State of the Nations: lessons in tackling child poverty from across the four nations

Child poverty has been rising across the UK over the past decade, driven by large cuts to the social security system. 

CPAG analysis shows child poverty will rise in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, unless we see urgent policy changes. The key driver of this increase is the two-child limit. 

In Scotland, we can expect to see a large reduction in child poverty due to the Scottish child payment. Although, without further reform, poverty will start to rise again in Scotland, primarily due to the UK-wide two-child limit.

The two-child limit must be abolished urgently, to prevent further rises in child poverty across the UK.

In the absence of leadership from Westminster in recent years, devolved governments and local authorities have developed their own strategies to tackle child poverty.

• In Scotland, a combination of ambitious targets, robust reporting measures, and specific policies including investment in children’s benefits via the Scottish child payment is forecast to reduce child poverty substantially, although more will be needed to meet the target of less than 10 per cent of children in poverty by 2030.
• In Wales and Northern Ireland, while the publication of child poverty/anti-poverty strategies is welcome, the lack of targets and specific policies to address family income risk a lack of meaningful action in either country to tackle child poverty. 
• In England, despite the best efforts of some local authorities, the absence of a child poverty strategy at a UK level and of specific support that exists in the devolved nations (universal free school meals, help with uniform costs) mean children and families fare particularly badly.

The UK government has committed to developing a UK-wide cross-government child poverty strategy, which is a hugely welcome step. This strategy must include policies that invest in the social security system, as the main policy lever for preventing and reducing child poverty. It must also include ambitious targets and significant milestones to achieve if it is to be successful in reducing child poverty.

Devolved nations and local areas will be key partners in the successful delivery of a UK-wide strategy. Obligations placed on local authorities as part of the strategy will need to be adequately resourced. 

Investment in social security at the UK level will provide a strong foundation to ensure both the UK child poverty strategy and strategies at a devolved and local level can work in tandem to deliver the long-term change that is needed on employment, housing, childcare, education, and services for children and young people.