Why are 14 million people living in poverty every day in the sixth richest country in the world?
We believe these are the three most urgent actions our country should seek to resolve...... to give everyone the opportunity to lead a successful, fulfilled and happy life.
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About us
1. Adequate minimum income
2. Truly affordable housing
3. Access to quality effective social and healthcare
Our three goals are:
Would you like to see an end to this unnecessary hardship?
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News
A Fairer, Greener, & More Compassionate Britain
TAP has a bold vision for Britain—one rooted in fairness, dignity, and shared responsibility. A Vision for a Thriving and Compassionate Britain sets out TAP’s belief that the country can and must do better, not only for the 14 million people living in poverty but for everyone who believes in a future built on opportunity, justice, and care.
This is not just a policy framework. It’s a promise—to each other, to our communities, and to future generations. We believe most taxpayers want a country that lifts people up, not lock them out.
The TAP vision outlines five key pillars:
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A Nation of Equal Opportunity – Where every child, regardless of background, can thrive, and where healthcare, education, and opportunity are accessible to all.
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A Greener, Healthier Future – Where the UK leads the way in clean energy, climate action, and sustainable living.
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Communities Built on Compassion – Where no one is homeless or hungry, and social care is a right, not a privilege.
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A World-Leading Example of Justice and Equality – Where fairness defines both foreign policy and domestic law.
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A Better Quality of Life for All – Where well-being, culture, connection, and mental health are priorities—not afterthoughts.
This long-term vision builds on TAP’s Real Agenda platform of practical policy proposals and will underpin a series of upcoming campaigns and announcements. Together, they represent a unified call for policies that reduce inequality, tackle systemic hardship, and ensure public money serves the public good.
We’re offering a direction of travel. A roadmap for a country that works better—not just for some, but for all. This is what wealth equity looks like in action.”
This is not a distant or utopian vision. It is rooted in practical change and public support. TAP argues that fairness, security, and sustainability are not just social goods—they are economic essentials. Investing in people, protecting our environment, and reforming the systems that keep people trapped in hardship are essential to the country’s long-term resilience.
Our Vision
Let’s Work Together
Join our team of dedicated volunteers. We are particularly looking for committed people with skills and experience, political campaigning, media relations, social media, content creation, digital marketing, partnership development and event organising. Or you may like to set up a local group and get your friends involved. Please let us know if you would like to help and be part of the team or have some ideas you would like to share, email taxpayersagainstpoverty@gmail.com
Would you like to learn more about our plan, sign up to our mailing list and we will send you a copy of our plan: Taxing for Good, some ideas on resolving poverty
We are so grateful to the 23,000 followers to our Facebook page, 3000 on X/Twitter and a growing mailing list that receives regular updates. Sign up here.
Support us
Become a member, for just £5 per month, you will help make change happen. Your impact will be significant, it will help us to spend time directly influencing policy makers to bring the change so desperately needed, it will enable us to put the case in a clear, concise and powerful way using the resources available and it will help us increase our partnerships so that other campaigning groups spread our message. You will receive a monthly update on the progress made and the plans ahead as well have the opportunity to contribute your ideas and participate in our work. To join us contribute £5 per month (or more!), you will become a member
Join us
TAP invites like minded campaigners, advocacy groups and think tanks to partner with us to help amplify the message, that poverty can be resolved if we come together. If you would like to know more as to how partnering with TAP could work for you Email us.
To view TAP Partners click here
To increase the impact and to help fund our campaigns, TAP welcomes good companies and organisations to become involved by partnering with us on our campaigns. We are so grateful that Reverse Media Group has stepped up. If you would like to know more about how your company could benefit and also help bring change to reduce poverty and the unnecessary hardship suffered by millions very day, Email us now,
Partner with us
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Our Work
TAP is a UK-based independent advocacy group dedicated to tackling poverty, inequality, and social injustice by promoting economic policies that have a direct effect on reducing poverty and the unnecessary financial hardship.
TAP challenges the structural causes of hardship — from unaffordable housing and inadequate benefits to unjust taxation and regressive austerity policies.
TAP advocates for policies that prioritise human dignity over political convenience. At its core is the belief that poverty is not inevitable; it is a consequence of political decisions that can — and must — be changed. TAP works to expose the failures of government policies that push people into homelessness, hunger, and debt, especially those who are unemployed, underpaid, or living with disabilities.
TAP calls for a fair tax system that shifts the burden away from low-income workers and towards those who profit from wealth, land, and speculation, so taxing wealth more and income less. It promotes evidence-based alternatives to punitive welfare reforms and pushes for legally enforceable rights to housing, nutrition, and income security.
TAP works closely with its Partners including sister organisation Compassion in Politics which seeks to bring more honesty, respect and compassion into political life, and with others such as Fairness Foundation, Fairer Share and Tax Justice UK
TAP is non-partisan and works with MPs, faith groups, academics, and campaigners to raise public awareness and drive policy change. Now continuing under new leadership, TAP remains committed to the legacy of Rev Nicolson by amplifying the voices of those most affected by poverty and building a movement that demands compassion, justice, and accountability at every level of government. Poverty is political — and TAP is here to change the politics.
Our Story
The inspiration for our work is the late Rev Paul Nicolson, the pioneer of the real living wage and founder of Taxpayers Against Poverty. Rev Paul was a relentless campaigner on behalf of those struggling financially. He sadly died on 5th March 2020, just before he was due to continue his sit-down protest, this time outside Downing Street, to call for urgent action on behalf of the homeless. At just 87 years old, Paul was a campaigner to the end. You can read his obituary in Church Times and The Guardian.
TAP is now led by Tom Burgess, who worked with the Rev Paul. Tom is the author of From Here To Prosperity, a new political agenda. His last major role was CEO of an international public relations firm working in 100 countries. In October 2024, with a fresh government, it was decided to step up the TAP campaigns, helped by a generous donation. TAP now focuses on economic policies that would have a direct effect on reducing poverty and the unnecessary hardship suffered by millions every day.
Since 2020, and with the blessing of Rev Paul, TAP has been working closely with Compassion in Politics, which seeks to bring the values of truth, integrity and compassion to public life.