Budget ‘deeply disappointing’ on UK child poverty, but international aid commitments honoured
Wednesday 22 April 2009
For the children of low-income families in the UK, this Budget is deeply disappointing — just £140 million in child tax credits has been set aside for families living in poverty. Despite Alistair Darling’s words today renewing the government’s commitment to eradicating child poverty, the government will now miss the target of halving child poverty by 2010. This budget missed the opportunity to give some hope to the 3.9 million children who will go to bed in poverty tonight.
However, we welcome the government's commitment in this budget to its international aid pledges. Maintaining real aid levels in the next two years will help to protect the world's poorest through these incredibly difficult economic times.
Colette Marshall, Save the Children's Director of UK Programmes is available to interview on UK Poverty, and Adrian Lovett, Save the Children's Director of Campaigns and Communications, is available to interview on International Aid.
For interview or more information please contact Clare in the media unit on 0207 012 6665/ 07831 650 409.