Commenting on the publication today of the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) figures for 2005/06 and ‘Working for Children’, the DWP’s response to Harker, Child Poverty Action Group’s Chief Executive, Kate Green, said:
“The figures are deeply depressing. They show that while tax credits and employment have helped, reducing child poverty will require much more investment and a broader strategy.
“Britain has one of the highest employment rates in Europe, yet one of the worst child poverty rates. Access to better jobs can help reduce child poverty, but today’s figures for children in working families suggest that simply resorting to getting more parents into work is not good enough if ministers are serious about ending child poverty.
“More conditionality and sanctions may push more children into poverty and without better quality jobs many families will just become trapped in in-work poverty.
“The Government’s strategy must now open up new fronts to attack poverty. It’s time to address the structural causes, including Britain’s dependence on poverty-pay jobs and the high levels of inequality in Britain compared to European countries with low child poverty rates.
“More investment is vital, particularly for those unable to work. Benefits for both disabled parents and disabled children are inadequate. Child Benefit is still £6 less per week for younger children in a family compared to the oldest child. Paying it equally would lift a further 250,000 children out of poverty, helping all families types, particularly larger families.
“The Government can still meet the target of halving child poverty by 2010, but it will need an extra £4 billion annual investment. With growing public frustration at more bad news about children’s lives in Britain today, the cross party consensus that backed an end to child poverty by 2020 must now ensure the necessary investment is found.”
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