Child Poverty Unit needs investment to succeed

Commenting on today’s announcement by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Peter Hain, that a new Child Poverty Unit is being created to accelerate progress towards the 2010 target of halving child poverty, Child Poverty Action Group’s Chief Executive, Kate Green said:

“The commitment to halve child poverty by 2010 and eradicate it by 2020 is the Government’s most important promise to British people. We welcome the new cross-departmental unit and the Secretary of State’s recognition that progress on child poverty is too slow to meet the targets.

“We understand that there will be no Treasury officials within the unit. This is a concern as the Institute for Fiscal Studies suggests around £4 billion annual investment is needed to meet the 2010 target.

“Investment will do much more to restore public trust in the Government’s commitment to the targets. As a member of the Campaign to End Child Poverty, we are calling for the necessary investment to be made in next year’s Budget.

“The 2010 target can still be met if the Government shows the strength and political will needed to keep their promise to Britain’s poorest children.”

Notes for editors

• Today’s announcement follows heavy criticism for the Government’s decision in the Pre-Budget Report to announce only 48p per week more for poor children (through a £25 per year Child Tax Credit increase above indexing). This was despite the most recent figures showing an increase in the number of children in poverty.
• There are currently around 3.8 million children in the UK below the poverty line after housing costs.
• To meet the 2010 target 900,000 more children must be lifted above the poverty line.

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