the united nations carried out an investigation in 2018 led by philip alston, the united nations special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, into the effect of austerity policies in the uk. alston concluded that the austerity programme had breached un human rights agreements relating to women, children, disabled people and economic and social rights. alston's report described the programme as "entrenching high levels of poverty and inflicting unnecessary misery in one of the richest countries in the world".