For every £1 we spend, 85p helps children and families
For the 4.3 million children in the UK living in poverty* the soaring cost of living will have a devastating effect.
Child helped by our Emergency Appeal
Our frontline staff have told us that child poverty levels are at the worst they can remember, and they are supporting thousands of families desperate to keep their children warm, clothed and well-fed.
Through initiatives such as our Crisis Fund, Action for Children is providing a vital lifeline to children and families in desperate need. With your generous support, we can help make sure children facing issues such as poverty get the best start in life.
It is heartbreaking to know there are so many children across the UK, who are growing up without the basic things that every child deserves.
"It was a struggle anyway, but now things are so much worse. There's no way we can survive like this, it's just impossible...A lot of people think foodbanks are just for people who don't work, but people who work like me need them now. Who’d have thought eating would become a luxury?” Leanne, mum of two.
Your support could help make sure children get the best start in life. We can provide food and warmth in a crisis. We can be there for parents who are struggling. And we can offer the right mental health support, so children thrive.
Supporting vulnerable children is more important than ever. Inflation is expected to reach its highest level for 40 years this year. Experts are predicting the scale of the cost of living crisis will push an estimated 500,000** more children into absolute poverty next year.
Your support could help give more children the brighter future they deserve.
* Figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (2023) Households below average income: for financial years ending 1995 to 2022.
**Figures from the Resolution Foundation.
More about our work
What does Action for Children do?
We protect and support children and young people. We do this by providing practical and emotional care and support. We make sure their voices are heard. And we campaign to bring lasting improvements to their lives.
Today, we run 372 services in local communities across the UK, in schools and online.
In our nurseries and children's centres, staff make sure children get the best start in life. Our foster, adoptive and modern residential services find children and young people safe and loving homes.
We step in to protect children from neglect and abuse and help those who care for others or are at risk of homelessness. Innovative projects like The Blues Programme give young people the help they need to look after their mental health.
We're also here for parents, through projects like Parent Talk, our online support service.
What we've achieved
We’ve been helping children for more than 150 years. In 2023/24 we helped 687,755 children, young people and families. This was only possible with your support.
- Since 1869 we’ve helped more than two million children and young people.
- 54,878: the number of people reached with mental health support in 2023/24.
- 468,786: the number of people reached by our online parenting advice service, Parent Talk, in 2023/24.
Where your money goes
Your donations help us to support vulnerable children, young people and their families in the UK.
85p of every £1* we spend goes directly towards helping children, young people and their families. Your support is so important right now because levels of financial hardship, abuse and neglect have been rising. We’ve seen a huge surge in demand for our services. Your donations help us to run these essential services, which give vulnerable children and families a vital lifeline.
We make sure that every penny you donate goes where it will have the greatest impact on children’s lives.
Most of the donations we receive from our campaigns are unrestricted. This means they’re not spent on one project or one specific area of the UK, but where the need is greatest. We wouldn’t be able to operate as a charity without this type of income. Unrestricted funds help us reach the children and young people who need us most. Funds raised from this appeal will be unrestricted and used by Action for Children for its general charitable purposes. Please see the Our Work and Impact for examples of the work we do to help children and young people and their families.
* Figure based on audited 2023/24 charity accounts that exclude subsidiary companies like commercial nurseries.
Why regular donations matter
Donating a small amount every month by direct debit helps us give vulnerable children the stability they need. Our regular supporters help us carry out long-term work and keep vital projects running.
For every £1 we spend, 85p helps children and families
