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Budget fails children in poverty - 22nd of Apr, 2009

The Campaign to End Child Poverty says today’s budget will not improve the lives of 3.9 million UK children living in poverty.

The Campaign, which is the UK’s largest cross-sector coalition of children’s charities and other organisations, expressed disappointment that more has not been done for children.

It said increased benefit and tax credits to help struggling families buy food and basic items are a better way to help the UK’s 3.9 million children living in poverty, and also provide fiscal stimulus.

It said today’s budget shows the Government is not committed to children and lacks the will to put back on track the historic promise it made in 1997 to halve child poverty by 2010 and eradicate it by 2020.

Hilary Fisher, Director of the Campaign, said, “While we recognise that it is vital to get the unemployed back into work, we are disappointed the government has not prioritised the urgent needs of the 3.9 million children living in poverty. Some families in poverty will be helped by the support for Job Centre Plus and for those under 25 unemployed for over a year, but putting money into the hands of parents is the key way to lift children out of poverty and the shamefully small increase in child tax credit will not be enough. 

The Government is unlikely now to meet its own target to halve child poverty by 2010. Without the £3 billion invested in family incomes that we called for in this budget, children across the UK will continue to face the costs of social disadvantage, exclusion and poor health and nutrition. ”

The Campaign, whose members include Barnardo’s, Save The Children, Shelter, the TUC and Unicef, is spearheading a drive for public and political commitment to ending child poverty.

It says that failure to reach the 2010 target means the future of millions of children hangs in the balance, and that every day they spend in poverty – a long time for a child - damages their health, education and overall life chances.  

Notes to editors:

• For more information, help with case studies, or an interview with Hilary Fisher, please contact Chloë Bryan-Brown, 020 7278 3405, media@ecpc.org.uk 
•  The comments in this release represent the views of the Campaign to End Child Poverty and do not necessarily reflect the views of member organisations.
• Find out more about the Campaign to End Child Poverty on our website, www.ecpc.org.uk