News and blogs

Blogs

Autumn Statement - no help for capped families

23 November 2023

The Chancellor’s decisions to uprate benefits in line with inflation and to restore local housing allowance rates to the 30th percentile of rents were welcome, despite coming wrapped in punitive rhetoric, and accompanied by yet another ramping up of benefit sanctions. Increasing benefit rates and support with rent costs will make a difference to many families continuing to struggle with rising prices, who approach this winter terrified about how they will get by. But, sadly, these changes will provide absolutely no help to the over 85,000 households affected by the benefit cap, who will receive not one penny more.

The limits of test and learn

14 November 2023

Today the DWP published the latest data on the outcomes of tax credit claimants who have been sent their ‘migration notice’. This is a letter informing people that they have three months to make a claim for universal credit (UC), at which point their tax credit payments will be terminated. The data reveals that 16,000 people sent a migration notice did not make the transition to UC and had their legacy benefits terminated. This equates to 27 per cent of those who have been sent a migration notice and reached their deadline (based on those sent a migration notice in the first half of 2023).

Blog Universal credit UK

How school costs make it harder to go to school

05 October 2023

Pupils and parents have told us that costs associated with going to school and stretched family finances are affecting children’s attendance, as Georgina Burt explains in this blog.

Blog Cost of the school day Education Free school meals UK England

Press releases

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Autumn Statement: families were left worried sick to give government a rabbit-in-the-hat moment

22 November 2023

It’s right that benefits are uprated as usual but this should never have been in doubt and legislation mandating inflationary increases is needed as a basic protection for living standards. Struggling families have been worrying themselves sick for months about whether an unmanageable income cut was coming in order to provide the government with a rabbit-out-of-the-hat moment.

Benefit delivery Benefit levels Disability benefits Health Housing benefit Press release UK

CHILDREN’S DOCTORS, SCHOOL LEADERS AND SOCIAL WORKERS URGE CHANCELLOR NOT TO CUT BENEFITS

17 November 2023

Ahead of the Autumn Statement, organisations representing children’s doctors, school leaders and social workers have joined Child Poverty Action Group in calling on the Chancellor to uprate benefits from April at least in line with September’s inflation rate as usual.

Benefit levels Press release UK

Domestic abuse survivor wins universal credit appeal case that will help destitute EU citizens and families residing in the UK live with dignity

08 November 2023

A landmark ruling in the Court of Appeal has held that the government is required to consider the fundamental rights of EU citizens and their families residing in the UK, including their right to live in dignified conditions, before refusing universal credit support.

Benefits for people from abroad Legal Press release UK

News

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CPAG's new training programme 2023/24

28 March 2023

NEW training programme now available to download, with course listings all the way through to April 2024. Face-to-face attendees will receive a FREE book, especially selected for each course from CPAG’s 'What You Need to Know' series (valued at £16). You can browse our courses online, book places, download the programme and share it all in a few clicks.

News Online Training Training UK

NEW Mental Health and Benefits Handbook

28 March 2023

Mind and CPAG proudly announce the first edition of the Mental Health and Benefits Handbook thanks to the support of Fusion 21, Riverside and the Northwick Trust.

News UK

CPAG's new training course: Benefit Essentials with Disability Rights UK

27 March 2023

We’re excited to announce the launch of Benefit Essentials, a new online training course developed exclusively with Disability Rights UK. This two-morning course provides an essential introduction to the benefits system, with a focus on how to help people obtain benefits when they are unable to work due to a health condition or disability.

News Online Training Training UK

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: [email protected]

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.