Resources: Review - Putting an end to childhood poverty

In 1990, even the word poverty was taboo. Margaret Thatcher declared: "I have too much respect for ordinary people to belittle those who receive income support ... by the use of labels like poverty." As CPAG argued at the time, if the word "poverty" is obliterated from public discussion, the experience of people in poverty disappears from our perception of social reality.

Fourteen years on, poverty continues to blight lives and blunt expectations, but we now have a government commitment to eradicate child poverty. This fifth edition, Poverty: the facts, examines why people become poor, who is most at risk from poverty and the consequences for individuals, communities and the economy. It considers the geographical distribution of poverty by nations, regions, constituencies, districts and wards, and compares poverty levels in the UK to countries across the industrialised world.