The news came as it emerged constitutional affairs minister HarrietHarman was considering raising the benefit for second and thirdchildren.
Harman is thought to be developing a range family friendly policies'such as benefit increases for younger children, in an attempt to stopfemale Labour voters defecting to the Conservatives.
At present, child benefit amounts to 17.45 for the first childbut only 11.70 for subsequent children.
The Child Poverty Action Group said that its Make Child Benefit Countcampaign had won the support of 40 children's charities and pressuregroups. These include Save the Children and the Trades UnionCongress.
Kate Green, chief executive of Child Poverty Action Group, said: "Thetime has come to increase child benefit and pay it at the same rate forall children, not least because it would help support larger families.This is vital if child poverty is to be ended once and for all."
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