Child Poverty Action Group

Read a letter from one of our founder members as he reflects on the origins of CPAG this Christmas.

On the eve of our 50th anniversary, John Veit-Wilson remembers the earliest days of Child Poverty Action Group and looks ahead to the challenges for the future in our mission to end child poverty.

Our research found that many people who use food banks are driven by failures in the benefits system. A few changes to how the system works would save people the indignity of relying on charity to feed themselves or their families. 

The only giveaway for children in today's Autumn Statement was for families who can afford to fly abroad on holiday.  Read CPAG's reaction to the Statement here

If I need to take a day off work, I don’t usually lose one month’s salary as a result. However, if you’re claiming jobseeker’s allowance (JSA) and delays to your bus journey mean you arrive ten minutes late for an interview at the Jobcentre, you could well find yourself having your benefit stopped for four weeks or more through a sanction.

Read the full blog.

Ask CPAG Online is a new information and advice service from the advice and rights team at Child Poverty Action Group.

Visiting a food bank should be a last resort: yet new research from CPAG, Oxfam, the Trussell Trust and the Church of England finds that failures in the safety net itself are forcing people to turn to food banks. Read more.

Written for advisers and their clients striving to cope with fuel bills, debt and related problems with fuel supply, this handbook is the standard practical guide to the rights of gas and electricity consumers in England, Wales and Scotland.

Thank you to Secure Data Management (SDM) who are now supporting Child Poverty Action Group in offsite storage and archiving.

After an initial meeting to discuss our growing requirement for storage space SDM provided an impressive, low-cost records management proposal.

It is with great sadness we report that Tony Lynes, Child Poverty Action Group’s very first Director has passed away. Tony was an expert and passionate poverty campaigner informing public policy debates for many years. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.

"We have failed a generation of children who are growing up poor but we will fail them a second time if we bury our heads in the sand and pretend that the 2020 targets will now be met." Read our response.