News and blogs

News

Conditionality Data Gathering

12 November 2019

Information is needed from advice workers about the extent to which claimant commitments are tailored to take account of their clients' circumstances.

The latest report in our annual Cost of a Child series finds that the overall cost of a child up to age 18 (including rent and childcare) is £185,000 for lone parents (up 19% since 2012) and £151,000 for couples (up 5.5% since 2012). The gap between lone parents’ actual income and what they need to meet family needs has grown sharply.

Benefit levels Childcare Children’s benefits Cost of a child Costs and spending News UK Work and pay

Living Hand to Mouth now free to access

03 September 2019

Thanks to funding from UCL Innovation and Enterprise’s Knowledge Exchange and Innovation Fund, supported by HEIF, Living Hand to Mouth is now available to download and read for free.

Benefit levels Benefits for people from abroad Education Free school meals Health News UK

Read media coverage of CPAG's work

Press releases

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SUPREME COURT BACKS TRIBUNAL POWERS IN BEDROOM TAX CASE

13 November 2019

A Supreme Court judgment has today confirmed that tribunals and other public bodies must disapply regulations in situations where applying them would lead to a breach of human rights.

Press release UK

Working lone parents face drastic and growing income shortfalls

04 September 2019

Working lone parents on reasonable pay cannot reach a minimum acceptable living standard – as defined by the public - even if they work full time, new research for Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) shows.

Benefit levels Childcare Cost of a child Costs and spending Press release UK Work and pay

More families fall into two-child limit net

31 July 2019

CPAG responds to today’s HMRC statistics showing the number of families affected by the two-child limit in tax credits and universal credit after two years of the policy.

Children’s benefits Press release Two child limit UK

Blogs

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Is food the right response to child hunger?

13 January 2020

A Mori poll for the Trussell Trust, published on 16 October in the Daily Mirror, showed more than half the British public think food banks are an embarrassment to this country and 7 in 10 think they should not exist in a modern society. They think it’s the government’s responsibility to deal with it. They are right. More people than ever, 21%, say ‘poverty and inequality’ is the most important issue facing Britain - the highest rate since 1997.

Benefit cap Benefit delivery Benefit levels Blog Childcare Two child limit UK Work and pay

Managing money: the importance of autonomy

16 December 2019

From time to time, we all get into difficulty managing our money. A boiler breaking, a car needing repair, a bigger heating bill than expected. These things can hit us hard and always seem to be poorly timed, particularly if money is already tight. We all have different methods of coping, and different ways of ensuring we keep on top of all the other bills and rent. Some people try to manage by taking the hit in one go; whereas others do the exact opposite, choosing to cut back less but over a longer period. Some will use savings and replenish these over time; others will try to cut back on their living expenses.

Blog Housing Housing benefit Secure futures UK Universal credit

Human rights aren't conditional

10 December 2019

Human Rights Day is an opportunity to reflect on our rights and what they mean to us. At CPAG we are particularly concerned with rights in the context of the changing benefits system, and ensuring that human rights are upheld when such drastic reforms are introduced.

Blog Legal Secure futures UK Universal credit Welfare reform

Contact us

Child Poverty Action Group is a centre of expertise and campaigning on child poverty, welfare rights, and related issues such as fair pay, childcare, benefits and tax credits. Our spokespeople regularly feature on television, radio and in print media.

Contact

Journalists can contact our press officer, Jane Ahrends, or the out-of-hours duty contact on:

020 7812 5216 (office hours)

07816 909302 (24 hour)

email: jahrends@cpag.org.uk

Looking for a contact in Scotland? Visit our Scotland media page.

Press releases

CPAG regularly puts out press statements on the publication of its own policy and research, and in reaction to other events and news stories related to our work. See our press releases.

Expert information

CPAG can help journalists find information for child poverty related stories. See some key facts and figures.

We may also be able to arrange for you to speak with one of our policy or welfare rights experts for more detailed enquiries.

Case study advice

CPAG can provide advice to journalists on finding case studies, but is rarely able to directly provide case studies.

We encourage journalists in their use of case studies to show sensitivity towards parents who wish to protect their children from the stigma of being labelled as in ‘poverty’ and associated risks such as bullying.

End Child Poverty

CPAG is the host organisation for the campaign to End Child Poverty - a coalition of 150 organisations from civic society including children’s charities, child welfare organisations, social justice groups, faith groups, trade unions and others, united in our vision of a UK free of child poverty.

Our press officer also handles queries on behalf of End Child Poverty and we can provide End Child Poverty spokespeople. Visit the End Child Poverty website.