Households Below Average Income figures for 2004-05, released by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), reveal that the Government has achieved a reduction of only 23 per cent since 1998-99, leaving about 3.4 million children still in poverty after housing costs are taken into consideration (YPN, 1-7 March, p8).
Margaret Hodge, minister of state at the DWP, said: "I don't think it's a failure, as we have set ourselves incredibly ambitious targets."
But children's charities including Barnardo's, Save the Children and NCH called for a poverty strategy across government departments to ensure they are on track, along with more non-work related measures to help groups left behind.
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