Unemployed families need fiscal stimulus support in Budget

Commenting on the latest unemployment figures showing a rise in the number of jobless people to nearly 2 million, the Chief Executive of Child Poverty Action Group, Kate Green, said:

“Each week, thousands more families face redundancy as recession grips Britain. We’ve seen boardrooms bailed out and now the banks want more, but most financial crisis meetings are taking place around the kitchen table.

“The next round of fiscal stimulus must put families first, supporting the economy at the grassroots. Parents struggling to get by will go straight out and spend any extra cash in their local businesses on the things their children need.

“It’s time to put politicians’ pet projects for welfare reform on hold. Jobcentre staff are swamped by a soaring claimant count and cannot run a complicated new bureaucracy for long term claimants too. In London, three Jobcentres will even be closed.

“Investment in high-quality, individually tailored employment support may support economic recovery better than pouring fiscal stimulus down the black hole of another banking bailout. But let’s give claimants an entitlement to support, instead of an unfair system of harsh new sanctions for disabled people, lone parents and the victims of recession who have lost their jobs.”

Notes for editors

• CPAG is the leading charity campaigning for the abolition of child poverty in the UK and for a better deal for low-income families and children.
• CPAG is one of over 130 member organisations of the Campaign to End Child Poverty, campaigning for public and political commitment to ensure the goals of halving child poverty by 2010 and ending child poverty by 2020 are met.

For further information please contact:
Tim Nichols
CPAG Press Officer
Tel. 020 7812 5216 or 07816 909302
tnichols@cpag.org.uk