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HBAI report - End Child Poverty disappointed as child poverty figures rise - 10th of Jun, 2008

The Campaign to End Child Poverty expressed disappointment at the HBAI (Households below average income) statistics released today, 10th June. The figures revealed that the number of children living in poverty rose slightly from the previous year.

Hilary Fisher, Director of End Child Poverty, said: “This is the second consecutive year without movement towards the child poverty targets. This reflects both the size of the challenge, but also that the Government still needs to make further financial commitments to achieve its goal.”

“We’re now moving to a critical point. Without a £3bn investment in tax credits and benefits the 2010 target to halve child poverty will not be met.”

“The impact of the £1bn the Government spent in the March budget isn’t reflected in these figures. That will lift a further 250,000 children out of poverty, but it still leaves a million children in need of help if we are to stick to the schedule the Government has set.”

“The UK is one of the world’s wealthiest countries, this is a problem we can afford to fix. What we cannot afford are the social and economic costs of continuing to fail our children.

“Poverty in childhood can affect every aspect of person’s life. Children from poorer homes leave school earlier with fewer qualifications, depriving them of the opportunities available to others. They also have shorter lives, and will be more likely to suffer health problems throughout them.” 

“We can and we must end child poverty in the UK and the Government must keep the promise of a generation. That’s why we are running the Keep the Promise campaign. Join us, and demand a better future for our children.”

To get involved in the campaign, please visit www.endchildpoverty.org.uk/promise

Notes to editors

For further information: Contact Will Slater 020 7278 3405

1. The Campaign to End Child Poverty includes children's and other charities, social justice groups, faith-groups, trade unions, businesses and many others concerned about the unacceptably high levels of child poverty in the UK who are working together for change. For more information visit our website www.endchildpoverty.org.uk

2. The comments in this release represent the views of End Child Poverty and do not necessarily reflect the views of member organisations.

3. In March 1999 Tony Blair promised to eradicate child poverty ‘within a generation’. This has been defined as by 2020, with targets towards this of reducing child income poverty by a quarter between 1998/99 and 2004/05, and by half by 2010/11.