London, 14 July 2021 - In response to news of TUC research showing one million children from key worker families are living in poverty, Save the Children's Director of UK Impact, Dan Paskins, said:
"It is deeply concerning to see that a million children in key worker families are living in poverty. Key workers have kept our country going through the pandemic, putting their own health at risk in order to keep everything running smoothly – and despite these heroics, they’re faced with a big hit to their income in the autumn, as the government’s planned cut to Universal Credit comes into force.
"Families both in and out of work tell us they’re having to make impossible choices between eating and heating, between putting more money on the electric or buying school shoes for their children. This just isn’t right. All families should be able to provide their children with what they need.
"The government says that work if the best route out of poverty - but these figures show that hard work alone isn’t enough. Many families receiving Universal Credit are already working, and if this cut goes ahead, even more children will be pushed into poverty and hardship. The government must protect our key workers and cancel the planned cut."
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