Conservative plans threaten family security

Commenting ahead of today’s welfare reform speech by David Cameron, trailed by announcements of ‘3-strikes and your out’ benefit sanctions, tough new sanction for lone parents, and use of private companies, the Chief Executive of Child Poverty Action Group, Kate Green said:

“The Conservatives should not threaten family security with an attack on welfare rights while economic storm clouds gather on the horizon. Their social security reform idea seems to be ‘privatise the social and scrap the security’, with little regard for the consequences for children.

“Any family could find themselves suddenly needing their welfare rights through job loss, bereavement, illness or disability. Cameron should stop caring only about a small and shrinking number who abuse the welfare system and focus on providing high quality support and poverty protection to families keen to put their problems behind them.

“The major problem affecting lone parents and many JSA claimants is job retention. Cameron’s plans will simply keep pushing people through the revolving door between poverty-pay jobs and benefits. Addressing poverty pay, inflexible hours, lack of childcare and lack of education and training opportunities will do far more to get claimants lasting work and protect children from poverty.”

Notes for editors

• CPAG is one of over 100 member organisations of the Campaign to End Child Poverty, campaigning for public and political commitment to ensure the goals of halving child poverty by 2010 and ending child poverty by 2020 are met.

For further information please contact:
Tim Nichols
CPAG Press Officer
Tel. 020 7812 5216 or 07816 909302
tnichols@cpag.org.uk