Child poverty promise 'must not be broken'

Millions of children living in poverty in the UK will suffer if Alistair Darling does not take action on child poverty in the Budget, Save the Children said today.

Tuesday 11 March 2008

Outlining its calls for the Budget, the children's charity urged the Chancellor to invest the money needed to keep the Government's promise of halving child poverty by 2010. 

"This was a promise to a generation of children," said Jason Strelitz, Save the Children child poverty spokesman. "It was a groundbreaking, life-changing promise, and it must be kept. If it is not, 3.8 million children will continue to live in poverty, in Britain in the 21st century. The promise must not be broken.

"The Government is running out of chances to keep its promise. It can still achieve it, but it has to invest in extra benefits and tax credits for the poorest families to lift these children out of poverty. Save the Children estimates this will cost £4 billion.

"So far the Government has not done enough, and now it is running out of time. It must invest this essential money now."

As part of the £4 billion investment Save the Children is calling for seasonal grants for the poorest families. This would see families in poverty receive £100 per child in Summer and Winter, to help them through these expensive times of year. It would also include an extra £100 per family in Winter to help with fuel costs.

The seasonal grants policy would lift up to 440,000 children out of poverty

Summary of Save the Children calls for the Budget:
  • £4 billion to be invested in the poorest families, in benefits and targeted tax credits. This is the amount of investment needed to halve child poverty by 2010. Save the Children is calling for this as part of the Campaign to End Child Poverty.
  • Introduction of seasonal grants, as part of the £4 billion investment. Seasonal grants would cost £1.4 billion and lift up to 440,000 children out of poverty.

-ENDS-

For more information please contact the media unit on: +44 207 012 6841 / +44 7831 650 409 (out of hours) / media@savethechildren.org.uk

Notes to Editors
  • Save the Children is the world's independent children's charity. We're outraged that millions of children are still denied proper healthcare, food, education and protection. We're working flat out to get every child their rights and we're determined to make further, faster changes. How many? How fast? It's up to you. 
  • Save the Children recently published the book Why Money Matters. With contributions from leading experts in child poverty it makes the strongest case yet for halving child poverty by 2010 and ending it by 2020.