Alison Garnham, chief executive of Child Poverty Action Group, says that the lowest income families have born the brunt of spending cuts
Families today face stagnating wages, rising prices and a tsunami of cuts to
benefits and tax credits.
The cost of a child has risen by 4% since last year, while wages have risen 1.5%, the minimum wage 1.8% and benefits by only 1%.
Child Benefit has not changed.
Families now face £22billion a year in cuts to benefits and tax credits. And 70% of these cuts hit families with children.
Our survey shows that in the last two years, teachers have seen significant
And since April nearly half saw children leaving school because they could no longer afford to live in the area.
This is what child poverty means in 2013.
The lowest income families have born the brunt of spending cuts.
It should come as no surprise that child poverty is projected to rise dramatically – 1.1 million more by 2020.
This will cost us dear – £29billion a year today, rising to £35billion if poverty goes up as predicted.
In a wealthy country, allowing children to grow up poor will always be a political choice.
Families need decent jobs, universal childcare, affordable housing and decent state support.
While individual families risk poverty when they lose a job, a partner or become sick, it is the way we manage these risks that determines whether or not they lead to poverty.
If we don’t face up to this, we will continue to damage childhoods through lost potential.
Children are our greatest asset and their school years are precious – we should refuse to allow this to happen.
Mirror
The cost of a child has risen by 4% since last year, while wages have risen 1.5%, the minimum wage 1.8% and benefits by only 1%.
Child Benefit has not changed.
Families now face £22billion a year in cuts to benefits and tax credits. And 70% of these cuts hit families with children.
Our survey shows that in the last two years, teachers have seen significant
And since April nearly half saw children leaving school because they could no longer afford to live in the area.
This is what child poverty means in 2013.
The lowest income families have born the brunt of spending cuts.
It should come as no surprise that child poverty is projected to rise dramatically – 1.1 million more by 2020.
This will cost us dear – £29billion a year today, rising to £35billion if poverty goes up as predicted.
In a wealthy country, allowing children to grow up poor will always be a political choice.
Families need decent jobs, universal childcare, affordable housing and decent state support.
While individual families risk poverty when they lose a job, a partner or become sick, it is the way we manage these risks that determines whether or not they lead to poverty.
If we don’t face up to this, we will continue to damage childhoods through lost potential.
Children are our greatest asset and their school years are precious – we should refuse to allow this to happen.
Mirror
