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'Benefiting from work' - Save the Children 2010
Campaign News
Nothing in budget for children living in poverty today - 24th of Mar, 2010
Press release
Date 24/3/10
Immediate release
Nothing in budget for children living in poverty today
In response to today’s Budget, End Child Poverty expresses its disappointment at the lack of any immediate help for low income families facing poverty. The campaign does, however, welcome the universal access to bank accounts and support for the international bank levy.
Sam Hyde, Director of the campaign said:
“The failure to prioritise children means that Government will continue to fall far short of the important milestone of halving child poverty, and is a serious set back on the road to ending child poverty by 2020. It’s a missed opportunity to improve the lives of thousands of children, who will today be growing up with a poorer future.”
“The recession and the deficit are no excuse. The children of today are the workers who will pay off the national debt tomorrow and we cannot afford to see their life chances slip away. We’ve seen government find money for what it thinks are priorities and we are disappointed that it doesn’t consider important its commitments to the Child Poverty Bill, which will gain Royal Assent this week.”
Notes to editors:
End Child Poverty acknowledges and welcomes the £4 a week increase in child tax credits for 1 and 2 year olds in 2012, but this measure is too far away and will have little impact, given that in 2012, £4 will not have equivalent value.
Members of the Campaign to End Child Poverty met with Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Stephen Timms, to discuss what the Campaign members agree is needed from the Budget. In a subsequent letter sent by the campaign to follow up the meeting, the following asks for the Budget were made to Treasury ministers:
· Increase in support for childcare costs
An increase in the childcare element of working tax credit from 80% to 100% would help ensure that parents are better off in work and help families stay out of debt. It would cost the Government around £420 million but would have a much lower net cost as it would help parents to access employment.
· Help with costs of school (school clothing grants)
A school clothing grant for families without work will help keep many out of debt when extra costs arise. An annual payment of £50 for pupils on free school meals (aged 5-16) would cost £54 million.
· Increase funding and access to Social Fund
More families during the recession have been turning to the home credit companies and the worst kind of lenders as a result of financial exclusion and lack of access to mainstream banking services. We urge the Government to increase the funding for grants and affordable credit. Even if on a temporary basis for increased demand because of the recession, it would help families in times of crisis and prevent increasing spirals of debt.
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