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Child Poverty and Housing, End Child Poverty 2007
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Unemployment creates new child poverty crisis - 2nd of Nov, 2009
“We couldn’t let the banks fail, now we mustn’t fail our children”
A staggering two million British children now have no parent in work and the number of children in families having to survive on benefits has jumped by 170,000 in just twelve months according to a new report published today by the Campaign to End Child Poverty. Child poverty is growing in affluent areas as well as those traditionally hard hit.
Through Thick and Thin: Tackling Child Poverty in Hard Times, written by leading social policy researcher Donald Hirsch,provides strong evidence for the government to implement End Child Poverty’s “Recession Recovery Package”.
The report warns that the number of children in families without jobs is rising to its highest level for a decade. It claims that without substantial investment now, 2.3 million children will be living in poverty in 2010, more than half a million above the government’s target. Investing £4 billion would take the government close to its aim of halving child poverty.
Donald Hirsch said, “We couldn’t afford to let the banks fail and now we can’t afford to fail our children, our future. Rising unemployment has created a new poverty crisis which could leave children scarred for life and cost society some £25 billion a year. This dwarfs the investment needed to hit the target to halve child poverty by 2010.”
Kate Green, Chief Executive of the Child Poverty Action Group, said, “This shows that more investment is needed as families feel the effects of the recession.”
“The Government must provide additional financial support for families on benefits and tax credits in the Pre-Budget Report in November. We also need a wider recession recovery package that improves the Social Fund, increases childcare, helps parents to work part time without losing benefits and meets extra school costs.”
The report contains some surprises. Affluent Berkshire and Surrey have suffered the highest proportionate rises in unemployment. And there has been an 18% rise in families with both parents out of work. After housing costs, a couple with two small children is left with £225 a week for everything, which puts them £115 below the poverty line.
The report also urges the government to give better financial support to parents who are out of work or in low-paid jobs, to help make work pay during the recovery.
End Child Poverty is calling for people to contact their local MP, the Chancellor and their local newspaper to press the government to invest in financial support for families in the Pre-Budget Report and action the Recession Recovery Package. Find out more at www.endchildpoverty.org.uk.
Notes to Editors
- For more information, a copy of the report and interviews, please contact: Melanie Dias;Tel: 020 7278 3404; Email: Media@ecpc.org.uk
- The comments in this release represent the views of End Child Poverty and do not necessarily reflect the views of member organisations.
- Taking into account announced policy changes, the number of children living in poverty in 2010 is estimated to be 2.3 million, half a million more than the Government’s target to halve child poverty by 2010. These figures are calculated on a before housing costs basis, which is the Government’s preferred measure. Child poverty is significantly higher once housing costs are taken into account. The latest official figures, from 2007/08, show that there are 2.9 million children living in poverty before housing costs are taken into account and 4 million children after housing costs. The after housing costs measure gives a more accurate picture of a family’s disposable income, especially as there are wide geographical variations in housing costs.
- The Campaign to End Child Poverty has launched a “Recession Recovery Package” to support Britain’s struggling families. This is a targeted and costed plan to help keep families afloat and out of debt, support Britain’s economic recovery and lift hundreds of thousands more children out of poverty. It urges the government to take five key actions: invest in benefits and tax credits; increase funding and access to the social fund and extend eligibility to those families on working tax credit; increase support for childcare costs; enable parents to work in ‘mini’ jobs; and help parents to meet the costs of school.
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