Chancellor Alistair Darling this afternoon announced an increase of £20 a year to the child element of the child tax. Child tax credits are given to every family with children earning up to £50,000 a year.
But Hilary Fisher, director of the Campaign to End Child Poverty, described the increase as "shamefully small". "It works out at about 38 pence a week, which is less than the price for a pint of milk," said Fisher. "It will not impact at all on the number of children in poverty."
Save the Children said the Budget was "deeply disappointing'" when it came to tackling child poverty. Eleri Thomas, head of Save the Children in Wales, said: "This Budget is incredibly disappointing - just £140m in child tax credits has been set aside for families living in poverty.The government has succumbed to the notion that social justice is a luxury it can't afford in a recession."
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