Twenty Church leaders have called for an end to the hostile environment in an open letter to Sajid Javid MP, the Home Secretary.

The Revd Nigel Uden and Mr Derek Estill, United Reformed Church General Assembly Moderators, joined representatives from the Anglican, Catholic, Church of Scotland and Methodist Churches, who argue that the destitution deliberately inflicted by the government is ‘inhumane’ and leads to racial discrimination.

The hostile environment is a web of government policies designed to make life so difficult for people, who cannot prove they have the right to live in the UK, that they choose to leave.

The first in a series of short films that explores each theme in Andrew Roberts’ book, Holy Habits, has been released by the United Reformed Church.

Holy Habits, is one of the key resources for Walking the Way: Living the life of Jesus today, the URC’s focus on lifelong Christian discipleship and mission.

Directed by Kevin Snyman, Mission Enabler for West Midlands Synod, a film will be released each month featuring an introduction by Mr Roberts and showcasing real-life examples of how these habits are being explored across the denomination.

New data revealed last week by an anti-poverty charity shows that there was an increase in demand for emergency food for children during the summer holidays last year.

The figures, published on Friday 3 August by the Trussell Trust, Britain’s largest foodbank network, show that the level of support needed for children was markedly higher during the summer months.

Between July and August 2017, the Trussell Trust’s nationwide network of more than 420 foodbanks provided 204,525 three-day emergency supplies, 74,011 of which went to children. In comparison, between May and June 2017, 70,510 supplies went to children.