CPAG response to National Audit Office report on the social fund
13.01.05

Responding to today's report from the NAO on the social fund, the Child Poverty Action Group, one of the leading independent commentators on the fund said:

'Today's report shows yet again that though the social fund is of vital importance to tackling poverty, its operation is fraught with official error and unacceptable variations in service. The NAO highlight that about half of those potentially eligible do not even know of the fund's existence and that, even more shockingly, there is often poor understanding of the scheme by those responsible for administering it, fuelled by local discretion and poor training.

'A well functioning social fund is critical to eradicating child poverty, and if it is to protect families at their most vulnerable or in crisis the Government must sort out the social fund once and for all.'

Said Kate Green OBE, Chief Executive of the Child Poverty Action Group.

For further comment:
Ashley Riley
Press Officer
Tel. 020 7812 5216
Mobile 07811 324339
e-mail ariley@cpag.org.uk