Government commitment on child poverty to be enshrined in law

ENGLAND – The government has published a landmark child poverty bill that enshrines in law a duty to eradicate child poverty by 2020 – so that all children have the best start in life and have the opportunities to flourish.

The cross departmental bill requires government to reduce poverty so families on low income do not get left behind. It puts duties on local authorities, and partner organisations like the NHS and Police to work together at local level to lift children out of poverty.

It also requires government to report to Parliament each year on progress and creates a new expert Child Poverty Commission to publish advice and encourage progress.

Five hundred thousand children have been lifted out of poverty already and measures currently in train are expected to lift around a further half a million children out of poverty.

The target for relative poverty requires the UK to go further than the best currently being achieved in Denmark, Finland and other European countries.

Work and Pensions secretary, Yvette Cooper said: “This Bill is about the society we want to live in, and the type of country we want our children to grow up in.

“If children are stuck in bad housing with no space to do their homework, if they can’t afford to go on school trips with their friends, and if their families are struggling with financial worries it can affect their chances throughout their lives. That’s why we have to keep on making progress to cut child poverty and build a fairer society.

“One of the biggest causes of child poverty is worklessness. We are determined not to abandon communities to long term unemployment.

“This could lead to generation after generation of families falling into and staying in poverty, as many did in the 1980s. That is why we are investing an extra £5bn (NZ$13.6 bn) over the next two years to tackle unemployment and helping people into jobs – and help fight child poverty.”

Children’s secretary, Ed Balls said: “Every child matters and deserves a fair chance to succeed. That is why we must do everything we can to make sure children don’t get held back because they grow up in poverty.

“Since 1997 we have seen the creation of a Sure Start Generation of children who are developing and thriving in family friendly Children’s Centres across the country.

“Alongside this we are now beginning to see the impact on families as parents benefit from a range of services and support to help them stay in or get into employment.

“This Bill enshrines in law the fact that lifting all children out of poverty is everyone’s responsibility and how we are going to work across government and local partners to beat it.”