a9064071.html|title=Pension age should rise to 75, Tory think tank report says|website=Independent.co.uk |date=18 August 2019}}

= 2018 =

[https://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/library/a-woman-centred-approach-freeing-vulnerable-women-revolving-door-crime A Woman-Centred Approach] called on the government to scrap plans for up to five new women's prisons and to put funds towards community-based alternatives. The Ministry of Justice subsequently announced that plans for new women's prisons were being abandoned and set out proposals to pilot five residential centres for women in the community.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/female-offender-strategy|title=Female Offender Strategy|website=GOV.UK|language=en|access-date=28 June 2018}}

= 2017 =

[https://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/library/housing-first-housing-led-solutions-rough-sleeping-homelessness Housing First] recommended placing homeless people dealing with problems such as alcohol and drug abuse in permanent accommodation and giving them access to care and training. The approach, known as Housing First, had been tried out in the United States and adopted by Finland with positive results. Conservative Communities Secretary Sajid Javid had said that he was keen to examine the scheme.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/mar/12/housing-first-csj-report-government-finland-homelessness-strategy-sajid-javid|title=Government considering plans to house addicts who sleep rough|last=Helm|first=Toby|date=11 March 2017|work=The Guardian|access-date=27 May 2017|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}} While the CSJ called for a nationwide roll-out of Housing First, the Government announced and allocated £28m funding for a number of Housing First pilot sites in the West Midlands, Liverpool and Manchester.{{Cite web|url=https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/news/government-announces-28m-funding-for-housing-first-pilots-53329|title=Government announces £28m funding for Housing First pilots|website=Inside Housing|language=En|access-date=28 June 2018}}
[https://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/library/growing-the-local-creating-local-freedom-fund-fight-crime Growing the Local] called on the government to give Police and Crime Commissioners additional flexibility to increase the police precept, a set of proposals subsequently adopted and providing additional resources for policing and crime.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-42414018|title=Police to get 'extra £450m funding'|date=19 December 2017|work=BBC News|access-date=28 June 2018|language=en-GB}}
[https://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/library/lowering-the-stake-on-fixed-odds-betting-terminals Lowering the Stake on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals] called on the government to reduce the maximum stake from £100 to £2 for fixed odds betting terminals, which the government duly did in 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/may/17/maximum-stake-for-fixed-odds-betting-terminals-cut-to-2|title=Maximum stake for fixed-odds betting terminals cut to £2|last=Davies|first=Rob|date=17 May 2018|website=The Guardian|language=en|access-date=28 June 2018}}

Structure and operation

Initially, the CSJ operated on a project-based model in which both projects and staff changed frequently. Under chief executive Andy Cook, the organisation has established permanent policy units, each led by a designated head.

The CSJ coordinates an alliance of charities that address poverty and hosts the annual Centre for Social Justice Awards, which recognise voluntary and non-profit organisations throughout the United Kingdom. It also stages events at the main UK political party conferences.

Notable members

Past and present:

Iain Duncan Smith
Tim Montgomerie
David Blunkett MP, co-chairman of the CSJ Advisory Council
Johan Eliasch, chairman and chief exec, Head N.V ; Chairman, Cool Earth; Prime Minister's Special representative on deforestation and clean energy
Frank Field MP, Member of Parliament for Birkenhead (Independent)
William Hague MP, former foreign secretary, former leader of the Conservative Party, former member of parliament for Richmond, Yorkshire (Conservative)
Syed Kamall MEP, co-founder of Global Business Research institute, MEP for London (Conservative)
Paul Marshall, chairman of management committee of Centre Forum; Adviser to Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP, deputy prime minister and leader of the Liberal Democrat Party
Kevin Tebbit, former director of GCHQ and former permanent under secretary of the Ministry of Defence
Natalia Grosvenor, Duchess of Westminster
Claire Coutinho MP, Former Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero

Funding

In September 2023, the funding transparency website Who Funds You? gave the CSJ an D grade, the second-lowest transparency rating (rating goes from A to E).{{Cite web |title=Who Funds You? Centre for Social Justice |url=https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/who-funds-you/centre-for-social-justice/ }}