London, 23 September 2022 – Becca Lyon, head of child poverty at Save the Children, said: “The Prime Minister said she would deliver on the cost of living crisis. Instead, the UK government has delivered tax-cuts to help the richest and a hammer-blow to low-income families.
“The Chancellor has prioritised bankers' bonuses over helping vulnerable children through the cost of living, whose hard-working parents face impossible choices. Today’s announcements overwhelmingly benefit the country’s wealthiest households, meanwhile almost 4 million children risk going cold and hungry this winter. Growth is a welcome goal, but that growth must include investment that helps all children have a fair start in life.
“The last few years have been brutal on families on low-incomes: the pandemic, the removal of the £20 Universal Credit uplift, and now the cost-of-living crisis have left many at breaking point. Families we work with are deeply worried about how they will survive the winter, and what lasting impacts these crises will have on their kids.
“In the Autumn Budget, the UK government must address the glaring omissions from this announcement and introduce a children’s cost of living package, with a £10 per week increase to the child element of Universal Credit and scrap the unfair benefit cap.”
ENDS
Spokespeople available. For further media enquiries, contact r.lubin@savethechildren.org.uk and media@savethechildren.org.uk during out of hours
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