End Child Poverty steering group letter to Prime Minister

Members of the End Child Poverty steering group have written an open letter to the Prime Minister on the need for more action on child poverty. The full letter and signatories are below.

Dear Prime Minister,  

Open letter on the need for more action on child poverty  

End Child Poverty is a coalition of 145 organisations that want to see all children thrive and no child growing up in poverty in the UK. 

Millions of children are growing up in poverty, being denied the childhoods we all want for our children and the chance to reach their potential in the future. We welcome your commitment to invest in people. Nowhere is this more needed than investment in our children.  

The UK-wide child poverty strategy published in December 2025 was a welcome first step to address this. The removal of the two-child limit was a crucial part of the strategy, and we are grateful for the leadership you showed in calling for the policy to go. We know from families we work with that the end of the two-child limit is already having a positive effect on children’s lives, enabling families to buy clothes and shoes for their children, paying for after-school clubs and putting food on the table.  

We are keen to work with your government to celebrate and make sure the public are aware of the successes so far in reducing child poverty. 

But this can only be the start. Indeed, the child poverty strategy promised further action. With millions of children in poverty not benefitting from the changes introduced by the strategy and with the cost of living pressures particularly affecting families with children, families need government to do more. The strategy must be the start of a decade of progress for children growing up in poverty. As you draw up your 10-year plan for the country, we ask you to commit to further bold action to reduce child poverty and improve the lives and futures of children and young people across the UK. This is an opportunity to set out a hopeful vision, where children can do well at school, and go on to pursue their ambitions.    

Without further action, child poverty reduction will stall during this parliament, undermining the progress made so far and jeopardising children’s lives and life chances. We stand ready to work with you as you agree on and implement the next steps to reduce child poverty and to ensure a vital and lasting legacy on this issue. We would welcome the opportunity to meet with you or your team. 

Many families are still being held back by systems underfunded by years of austerity. They need to know this government is on their side, and to be listened to and involved. It is right and necessary to invest in the support needed to reduce the number of children living in poverty in the UK. 

Yours sincerely,  

Sophie Livingstone MBE, Chair of the End Child Poverty Coalition and Chief Executive of Little Village 

Sara Ogilvie, Director of Policy, Rights and Advocacy, Child Poverty Action Group 

Dan Paskins, Executive Director – UK Impact, Save the Children UK 

Phillip Anderson, Executive Director of Strategy and External Affairs, National Children's Bureau

Dr Lynn Perry MBE, Chief Executive, Barnardo’s  

Beth Farhat, Chair, North East Child Poverty Commission 

Nerys Anthony, Executive Director of Youth Impact, The Children’s Society 

Graham Whitham, Chief Executive Officer, Resolve Poverty 

Vaila McClure, Head of Comms and External Affairs, Gingerbread 

Charlotte Farrington, CEO, Yorkshire Children's Charity