- Labour’s historic Child Poverty Strategy to lift 550,000 children out of poverty – delivering the largest reduction in child poverty in one Parliament since records began
- As part of this, 5,620 children in Portsmouth will be lifted out of poverty by ending the two-child limit
- Working families are set to benefit from extra support with childcare costs, stronger rights and work and a boost to the minimum wage ensuring that work does pay
Across England around 550,000 children are set to be lifted out of poverty by Labour’s historic Child Poverty Strategy, published Friday 5 December.
Following the scrapping of the Conservatives’ two-child limit which pushed an estimated 300,000 children into poverty, Labour’s strategy tackles poverty at its roots by cutting the cost of essentials, boosting family incomes, and improving local services so every child has the best start in life.
The strategy found that children growing up in poverty do less well in school, are more likely to be unemployed when older and earn less throughout their lifetimes. Failure to tackle this problem has been our country as well as stifling our children’s life chances.
The Strategy will particularly support working parents and families seeking to get back into work.
From next year, the rules will change to make it easier for new parents who receive Universal Credit to get back to work by extending eligibility for upfront childcare costs to those returning from parental leave. This will prevent new parents from facing a debt trap, meaning more parents can get back to work and get on in work faster.
To support more parents with more than two children into work, families who receive Universal Credit will also be able to get support with childcare costs for all their children.
Children living in temporary accommodation are living in one of the deepest forms of poverty, this has a devastating impact, particularly on children. A stay in temporary accommodation increases a child’s experience of family disruption, missed schooling and damage to physical and mental health.
The strategy will also end the unlawful placement of families in Bed and Breakfasts beyond the six-week limit. To support this, the Government is investing £8 million in
Emergency Accommodation Reduction Pilots in 20 local authorities that have the highest use of Bed and Breakfasts for homeless families – continuing the programme for the next three years.
This comes on top of the government’s commitment to extend free school meals to all children in families receiving universal credit, and the rollout of free best start breakfast clubs which set children up for the day and give parents greater opportunities to work while saving families up to £450 a year in childcare costs.
Commenting, Stephen Morgan MP for Portsmouth South said:
“Unfortunately, families across Portsmouth have felt the devastating impact of Britain’s child poverty crisis.
“That is why I warmly welcome the publishing of this Child Poverty strategy, which will help to warm homes, put food on the table and put money back in pockets for families across our city, ensuring wellbeing and opportunity for Portsmouth’s children.
“The ending of the two child limit, along with cutting energy bills and addressing temporary accommodation instability, will lift 5,620 children in Portsmouth out of poverty.
“I am glad to be part of a Labour Government that is delivering the best start in life for all our children.”
Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson said:
“Child poverty is a stain on our country. I’ve seen the damage poverty does first hand, and bearing down on it sits at the very core of this government’s mission.
“This strategy, lifting over half a million children out of poverty, represents an historic moment for generations of families now and into the future.
“And whether it’s expanding free school meals, rolling out free breakfast clubs, or revitalising family services, we are determined to give every child the very best start in life.”
