Jenny Lazarus did her degree in Social Sciences, with a postgraduate degree in Social Psychology. Following a job working on researching the factors influencing depression in women she has worked as an Administrator in various settings - a small software company, a charitable housing association, a local authority housing department - and since 1992 with Church Action on Poverty. Her most recent post there is with the Participatory Budgeting Unit. Outside work she was a founder member of Stockport Women's Aid refuge, and was a committee member/secretary for 25 years.