CPAG Budget response 2007

Commenting Gordon Brown’s eleventh Budget statement today, Child Poverty Action Group’s Chief Executive, Kate Green, said:

“As a member of the Campaign to End Child Poverty we recognise the important step that the Government has made in this Budget towards halving child poverty by 2010. Extra investment at this stage is vital to keep us in reach of that target. Today’s Budget investment must be significantly extended in the Comprehensive Spending Review, particularly for groups like disabled children and larger families.”

On the specific measures announced today, she added:

“New investment of a billion pounds focused on the poorest families through Working Tax Credit and an above earnings increase in Child Tax Credit for 2008 is excellent news. It will take us an important step towards the target of halving child poverty by 2010.

“Extra investment in child benefit for the oldest child is very welcome. But larger families that are at greater risk of poverty will be helped less, so future investment must focus on the younger children in a family, who currently receive six pounds less than the oldest child.

“Many lone parents want to work so the renewed commitment to give them £40 a week back to work credit is an important incentive to help them make that step. The increase in hours of nursery provision for 3 and 4 year olds will also help more lone parents take advantage of work opportunities.

“Skills shortages keep many out of work, or suffering in-work poverty on low wages. New investment to support 16 and 17 year olds in training will give more of tomorrow’s parents the chance to earn an income that will keep their children out of poverty.

“We are concerned that departmental spending cuts in Departments for Work and Pensions, Constitutional Affairs and HM Revenue and Customs will undermine delivery of benefits and advice services to the poorest families, which are needed to ensure they receive the full welfare services they are entitled to.”

 

Notes to Editors

• CPAG is a member of the campaign to End Child Poverty
  
• The Government has set targets of halving child poverty by 2010 and ending it by 2020, starting from a baseline year of 1998/99.
  
• A briefing given year on year progress on child poverty measures and an international comparison can be found through this link: http://www.cpag.org.uk/campaigns/media/CPAG_HBAI_2006_Media_Briefing.pdf
  
• The Chancellor estimates today’s measures will lift a further 200,000 children out of poverty.
  

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