Child poverty has reached a new record high with 4.5 million children falling below the poverty line in the year to April 2024, today’s DWP statistics show. This is an increase of 100,000 from the previous year.
44% of all children living in poverty are living in a household where someone is disabled. 72% of poor children live in working families. Poor families have fallen deeper into poverty.
The latest poverty statistics show that in 2023/24 there were a record 4.5 million children in relative poverty (after housing costs), a rise from 4.3 million in 2022/23. This is 31 per cent of children.
Many children and families entered the pandemic facing poverty and structural disadvantage, and were failed – and continue to be failed - by the inadequacy of the economic measures introduced in response to the pandemic, Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) told Module 9 of the Covid-19 inquiry today.
In the absence of leadership from Westminster in recent years, devolved governments and local authorities have developed their own strategies to tackle child poverty. The UK government has now committed to developing a UK-wide cross-government child poverty strategy, which is a hugely welcome step. What key lessons from experiences of developing child poverty strategies in the devolved nations should inform the future development of a UK-wide cross-government child poverty strategy?
Our social security system, like our NHS, should be there for us all, especially those who need it most. It needs updating, so it works in today’s world. By the time it is fully rolled out, half of all children in the UK will live in a household claiming universal credit (UC). With some financial investment and operational changes, UC can be the safety net that families need.
Between now and the end of 2025, thousands of constituents will have their existing benefit payments switched off and replaced with universal credit. The process involves several hurdles; in the worst-case scenario, a family could be left without any income at all. This briefing explains how the process works, issues constituents are likely to face, and how MPs can carry out effective casework on this topic.
The DWP sensibly began rolling out managed migration to tax credit-only claimants, who have simpler benefit entitlements to calculate, are more likely to have savings to draw on and less likely to be vulnerable. Now it is proceeding to a much more complex and vulnerable claimant group. With the self-imposed tax credit deadline looming, if the DWP does not act now, it appears the more vulnerable claimants will be at the greatest risk of falling victim to a sprint finish.
