Tax breaks for marriage would squander resources needed to end child poverty

Commenting on publication tomorrow of the Conservative Social Policy Group’s report, ‘Breakthrough Britain’, Child Poverty Action Group’s Chief Executive, Kate Green, said:

"We welcome the Conservatives’ recognition that addressing the appalling life chances of Britain’s 3.8 million children living in poverty must be a national priority. But the party must be careful not to jump to naive conclusions about complex problems.

“The factors behind marital breakdown can be present in a person’s life even before their relationship has started. A marriage certificate does not end addiction, it does not cure a mental health condition, it does not cancel debt, it does not increase skills and qualifications and it does not provide employment. Addressing these problems will do more to support relationships and lift children out of poverty than using the tax and benefit system to penalise children for their family background.

"The priority for families must be delivering the extra £4 billion investment that the Institute for Fiscal Studies says is needed to halve child poverty by 2010. David Cameron must resist the temptation to squander the resources needed on tax breaks that will do nothing to help the majority of children living in poverty."

Notes to Editors

• CPAG is a member of the Campaign to End Child Poverty
• Analysis by the Institute for fiscal Studies suggests that extra annual investment of £3.8bn would give the UK a 50/50 chance of halving child poverty by 2010.

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