Action for Children responds to new official child poverty statistics
Figures from the Department for Work and Pensions on households below average income (HBAI) statistics show 3.9million children in relative poverty
Imran Hussain, director of policy and campaigns at Action for Children, said:
‘These figures show the Chancellor’s actions to boost incomes at the start of the pandemic lifted hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty, but the Treasury’s relative inaction to help families on low incomes in today’s cost of living crisis is likely to see any progress lost and child poverty climb again¹.
‘As prices continue to rise, more low-income parents we support who were just about managing could go under, with no tips, tricks or hacks left to stretch their income over the month. Our new research² shows nearly half (47%) of children we polled from low-income backgrounds worry about their family’s finances as struggling parents are left to decide whether to put food on the table or heat their homes.
‘As well as the current cost of living crisis, many families with children are still reeling from October’s £20-a-week cut to Universal Credit. Unless the Government chooses to shield them now by protecting benefits from rising inflation, it will fail on its manifesto pledge to cut child poverty³ and millions of families will continue to face years of miserable hardship.’
ENDS
Media contact:
Arron Williamson, Action for Children – 07718 244 125 / [email protected]
Out of hours – 07802 806 679 / [email protected]
NOTES TO EDITORS
¹ Resolution Foundation - Living-Standards-Outlook-2022.pdf pg. 53 + 56
² Brighter future ahead? – Action for Children, March 2022
³ https://www.conservatives.com/our-plan/conservative-party-manifesto-2019 pg17
Action for Children protects and supports vulnerable children and young people by providing practical and emotional care and support, ensuring their voices are heard and campaigning to bring lasting improvements to their lives. With 512 services across the UK, in schools and online, in 2020/21 we helped 604,885 children, young people and families. actionforchildren.org.uk
