Action for Children responds to the Conservative Party's Manifesto launch

Paul Carberry, chief executive of Action for Children, said:

"Today’s manifesto launch shows the Conservatives remain stalled on child poverty. It offers little to ease the desperate plight of millions of children growing up in the shadow of austerity, the pandemic, and economic uncertainty."

"The Conservatives' plan to save £12 billion by making welfare reforms looks set to hugely impact disabled people and those with mental health conditions who face barriers to work, causing yet more needless hardship for families with children. Higher earners would gain from changes to child benefit and National Insurance, while families in poverty would remain trapped."

"Today was another missed opportunity to end the cruel two-child benefit cap, which is well known to push families into poverty, and which if scrapped, would lift 300,000 children out of hardship."

"Child poverty makes us all poorer – a poorer society is a less prosperous one and to fail to put forward a plan to tackle it is unforgivable. All political parties must commit to a bold and ambitious strategy to end child poverty once and for all."

ENDS

MEDIA CONTACT:

Huw Beale, media manager, Action for Children:

07718 114 038 / [email protected]

Out of hours: 020 3124 0661 / [email protected]