Scrapping benefit cap could turn tables on child poverty

Disappointingly, more media airtime has been given to discussing election date betting, political leader publicity stunts and going without Sky TV than what the parties plan to do to reduce the scandalous levels of child poverty in the UK.

Latest data from the End Child Poverty Coalition reveals 4.3 million children in the UK now live in relative poverty, equating to nine children in every school classroom (news, p6). Rates are highest in the North West, West Midlands and North East, while in wards such as Birmingham Ladywell, Manchester Central and Rochdale, more than half of children live in poverty.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) projected in 2010 – when the Child Poverty Act was introduced with a target to reduce rates to 10% – that the number of children living in poverty would rise from 2.6 to 3.3 million by 2020. It has surpassed that for many reasons including changes to benefits and the impact of rising inflation. Campaigners say a key factor has been the introduction of the two-child cap for benefits in 2016 – separate research by the IFS shows 46% of families with three or more children live in poverty.